Certifications, CCRN, PCRN or FLUNKY

Nurses Career Support

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I am being encouraged to get a nursing certification. My director has a goal to get a certain number of nurses "certified". I can push to take the CCRN, which I barely qualify for, or I can take the PCRN. I am currently working in a progressive care unit, but I used to work in an ICU. I have all the CCRN books I need to take that test. I am thinking why should I do all that studying and only go for a PCRN? Is there any advantage in having a PCRN over a CCRN? Do you guys think I need to buy new books if I go for PCRN? Or, I should just relax and enjoy my current FLUNKY certification, as there is no financial incentive to do either PCRN or CCRN.

Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

What a pile of bunk. If an employer wants to 'encourage' certification they jolly need to provide some financial incentive!!! Sheesh.

I would advise you to go for the PCRN because you will need to work in ICU to maintain a CCRN - & you don't want that certification to lapse because you aren't eligible to renew.

Thanks for the advice. You are right!

Specializes in CVICU.

Is you manager going to pay the fee for your test? If the answer is no, and if there is no financial incentive to do so than I would stay with the FLUNKY. My personal feeling about these certifications is that they are meaningless cash cows for for the nursing organizations that give them out.

I got my CCRN "only" because my employer paid for it and it earned me some valuable brownie points. If that were not the case, I could find better ways to spend $300.

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