How to get specialty certification

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Hi. I am starting RN school next week. In thinking "down the road", I am wondering how to get certification for a specialty. For example, if I wanted to become a critical care nurse, how would I go about getting certification? Just wondering...

Tracey

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Specializes in M/S, Onc, PCU, ER, ICU, Nsg Sup., Neuro.

HI there,

There are a variety of certifications available out there, first you must decide what area you want to work in and then have gain considerable in that field. Some certs require a minimum timeframe of having practiced. For me every time I've been doing something that I thought about certification I've moved onto something else. Did Oncology for 5 years wanted to certify but got burned out(CON), did ER for 8 yrs in 2 seperate states and each time something came up(moving, new job, etc otherwise I would have my CEN), and there is always CCRN for critical care/ICU type nursing too. THere are study guides available not to mention some courses you can take, plus the tests aren't cheap either. Hope this helps....flaerman:)

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Specializes in OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.

You have to work in that specialty for 2 years full-time before you can even apply for certification so relax you've got plenty of time.

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

first order of business is to complete your general nursing program and get your rn license. you will then need to work in a critical care area for at least 2 years before you will be able to meet the requirements to take the certification exam to become certified.

here is information on critical care certification: the american association of critical-care nurses was established in 1969 and has more than 40,000 certified members. the aacn offers examinations leading to ccns (advanced practice certification for the clinical nurse specialist in acute and critical care), ccrn (certification in critical care nursing), and pccn (progressive care certified nurse) credentials. additionally, in 2005, two subspecialty certificates were added: cardiac medicine certification (cmc) and cardiac surgery certification (csc).

http://www.aacn.org/ - this is the web site of the american association of critical care nurses (aacn) - you will find a link on the lower part of the page to information about the various certifications they offer. this link http://www.certcorp.org/certcorp/certcorp.nsf/certcorp/ccrn will help you get information about what is required for ccrn. basically, the requirements to take the ccrn exam are that you must be a licensed rn with 1,750 hours of direct bedside care of critically ill patients within the past 2 years in an acute or critical care area of u.s. standards of care.

i recommend that you go to these sites and read the expansive amount of information available on this subject. also note the application fee for this exam. there should be information either at the aacn site or at the site of applied measurement professionals, inc. who administers the test on what kind of information you are being tested over. http://www.goamp.com/sched/w_aspen.examinfo?p_category=healthcare&p_client_code=aacn&p_exam_id=20347 will link you into a page on their site to get information on the candidate handbook, how to get practice tests, where the test centers are and how to register to take the test. there may be educational programs you can sign up for to prepare for this test.

at the link i gave you for applied measurement professionals you will find an extensive list of the various nursing certification exams they give. amp is the company that administers almost all the the nursing certification exams.

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Thanks for all the information. That helps to know what to expect. (I will probably change my mind a few times while in clinicals, but so far, CCU is what I am drawn to.

Thanks!! Tracey

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Wow didn't realize you needed years in order to get certifications. I was hoping that once I finished my bsn while working I would work part time towards a certification. Boy oh boy.

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You have to work two years before gaining a certification in any type of nursing specialty?

I've never heard of this before.

Can anyone confirm if this is really true?

According to a large number of posters here whom were once new grads-- they completed their certifications right out of RN school!

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Specializes in Utilization Management.
You have to work two years before gaining a certification in any type of nursing specialty?

I've never heard of this before.

Can anyone confirm if this is really true?

According to a large number of posters here whom were once new grads-- they completed their certifications right out of RN school!

Click on any of the links under 'Specialties' and you'll be able to see eligibility requirements, most of which include two years as a practicing RN.

http://www.nursecredentialing.org/Certification.aspx#specialty

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.
Wow didn't realize you needed years in order to get certifications. I was hoping that once I finished my bsn while working I would work part time towards a certification. Boy oh boy.

Yes. Certification in a specialty signifies that you have in-depth knowledge of that specialty -- and that requires clinical experience as well as "book learning" considerably beyond the beginner level that students are exposed to in school. Even nurses with 2 or 3 years in a specialty often don't feel sufficiently ready.

However ... that's for the major certifications from the leading professional organizations. There are "lesser" certifications that have lower requirements. For example ... any body can get certified in CPR by taking a class that only lasts a few hours. People can get "certified" in particular skills just by going to a class. Some of the new grads who say they are "certified" are referring to these lesser certifications.

But when people talk about being a "certified pediatric nurse" or a "certified ICU nurse" etc. , they are usually referring to the higher level certifications.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PACU.

Yes you have to have 2 years experience (I think it is so many hours). This for the ANCC (which may have a new name by now lol I can never keep up even though I have 2 lol) certifications. You can be certified in CPR, NRP, PALS, ACLS, things like that, but the area specific ones like neonatal, postpartum, cardiac, etc are a minimum of 2 years experience.

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two years is pretty standard. one of my certifications required 5 years work in the field, and a number of other things. another required two years working under another nurse certified in the same field. another required completion of an 80-hour course. each then required a 4-6 hour examination, and to keep them current i have to do 60 hours of continuing education in the field every two to five years. fortunately, some of the ceus overlap so i can apply them to recerts in more than one.

see, certification in a specialty isn't like one more learning lab check-off :D. it's to demonstrate expertise in a field, and there's no way a new grad is gonna do that right out of the gate.

also, make sure the "certification" you take is really worth something. you can get "certified" by almost anybody, but the certifications recognized by ancc or other credentialling authority have proven that their standards are rigorous, are based on a comprehensive role and function study, and their exams are psychometrically sound. i'm working on something like this now, and it is hard (and very expensive) to get your organization's certification recognized by ancc. check that out before you lay out good money on a program or certification.

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