Do I need to maintain my CST after nursing school??

[SC APRN, DNP, APRN, NP]

I will graduate from nursing school before I need to renew. I really don't have the extra time to do the CEU's or the extra money to pay for them, the passport photo, membership dues, and the renewal fee. I let my last renewal form go, and they want a $350 late fee?? Do you think it is worth it to keep my certification - or should I let it go and just focus on school and go for my CNOR down the road?

[mrsilly]

I had thought the same thing when my CST was expiring. I let it go. Unless you plan on teaching surg tech, I don't see the need for it. As a nurse, you want the CNOR. Hospitals won't care about keeping the CST... but this is just my opinion. If you want to retake the exam later down the road it's currently $500!!! I would love to teach surg tech, but it seems as though you need this now, and I'm not spending the money just to get the CST behind my name again.

[JamieJCST]

I'm just starting nursing school and I don't plan to maintain my certification once I become an RN. I think it will be hard enough maintaining the RN license.

[SandraCVRN]

I don't think any of our RN's kept their CST.....

[SC APRN, DNP, APRN, NP]

I slept on it. I don't need to be certified for my job, there is no pay difference, also the AST and magazine are a waste of money in my opinion. They don't even differentiate between CST and ST on our ID badges. Saving the money for a raining day.

Thank You for your responses.

[RNOTODAY, BSN, RN]

isnt it sort of like being an RN and still keeping a Nurses Aid license? what would be the point?

[SC APRN, DNP, APRN, NP]

I wouldn't compare it to a Nurses Aid license, but I did decide to let it expire.