Certifications

[MarcusVincent, BSN, RN]

The Canadian Nurses Association offers specialty certifications for specialties such as cardiovascular, gerontology, neuroscience, perianesthesia, and more. Just wondering what exactly the point is other than being a resume booster and another thing that requires proven continued education and constant renewals. The CNA website is great at explaining how to get one, but doesn't really tell me why I should. Would anyone be able to explain to me the benefits of being certified? Does it increase your salary or help you find management jobs? Would it benefit those looking to advance to an educator role?

I've been working for a long while now yet I've never come across a CNA [Canadian Nurse's Association] certified nurse. I want to switch roles and came across their website. What benefits do they actually provide?

https://www.cna-aiic.ca/en/certification

Thank you in advance!

[dayandnight]

On 7/14/2020 at 6:11 PM, MarcusVincent said:

Does it increase your salary or help you find management jobs? Would it benefit those looking to advance to an educator role?

No to both those questions. I live in BC so it may be different in other provinces. Plus in BC we don’t get reimbursed or qualify for bursaries or fundings to take the exams. To be an educator all it matters is your experience in the related field and seniority in some cases. I have seen some nurses become a critical care nurse and work in various areas for a few years and try charge nurse positions, educator positions and then eventually go into management.
In the US you would get extra pay for those type of certifications.

[thruaway99]

I actually had the same questions, I found their website to be lacking in clarifications as to why this is needed. I signed up for a 1/2 yr membership to take some basic certifications to only find out that you need to pay more for specialized certificates.

From what I can tell, it's just to say that you are specialized in said area.. making you more employable? I don't know

[MarcusVincent, BSN, RN]

From what I can dig up through the internet and through my colleagues who have the specialty certifications.

It seems like its much ado about nothing.

Just to note the psychiatric certification they offer to the registered psychiatric nurses I find are redundant since the rpns all ever do is psychiatric nursing. It's paying double the fees when the college/ licensing body already takes care of quality assurance anyway.