Certification : I Did it For the Money.

[Brenda F. Johnson]

Money is an excellent motivator, and when the hospital that I worked at offered two dollars more an hour for certification, I was excited. I had been thinking about getting my certification for many years, so this was the perfect opportunity. After months of studying and stressing, I finally received my certification in GI nursing - CGRN!

The hospital that I work at now does not recognize certifications and I am due to renew in 2015. When I think about how much of myself I put into achieving my certification, there is no way I am not renewing. It is now more than money to me; it is my way to demonstrate the passion I have for GI nursing.

Going to conferences and reading the professional magazines help me to keep up with the latest advances and evidence-based research in GI. I enjoy learning and networking with other GI nurses, we are there because we want to be the best for our patients.

Are You Trying to Get Your Certification?

The first thing to do is go to the website for your specific field and read the conditions for certification. How long you have worked in your field, how many and what kind of CEUs are required, and cost are some things that you need to pay attention to.

Each certification body has study books as well as other resources to help you in the preparation. For the test anxiety people, (that would be me) this is the worst part. There is no shortcut, it takes a lot of studying to prepare. Taking your time and going through the books in an organized manner, studying sections at a time will help keep you on a timeline and be able to cover everything. Certification prep classes are available also for additional help, but at a cost of course.

Certification Organization

There is no need to worry about the legitimacy of your certification organization. There are two main governing bodies that make sure each certification agency is credentialed and following the guidelines:

National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) - Provide professional membership for associates and education as well as networking. They offer resources for those who work in the credentialing industry, and develop standards and do test development.

American Board of Nursing Specialties (ABSNC) - Non-profit organization that promotes specialty nursing certification, and allows nursing certification organizations to obtain accreditation.

There is a long list of certifications from Ambulatory Care to Public Health, providing nurses with the opportunity to become an asset to their employer and patients. With confidence, you can know that you are providing a higher standard of care and therefore outcome expectations are higher.

Certification allows for professional and personal growth. It opens up opportunities to continually learn, network, keep up with the latest practices and also to know what's coming in the near future. As a result, it looks great on your resume and provides validation of your specialized knowledge and level of professional credibility. It is not a requirement to be certified in your nursing specialty, it is a choice - a commitment. If you have any questions about getting certified please feel free to ask and if you have thoughts or suggestions on the subject, please share!

[shashikala]

Could you please guide, help me to how to study for CGN exam, or resources to use. Sorry, I am new to this site, just posting several times to convey my message to you. Thank you, Brenda Johnson

[shashikala]

Hi Reburn 3,

I agree with you, I fell CGN exam n ashamed of it. Everyone is certified in department except me. I will save money for exam fee & try my luck for next time

[shashikala]

Hi Brenda,

Thanks for reply. Could I know where can I buy that book name memotrox to make notes.? I want to pass CGRI exam. So I can find another part time job, one part time job is not enough. Most of the employer are interested in hiring RPN in Canada. No full time job for RN in endoscopy.

Thank you very much for your guidance , Shashi

[Riburn3, BSN, MSN, APRN, NP]

Shashikala, never be ashamed of failing. You tried, and that takes more courage and effort to test, than sitting around an saying "it's not worth it", regardless of the outcome. Regroup and try again.

[Brenda F. Johnson, MSN]

When I became a Certified Medical/Surgical Registered Nurse back in '04, my hospital paid for the educational materials, examination, and half of our certification fees. It was also worth another 3% on our paychecks. We also had the pride of being one of the 15/15 nurses who took the exam and passed it. I'd do it again if I were still in M/S nursing.

Thank you for your input, and by the way, I love Sylvia Plath!

[Brenda F. Johnson, MSN]

Just remember that not all organizations pay extra for certification. The last two places I've worked did reimburse the cost of getting the initial certification, but it made absolutely no difference in pay afterward.

Yes, some hospitals do not pay anything for certifications, like the one I'm at now. However, I am going to keep it active. It's more than just about the pay, but I do miss the extra money

[Brenda F. Johnson, MSN]

Getting your certification is absolutely worth it if the financial incentive is there. When I got my CCRN 5 years ago, the hospital reimbursed my exam, gave me a $750 bonus, and I still annually get a $400 bonus. Had I been at my previous employer, it was good for a flat $1.00 an hour raise.

Aside from the financials, it tells your coworkers, patients, and administrators that you know your stuff. Unlike NCLEX, which is an entry level exam, a certification exam is a expert exam. Coworkers that refuse to take the exam and come up with excuses as to why, simply don't do it because they are afraid of failure. If you could guarantee your coworker would pass, no questions asked, they would take the exam in a heartbeat. Failure directly demonstrates ones clinical knowledge in their chosen specialty is inferior to their coworkers that pass, and it's just easier to say "it's not worth it".

I like your point comparing the NCLEX with certifications; differentiating between entrance level and expertise. I do believe that many nurses do not take the tests because they are afraid of failing, test anxiety and fear of failure are true issues.

[Brenda F. Johnson, MSN]

Our facility pays $.75/hour for certification. I already have had one for several years (lactation consultant) but I decided that I am going to sit for the main one in my specialty (Obstetrics) in March. Even though I won't get more money, it's worth it to me for the personal achievement and professional development.

I think that is awesome, good luck in March!

[Brenda F. Johnson, MSN]

I've been certified in several specialties over my career. Sometimes I got more money for them, sometimes not. I always did a certification because of a personal interest in the specialty. Like others, I feel being certified shows to your colleagues and co-workers that you have more than the minimum of knowledge in the specialty.

Did you maintain any of the certifications?

[Brenda F. Johnson, MSN]

I am Canadian RN, could you please guide how to successful in GI certification exam. I was unsuccessful, short for 4 answer to pass exam. We use american books to prepare for test. Any guidance, help, or practice for question much appreciated, thank, sorry to bother you. After working 6 yrs in GI feels like I don't know nothing.

I had to redo my responses, but I think you read the first one before it got deleted. I also failed the first time I took the test, as I said before, so I understand how you feel. I definitely encourage you to study and retake. You can order the CGRN Study Guide by Mometric Medical LLC. by googling "CGRN study guides" You order from the website. And as I also said before, in GI you learn continually, no one knows everything because it is changing and evolving all the time. Let me know how you do when you take the test again. If you have trouble finding the study book, let me know. Brenda

[Brenda F. Johnson, MSN]

Hi Brenda,

Thanks for reply. Could I know where can I buy that book name memotrox to make notes.? I want to pass CGRI exam. So I can find another part time job, one part time job is not enough. Most of the employer are interested in hiring RPN in Canada. No full time job for RN in endoscopy.

Thank you very much for your guidance , Shashi

I responded to your earlier post (I was replying incorrectly and had to redo them) and I explained how to order the study guide. Good luck!

[shashikala]

Hi Riburn 3,

Thank you for your support. I am here looking for gudence & help to study effectively to pass CGRN test. We don't have study group in Toronto. I checked resources on SGNA website but very expensive. Only 80 practice questions cost $ 200. I have part time job but its not enough. Here employer ate interested hiring RPN.I have diploma from back home, & working towards BScN two more courses left to complete.

Thanks & regards,

Shashi