Is CPR needed by BONs or employers?

[lukegail, RN]

I'll be an RN in a couple months and I have a simple question. Is active CPR certification required by BONs (to validate the RN license) or by employers (as a prerequisite to work)? Who knows the story here?

Thanks

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Employers. BON doesn't care.

[NoviceRN10]

You need to be cpr certified to work as a nurse, so I would say YES, you do need to be certified to be hired, or agree to get certified before employment begins. I have always been asked to bring my certification with me when doing employment paperwork.

[ckh23, BSN, RN]

Employers will require it. The only thing the BON cares about is that your check clears.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Also, be sure to get the right certification. Most employers prefer American Heart Association BLS over American Red Cross CPR, and not all places will let you substitute one for the other. If I had to choose one, I'd get the BLS.