Certification White Paper: Safeguarding the Patient and the Profession

On December 11, 2002, AACN took a big step with a bold voice and released to the media a definitive report on the benefits that specialty certification for nurses brings to the public, employers and to nurses themselves.

Titled Safeguarding the Patient and the Profession: The Value of Critical Care Nurse Certification, the report puts forth a call to action for all who can influence and will benefit from certified nurses' contribution to patient care. The release of this white paper is a major part of AACN's initiative to raise awareness of the value of nurse certification. Access the press release, report and additional reference documents below.

• Press Release (3 pages)
• Executive Summary of White Paper
• Full Version of White Paper (24 pages, includes 2-page Executive Summary)
• White Paper References & Links

Related Reference Documents

• AACN Survey Findings (2001)
• Harris Poll Findings (2002)
• Key Influencer Survey Findings (2002)
• RN 2009 Nurse Earnings Survey 
• Nursing 2011 Salary & Benefits Survey
• Eight Good Reasons to Certify
• Certification Credential Position Statement
• Professional Credentials: A Valuable Asset – Press Release 
   

The above documents may be viewed and printed out using Acrobat Reader, available below.