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What Motivates Nurses to Seek
Certification? Recently Certified CCRNs and CCNSs Explain
By Beth A. Glassford, RN, MSHA, CHE
Secretary-Treasurer
AACN Certification Corporation Board of
Directors
What motivates a critical care nurse to seek
certification? How do successful applicants prepare? Are certified nurses
recognized by their peers, by their employers?
These are just a few of the areas that have been
explored with some of our newest certificants. This diverse group of CCRNs and
CCNSs have achieved certification in adult, neonatal and pediatric critical
care.
Why Certification?
I found that each of us has our own personal
reasons and different motivations for seeking certification. Following are just
a few that these certificants cited:
� Personal satisfaction
� Requirement to maintain advanced practice status
in their states
� Validation of advanced practice role and
knowledge of critical care
� A way to refresh and keep knowledge base current
� Monetary incentive
� Prestige and to confirm competency to self
� Requirement to join a neonatal ICU transport team
� Great respect credential has
� Credibility to encourage others to become
certified
� Lifelong commitment to learning
� Professional pride
� Welfare of patients
� Standard of testing for CCRN exam is higher than
other certifying bodies
Getting Ready
There is not a standard way that works for everyone
in preparing to take a certification exam, and the certificants I talked to
suggested a variety of approaches. Maybe some of these ideas will assist you.
� Practicing as a CNS
� Reviewing the AACN Certification Corporation Web
site (www.certcorp.org) and using the practice questions
� Reviewing advanced practice articles related to
the Synergy Model
� Practicing effective test-taking skills
� Reading the exam application and handbook
� Attending preconference prep class at NTI
� Attending a four-day review course and
immediately signing up for the exam while the information was fresh
� Studying the core curriculum book and study guide
� Using CD version of the core curriculum
� Concentrating on weak sections identified in the
practice exams
� Listening to tapes and videos of a review course
� Reviewing the exam blueprint
Is There Support?
Support for and recognition of certification varies
among employers. Some nurses say they have no encouragement from their employers
to achieve certification. However, others described varying levels of support
and recognition. Hospitals that are looking to promote certification as
recognition of quality will continue to add incentives to recognize the
importance of certification. Following is a sampling of the types of support
reported:
� Reimbursed for the cost of the exam
� Time off work to travel to the exam site and to
take the test
� Reimbursement for obtaining certification
� A 16% pay raise
� A different pay scale for certified nurses
� Annual bonus for certification
� Differential pay for certification
� Financial support to attend a conference each
year
� Reimbursement for attending a review course
� A $1,200 bonus for certification
� Advancement on a clinical ladder
Share the Value
Are you able to articulate to your institution,
patients and physicians the benefit of a certified nurse?
Although pursuing certification requires work and a
commitment on your part, it clearly has many benefits on both a personal and
professional level. We hope that each of you will take the opportunity to
achieve certification. Utilize the resources of the AACN Certification
Corporation and the Web site to assist you. Maybe the comments and ideas of
these newly certified nurses will motivate you to take the exam!
CCNS Certification Meets AP Criteria in 18
States
North Carolina has joined the list of states that
now recognize CCNS certification as meeting the criteria for advanced practice
nursing designation or licensure.
In addition to North Carolina, the state boards of
nursing in Alabama, California, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota,
Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota,
Texas, Utah and Wisconsin have either approved the CCNS exam, or listed AACN
Certification Corporation as an approved
certification body.
AACN Certification Corporation has contacted the
state boards in all 50 states to request recognition of the CCNS certification
exam for clinical nurse specialists in acute and critical care. Depending on the
wording of specific statutes or rules, each state that recognizes the CNS role
for advanced practice status may have the option to approve the CCNS exam
process.
However, though pressure from managed care groups,
reimbursement issues and the desire to conform to the same practices as
neighboring states seem to be influencing the move toward regulation of advanced
practice, some boards of nursing do not have the statutory authority to
establish or approve an advanced practice category. AACN Certification
Corporation continues to monitor legislation in those states.
All nurses planning to use the CCNS to obtain
advanced practice licensure should check the specific requirements of their
state boards of nursing before taking the CCNS exam.
Note: Certification obtained through AACN
Certification Corporation is a voluntary process and is intended to test only
for specialized knowledge. AACN Certification Corporation is not authorized to
define qualifications of any person for nursing practice. The significance of
certification in any jurisdiction is dependent on the statutes in that
jurisdiction, and it is the individual candidate�s responsibility to contact the
appropriate state board of nursing to obtain information pertaining to licensure
requirements.
For the Record
The credential for certified operating room nurses
is CRON. An article in the December issue of AACN News incorrectly listed this
credential.
Volunteers Needed for Appeals Panels
AACN Certification Corporation is seeking
volunteers to serve on its adult, pediatric and neonatal CCRN and CCNS
certification exam appeals panels.
These positions are part of AACN�s annual Call for
Volunteers. The deadline to apply is March 1. The application is available
online or via Fax on Demand at (800) 222-6329. Request Document #1521.
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