Perinatal CNS No Certification??

Specialties CNS

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I understand their is no national certification exam for perinatal clinical nurse specialists (CNS). Do they take the Adult Health CNS certification exam in order to obtain their license and practice as a CNS? Or do they not have to take a certification exam? Please help if you can. Thanks!

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Okay here is what I found at a school that offers a post-MSN Perinatal CNS:

Our Perinatal CNS curriculum follows the Women's Health CNS Competencies published by the Association of Women's Health Obstetric & Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) in 2014.

Perinatal Clinical Nurse Specialist | School of Nursing

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Yes, I had found that as well. But I had thought in order to be considered an APN you had to pass a national certification exam. I know CNS is a APN role so it just doesn't make sense to me. And I'm suppose to do a presentation on perinatal CNS! Thank you for your help.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Right - it looks like from that reference I quoted that you have to take the Women's Health CNS certification exam

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Specializes in Pediatric Cardiac ICU.
Right - it looks like from that reference I quoted that you have to take the Women's Health CNS certification exam

At this moment, I don't think there actually is a certification exam for a CNS in Women's Health. I think that the Association of Women's Health Obstetric & Neonatal Nurses have proposed that curriculum for a hopeful certification exam, but have not been successful in approving it officially.

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I'd ask the schools who have the program. They're probably well aware of the situation, and can explain to you what they recommend that their students do.

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