Are too many certifications a bad thing?

[Ruger8mm]

As a new RN grad I've been working hard at attaining all kinds of certifications and course completions. ACLS, PALS, ATLS, Rapid STEMI identification, Stroke assessment, with NRP, TNCC, and CCRN coming up soon. Thankfully as an echocardiographer I've convinced the hospital I work at to send me to all these classes on thier dime. But I'm not a staff RN here yet.

Does a med/surg hiring manager look at that and think "he'll jump ship and go to speciality critical care as soon as he can." Does that reduce my chances for a job?

[Nurse Leigh]

Well, I can see situations going bad real fast if he doesn't know how to handle them. I've never been a fan of new grads in HH. So much responsibility

[Farawyn]

I may catch holy heck from HH nurses, but M/S and ICU wasn't exciting enough for him, so he goes to HH?? Really?

You are on your own in HH. I am starting right now, and I don't have another nurse to bounce things off of and the doctors are annoyed with the calls. I will work completely unsupervised and make most if the decisions for the patient to keep them out of the hospital.

Go check out the HH thread. Since I am a newbie I don't do it justice yet.

[OrganizedChaos, LVN]

I would be surprised if he gets a job in HH as a new grad. I had a tough job landing an interview let alone a job because I didn't have acute care experience.

[/username, BSN, RN]

I would be surprised if he gets a job in HH as a new grad. I had a tough job landing an interview let alone a job because I didn't have acute care experience.

He ended up going for the fast paced and adrenaline fueled path of primary care clinic. In northern MN...

[OBwonKnewbie]

I don't think it's bad per se, but just remember that you are responsible for the knowledge you are certified for. That's an awful lot of certs and knowledge to keep up with. For instance, you will never use NRP unless you work in labor and delivery or ED. If you have never had to apply that knowledge to a real neonate then I would honestly question your ability to successfully perform NRP, certified or not. They are not just pieces of paper.

[OBwonKnewbie]

The verdict? To be honest I disagree and think auditing extra classes (even if you can't test out) and getting the certs you can makes a person look ambitious and shows initiative.

However I'm not a hiring manager and I know young go getters can scare the older staff. So......I'll stick with my completed ACLS and PALS for now and not work for others.

As far as whoever commented about my other specialities. Working as a lowly echocardiographer last week I applied my ACLS and nursing skills and initiated a Rapid Response for a patient who was degrading. Perhaps you guys are suggesting I know my roll as "just an echocardiographer" and not step on the nurses toes.

Not to mention the same day I had another STAT echo on a degrading patient that both the ICU nurses and hospitalist didn't know what to do or what was going on. After 5 minutes with the patient I asked both the ICU nurse and hospitalist if they had looked for a PE. They both stated they hadn't considered that. Hard to believe just a lowly echocardiographer had the knowledge to figure that out or dared have the courage to address the ICU nurse and hospitalist in such a manner.

Yeah, I wouldn't want a new nurse grad with 16 years of healthcare experience either. Seriously?

Thank goodness you were there to advise that dumb ICU nurse and that dumb doctor...

...I just don't know how either ever did their jobs without you around...

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I personally think that having too many certifications makes a nurse appear as if he/she is a "jack of all trades and a master of nothing." A good thing can become much too much, IMHO.

[JayHanig]

Thank goodness you were there to advise that dumb ICU nurse and that dumb doctor...

...I just don't know how either ever did their jobs without you around...

When I read the earlier comment which inspired your response, all I could think about was somebody with an inferioritiy complex who has overcompensated with numerous letters to sign after his/her name to make up for his/her lack of experience as a nurse. I suppose we were all supposed to be impressed by all the certifications.

If I had to guess, I'd say this newbie is absolutely unbearable to try to work with. The only ones likely to be impressed with all the alphabet salad are the ones who don't know any better themselves. But, hey, that's just me, compensating for my own lack of certifications.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

The rationale for certification is that you have gained the knowledge and experience in a particular area to back it up.

The Canadian Nurses Association (and I would imagine that the ANA is similar) will not allow nurses to apply for certification until they have worked for a minimum of 2 years in that area, with references.

Specialty certification otherwise is just alphabet salad, nothing more.

[RNOTODAY, BSN, RN]

To me? Honestly all these certs prove is.... that you can memorize material, and you are a good test taker ... if you don't have the EXPERIENCE to have had APPLIED the material in the certifications..... tell me, what GOOD are they?

i can memorize anything, and I can ace any test... I know I could take most of the same certs... However, APPLYING it to real live patients and situations, is far, far different.

so... yes, I DO actually think that at the very least it's odd, and furthermore.... USELESS at this point in your career.

[RNOTODAY, BSN, RN]

Stick to one clinical area , become certified in THAT area, and you will have credibility.

Right now? It looks like you are trying to be more than you ARE

[RNOTODAY, BSN, RN]

Do my posts really stink of arrogance?

They literally REEK of it... truly