Getting certified in your nursing specialty has many professional and personal advantages such as networking, learning new evidence based information, and learning what procedures or equipment will soon be available.
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!
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
The workbook that I suggested costs minimal compared to SGNA resources. You can find practice tests online free, by googling it. But they aren't really that helpful.
I am board certified with the NCC as a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner now and also certified NICU nurse (RNC-NIC) with the NCC. I did renew my RNC this past year, but wonder if I should let the RNC next time around...I feel like it's superfluous now that I'm a NP. Thoughts anyone else who has their NP and a RN certification?
Getting certified is part of my clinical ladder, which includes the pay increase. Plan on going for the RNC-MNN in my specialty and eventually will start to slowly gather books/resources to begin studying some time next year.
Getting certified is part of my clinical ladder, which includes the pay increase. Plan on going for the RNC-MNN in my specialty and eventually will start to slowly gather books/resources to begin studying some time next year.
What is RNC-MNN? Just curious. Good luck with your test, check back and let us know how it all went!
Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
Did you maintain any of the certifications?
Once you leave a specialty, it's almost impossible to maintain the cert. Currently, I am certified in oncology (OCN). I am in the process of seeing if I can recertify; I am no longer working in patient care due to disability, but have been working as a nurse writer/blogger for an oncology website for nurses. I'm waiting to find out if my materials will be approved.
I don't regret obtaining any of my certs. They all helped me in one way or another. I wholeheartedly encourage nurses to get certified.
Which means more, a certification or a higher degree?? I have been battling this delima for a while and not sure which direction to take. If I certify, I would like it to be one that will serve me in all aspects of nursing, like ambulatory nursing, possibly certified education nurse specialist, what about cardiovascular specialty. Or is it better to work on a higher degree with a specialty? I would be going for my PhD, but not sure what area of concentration. Any suggestions??
In most cases the degree means more than the certification but the certification is far easier to achieve. A PhD takes years even if you are doing it full time. You may be able to get certified in an area you know after studying for an hour a day for a few months. Certification allows you to stay in your current job and in many cases get paid more for it. I got the test paid for and a $1/hour raise. You should get a degree if you want to get a new job, PhD's give you skills to research and work in academia. The focus of your PhD should be whatever you are passionate about researching.
I have thought of this so many times. I guess I keep procrastinating because I am not sure which specialty I want to certify in. I have a strong Cardiovascular background, but of course, tehcnology has changed a lot of what I knew previously. I loved sub-acute nursing and thought I was going to certify in that. I have always wanted to do more with patient education but the certification in that requires that one be working on a degree---I have my Masters and really do not plan to go above this level. I also wanted a certification that will benefit me when I decide to retire. Ambulatory Nursing?? would that make me able to do more consulting work as I work closer to retirement?? I have to admit being a mature nurse is difficult sometimes in the acute environment. Currently I am on a tele floor, so perhaps the Cardiovascular one would still be the most appropriate. Any advice would be welcomed!!!
Specializes in Medical-Surgical/Float Pool/Stepdown.
Firstinfamily...(tried to quote or reply but it didn't work...) Most often, or as far as I know, you would have to be active in the specialty that you're trying to certify in for a certain amount of time first. For example, I just passed the CMSRN a few days ago and just to sit for the test one would have to have no less than two years of current work experience in a medical-surgical area.
AJJKRN-thank you for the reply. I do have a total 16 years of critical care experience, but chose to stay out of critical care and have had previous tele, PCU, IMC experience. Currently on the tele/med floor but I am leaning more towards CV certification. I think they would accept at least some of my past experience along with a good year on the tele floor.
Brenda F. Johnson, MSN
60 Articles; 326 Posts
The workbook that I suggested costs minimal compared to SGNA resources. You can find practice tests online free, by googling it. But they aren't really that helpful.