Specialization certification

It’s March nineteenth Certified Nurses Day. There are many nursing certification programs (92 at my count!). This number alone tells me that that is something necessary for each nurse to think about. I used to be proud to benefit from a CCRN credential during my days working within the intensive care unit. The exam was difficult and meeting the vital continuing education requirements was a challenge, but my very own sense of pride and the respect I received from patients, my colleagues, and my employer made it value it.

What exactly is a specialization certification? The American Nurse Certification Center (ANCC) states: “Professional certification is a voluntary designation obtained by individuals who exhibit a level of competence, skill and knowledge of their field. The certification confirms advanced knowledge, skills and practice to satisfy the challenges of recent nursing. There are many definitions, depending on where you look and what organization you’re searching for certification from. Generally speaking, being certified demonstrates advanced knowledge and competence in a given specialty.

Barriers to the certification process include time, cost of preparation and exams, test anxiety, lack of support from supervisors, and continuing education requirements (Valente, 2010). Overcoming these barriers, each on a private and skilled level, is significant due to the value and advantages related to specialty certification. Kaplow (2011) divided this value related to certification into three areas: value to patients, value to the employer, and value to self.

In terms of value to patients, registered nurses exhibit greater confidence in decision-making, increased patient safety (including fewer falls and reduced pressure sores), and greater patient satisfaction. Registered nurses have also been shown to be more more likely to provide care based on evidence-based guidelines (Kaplow, 2011).

A specialization certificate sends a signal of commitment to a current or potential employer. Certified nurses exhibit personal responsibility for his or her education and, in turn, patient care and outcomes. Some studies have even found a relationship between certification and turnover, vacancies, staffing, nurse retention, job satisfaction, higher nurse performance, and patient satisfaction (Watts, 2010).

Finally, the non-public advantages of certification are quite a few. The feeling of accomplishment, empowerment and validation of my knowledge had a huge effect on my self-confidence. Other advantages may include impact on salary and profession development, in addition to improved marketability (Kaplow, 2011).

If you ought to learn more about certification, please take a moment to read our Certification Guide. This handy table of specialist certification boards and get in touch with details together with associated references and requirements is a very good place to begin your certification journey. Good luck!

Bibliography:
Certification Center for American Nurses. (2021). Celebrate certified nurses. https://www.nursingworld.org/education-events/certified-nurses-day

Kaplow R. (2011). Certificate value. AACN Advanced Critical Care, 22(1), 25–32. https://doi.org/10.1097/NCI.0b013e3182057738

Valente, S. M. (2010). Improving skilled practice through certification. Journal for Nurses in Staff Development: JNSD: the official journal of the National Organization for Nursing Staff Development, 26(5), 215–219. https://doi.org/10.1097/NND.0b013e31819b561c

Watts, M. D. (2010). Certification and the clinical ladder as an impulse for skilled development. Critical Care Nursing Quarterly, 33(1), 52–59. https://doi.org/10.1097/CNQ.0b013e3181c8e333