Publi Health/Community Health Certification

Last fall I took the ANCC exam to be certified as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Community Health Nursing. I do not know why I waited so long to do it - just before I retired from my role as a full time faculty member. I would recommend that all public health/community health nurses become certified. ANCC will be 'retiring' the current exam this fall.

Dr. Pam Kulbok, the President of the Association of Community Health Nursing Educators (ACHNE), said it best in an announcement she made recently about the exam. I share her words with you today to encourage you to take the exam.

If you or your colleagues are not certified, you need to be aware that the educational requirements in the future will be more stringent. Don't miss this opportunity to be certified before the requirements change with a new version of the exam. READ the following message, ACT now and FORWARD this message to your colleagues.

ANCC will be offering the C/PHN basic and Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) certification exams on October 15, 2005. Registration closes August 5, 2005. If you are not certified, PLEASE CONSIDER TAKING the basic or CNS exam in October 2005. PLEASE ENCOURAGE your students, faculty colleagues, and practice partners to take the certification exams. PLEASE FORWARD this part of the e-mail to C/PHN colleagues who may be eligible to sit for certification. This may be the last administration of the current CHN Basic and Clinical Nurse Specialist examinations by ANCC.

Application forms are available on the ANCC website -- http://www.ana.org/ancc

My rationale for asking you to take the examination:

A group of key stakeholders has worked with ANCC since November 2004 when the impending 'retirement' of the CHN credentialing examinations was announced by Mary Smolenski at APHA. We have explored why such low numbers of C/PHNs take the examinations and other options for credentialing if the exams are retired. Since November 2004 leaders of the Quad Council of Public Health Nursing Organizations have sent several messages to their constituents encouraging them to take the C/PHN Basic or the Clinical Nurse Specialist examination.

I am pleased to report that we did increase the number of individuals took the C/PHN CNS examination in May 2005. Forty-six people to the C/PHN CNS exam; only 10 people took the basic exam. More good news is that advanced C/PHNs (many educators) who took the examination were successful!

Increased numbers of test takers will allow the ANCC to complete psychometric evaluation of the test questions and potentially improve a new examination. Psychometric validity of credentialing exams is essential for the certification process.

Additional facts for your consideration and reasons to take the examination on October 15, 2005:

(1) In 2006, the requirement for 500 clinical hours within your specialty graduate program goes into effect. So many of us who graduated in the past from programs with fewer than 500 hours will be unable to sit for certification in 2006. However, in 2005 you can demonstrate a total of 500 clinical hours with supervised post-graduate practice hours.

(2) Certification earned in 2005 can be maintained through timely renewal, even when the certification examinations are 'retired.'

(3) The landscape of public health practice and education is changing and accreditation of public health agencies is currently a 'front burner' issue. Certification of public health workers and educators is sure to follow. We have an existing examination structure for C/PH nurses through ANCC that can potentially be improved and revitalized.