In this episode, we're joined by Eric Bell, who shares his journey from emergency nurse to educator and explores the connections between clinical judgment, communication, certification, and lifelong learning.

Eric Bell is a doctorally prepared emergency nurse, academic nurse educator, and lifelong advocate for advancing emergency nursing practice. Grounded in ongoing frontline emergency department care, he brings real-world clinical experience into the classroom, where he helps nurses develop clinical judgment, strengthen communication, and translate evidence into action. With experience spanning professional development, undergraduate and graduate nursing education, Eric is passionate about fostering curiosity, critical thinking, and confidence in the next generation of nurses. Through his work as both clinician and educator, he is dedicated to improving patient care, strengthening teamwork, and preparing nurses to lead meaningful change.

Through stories from the bedside and the classroom, Eric reminds us that some of the most important lessons in nursing happen in the space between knowing and doing, teaching and learning, and caring and connecting. This episode is titled, "The Space Between: Clinical Judgment and Human Connection."

BCEN & Friends Podcast is presented by the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing. Scan the QR Code to sign up for Learn Updates:

We invite you to visit us online at bcen.org for additional information about emergency nursing certification, education, and much more.

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In this episode, we're joined by Matt Johnson to discuss the experiences that have shaped his approach to emergency and critical care nursing, from military service and transport medicine to certification and clinical education.

Matt Johnson is a critical care and transport nurse with experience spanning emergency nursing, intensive care, air medical transport, flight nursing, and nursing education. Grounded in years of caring for critically ill and injured patients across high-acuity environments, he brings a practical, real-world perspective to both patient care and clinical education. Matt is passionate about helping healthcare professionals strengthen clinical judgment, build confidence in complex situations, and translate critical care concepts into everyday practice. Drawing on nearly two decades of service in the United States Navy, including as a Fleet Marine Force Hospital Corpsman, Matt is dedicated to advancing professional development, fostering clinical excellence, and preparing clinicians to deliver exceptional care in challenging environments.

Matt shares insights on developing sound clinical judgment, embracing lifelong learning, and preparing for the moments when patients need nurses at their very best. This episode is titled, "No Excuses, Just Outcomes: Building Clinical Judgment Under Pressure."

BCEN & Friends Podcast is presented by the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing. Scan the QR Code to sign up for Learn Updates:

We invite you to visit us online at bcen.org for additional information about emergency nursing certification, education, and much more.

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In this episode, we're joined by Janna Ellsworth, who shares how a mindset of steady progress, resilience, and balance has shaped both her professional and personal journey.

Starting as an associate degree nurse while raising a young family, Janna Ellsworth has built a career that spans oncology, medical-surgical nursing, end-of-life care, trauma and emergency nursing, and advanced practice as a Family Nurse Practitioner. Along the way, she rediscovered a love of learning that would shape both her professional and personal life. Today, Janna serves as a Sepsis and Stroke Coordinator for two hospitals, helping translate evidence-based practice into better patient outcomes. A passionate educator, problem solver, and lifelong learner, she is always looking for the next opportunity to grow, learn, and make an impact.

Janna reflects on the value of certification, the mentors and experiences that have influenced her career, and the lessons she's learned along the way. Drawing inspiration from running, resting, and her belief that fear can either make us flee or rise, she reminds us that meaningful growth often happens one step at a time. This episode is titled, "No Big Deal, One Mile at a Time."

BCEN & Friends Podcast is presented by the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing. Scan the QR Code to sign up for Learn Updates:

We invite you to visit us online at bcen.org for additional information about emergency nursing certification, education, and much more.

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In this episode, we’re joined by Mark Millet, a board-certified emergency nurse and paramedic whose career has spanned both sides of the ambulance doors.

Mark Millet has spent nearly 40 years answering emergency calls, caring for critically ill patients, teaching healthcare professionals, and helping connect two worlds that share the same mission: EMS and emergency nursing. Mark Millet is a paramedic, emergency nurse, educator, and lifelong advocate for understanding the entire patient journey, from the moment help is called to the care that continues in the emergency department. His career has taken him through EMS leadership, trauma services, emergency preparedness, and countless teaching opportunities, but his passion remains the same: helping us work better together for the patients we serve.

Mark shares how his experiences in EMS and nursing have shaped his clinical practice, strengthened collaboration across care settings, and deepened his understanding of the patient journey. He also reflects on the value of certification, influential mentors, and lessons learned throughout his career. This episode is titled, “Translating the Journey Between the Doors.”

Mark can be contacted on LinkedIn @MarkMillet and on Facebook at Rapid Response Training.

BCEN & Friends Podcast is presented by the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing. Scan the QR Code to sign up for Learn Updates:

We invite you to visit us online at bcen.org for additional information about emergency nursing certification, education, and much more.

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In this episode, we’re joined by Cassie Herman, a Trauma Program Manager in Virginia and our 2026 Distinguished TCRN award winner.

Cassie Herman is the Trauma Program Manager at Riverside Health in Newport News, Virginia. Cassie has spent nearly two decades in emergency and trauma care, growing from bedside practice into leadership roles that have helped shape trauma services across her organization. With a passion for performance improvement, trauma education, and innovative programs that support patients and communities, Cassie is a recognized leader whose work is making a lasting impact on trauma care.

Cassie shares how her journey from bedside practice to program leadership has shaped her philosophy and fueled initiatives like her hospital‑based violence intervention program. She reflects on the role of performance improvement in driving change and why kindness remains central to trauma care. This episode is titled, “Scaling from Scrubs to Systemwide Trauma Impact.”

BCEN & Friends Podcast is presented by the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing. Scan the QR Code to sign up for Learn Updates:

We invite you to visit us online at bcen.org for additional information about emergency nursing certification, education, and much more.

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In this episode, we're joined by Dave and Amanda Repsher for a powerful conversation about survival, resilience, and finding purpose after life changes in an instant.

Dave and Amanda Repsher have spent their careers caring for others in some of the most demanding environments in healthcare. Between them, they have served as paramedics, critical care nurses, emergency and ICU clinicians, flight crew members, and healthcare leaders. In 2015, their lives changed in an instant when Dave, working as a flight nurse, survived a catastrophic helicopter crash that left him with full-thickness burns over more than 90% of his body. What followed was a nearly 400-day hospitalization, a long road to recovery, and an unexpected transition from healthcare providers to patient and caregiver. Throughout that journey, Amanda relied on her experience in EMS, emergency nursing, critical care, and trauma administration while advocating for Dave as both a clinician and spouse.

Together, they share lessons learned as patient, caregiver, paramedic, nurse, and family member, and reflect on the long road of recovery that followed. Dave and Amanda remind us that survival is only the beginning, and that hope, healing, and peace can still be found in the midst of life's greatest storms. This episode is titled, "Stronger Than We Knew: The Repshers' Story of Survival, Recovery, and Reimagining Life."

Dave and Amanda can be contacted via email at d_repsher@yahoo.com

D-REP: Fight for Life (Dave Repsher's Story)-Youtube Video

BCEN & Friends Podcast is presented by the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing. Scan the QR Code to sign up for Learn Updates:

We invite you to visit us online at bcen.org for additional information about emergency nursing certification, education, and much more.

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In this episode, we're joined by Jason Carter for a meaningful conversation about mental health, resilience, and sustaining purpose in the demanding world of healthcare.

Jason Carter’s journey into healthcare began with six years of service in the U.S. Navy as a Hospital Corpsman and Surgical Technologist, laying a strong foundation in clinical care and leadership. After transitioning to civilian life, he worked as a paramedic before advancing to nursing through a Paramedic-to-RN bridge program, ultimately building expertise across emergency care and nursing informatics. For the past seven years, he has served as a Nurse Manager, leading with a focus on quality, safety, and operational excellence. Jason earned his MSN in 2017 and completed his Doctor of Nursing Practice in Executive Nurse Leadership in June 2026. He is especially passionate about addressing nurse and first responder suicide, working to educate healthcare professionals and leaders while advocating for better access to mental health resources.

We discuss burnout, suicide prevention, leadership, and the power of positive energy, connection, and early intervention in helping clinicians thrive. Jason reminds us that caring for the caregiver is not a luxury but a responsibility. This episode is titled, "Running on Purpose, Not Empty: Fueling Mental Health and Wellness on the Front Lines."

Jason can be contacted on LinkedIn @JasonCarter

BCEN & Friends Podcast is presented by the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing. Scan the QR Code to sign up for Learn Updates:

We invite you to visit us online at bcen.org for additional information about emergency nursing certification, education, and much more.

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In this episode, we’re joined by Michael Isaacs, BCEN’s 2026 Distinguished CEN, for a thoughtful conversation about lifelong learning, service, and the lasting impact of investing in others.

Michael Isaacs started out more than 30 years ago as a New York EMT, served as an Army Medic, and then chased his calling straight into the ER. Since day one, he’s been the kind of nurse who lifts everyone around him—teaching ACLS, CEN, ENPC, ENTEP and more—while still pushing himself as a lifelong learner working toward his fifth degree, a Doctor of Nursing Education from The Ohio State University. Today, Mike serves as the Nursing Professional Development Specialist for Emergency Services in central California, shaping the next generation of emergency nurses. When he’s not doing that, you’ll find him volunteering on medical teams at local sporting events, building LEGO as a proud Adult Fan Of Legos, staying active in his church, or hanging out with his wife and their rescue pup, Sadie. Mike was also recently honored as BCEN’s 2026 Distinguished CEN.

Drawing from more than 30 years in emergency medicine, Michael shares how curiosity, certification, and a commitment to continuous learning have guided his journey, while offering insights into what meaningful education looks like for today’s nurses. Through stories of perseverance, purpose, and professional growth, Michael reminds us that knowledge is most powerful when it is shared in service of others. This episode is titled, “A Heart for Learning and a Soul to Serve.”

Michael can be contacted on LinkedIn @MichaelIsaacs

BCEN & Friends Podcast is presented by the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing. Scan the QR Code to sign up for Learn Updates:

We invite you to visit us online at bcen.org for additional information about emergency nursing certification, education, and much more.

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