If Not an Advanced Degree, How About a Certification?

I am constantly amazed by people... not just nurses, though this is a nursing example... who have opportunity placed in their path to advance their career station and/or pay with just a little effort, but would rather complain about their current situation.

Case in point: I recently started working for a group in a specialty that has a certification exam available. There are many, many specialties that offer this -- most that require one year's experience in the specialty, followed by taking a certification exam, and when you pass you get new letters to add at the back of your name.

Now, this company I work for encourages nurses to achieve the certification -- so much so that NOT ONLY do you get an automatic raise for achieving it, but they also pay for the test and the travel expenses to TAKE the test. I recognize that not all employers offer this sort of thing, but if you know for a fact that they do (or simply ask and get an affirmative answer), why would you NOT go for it? It seems it certainly takes less time and money than studying for an advanced degree...

The only answer I get when I ask said persons about it is, "Why? I went to school, I'm done. I'm not taking any more tests." Some of these folks have been in the specialty for years, and from their work practices (and asking a few obscure questions taken from practice exams) I can't see that they don't already KNOW all of the information on the exam -- wouldn't even have to study much, just maybe a review.

Some of them are complaining about their hourly wage... DUH!