What about the new generalist CNS exam? Anyone else gotten this email from ANCC?

[traumaRUs]

Good morning everyone! I recently rec'd an email from ANCC that they will now be offering a generalist CNS which they are calling the CNS core competency exam. It covers the life span from birth to death. Here is the link:

http://www.nursecredentialing.org/NurseSpecialties/CNSCoreExam.aspx

The way I'm reading this is that any already-certified CNS (regardless of specialty) can take this exam. My question: if you then take the exam, can you see all ages?

My situation: I'm an adult health CNS (since 2006). I want to be able to see kids. So, if I take this exam and pass it does that mean I could see kids? I know that it is dependent on the state also. I left a message at the BON also. I am already enrolled in a peds CNS program which starts in two weeks.

So...what do you all think? Any comments would be appreciated.

[elkpark]

My only experience is with my own certification exam, of course, but the child psych CNS exam was (when I took it) mostly content specifically related to child psych clinical practice (along with some of the obligatory hoo-ha about being a change agent, leadership role, yada yada yada). I'm wondering just how a "generalist" CNS exam would measure how competent you are to practice in a particular clinical specialty -- which has, after all, always been the point of being a clinical nurse specialist ...

Interesting to hear about the internal difficulties at the ANCC and ANA. I'm always rooting for them to be smart, savvy, and successful, but am often disappointed.

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Hmmm - very interesting. My own experience with ANCC was okay - the adult health CNS exam which I took in July 06 was very much over run with the CNS hoo-ha (love that word) and very light on the clinical component.

I'm planning to take the Peds CNS exam in July 10 and hope it is heavier on the peds part versus the CNS part.

[llg, PhD, RN]

Imagine this: within the space of not much more than a year they lost nearly all their top program directors, includinng:

business directors

assistant business director

Director of Magnet

Director of Certification

Director of Pathways to Excellence

Director of the Institute for Credentialing Innovation

QUOTE]

Thanks for the info. Do you have tips on how I could find out more about some of these things?

[Shibboleth]

Hi,

Certainly.... what type of further info are you interested in?

[vrily]

any new updates on the CNS generalist certification?

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Yep - ANCC has decided to quit offering it as they didn't get much response....

[elkpark]

Yep - ANCC has decided to quit offering it as they didn't get much response....

Is anyone surprised by that? A "generalist specialist" exam??

[ROLO]

Hello, TraumaRUs! I REALLY want to know more about your practice, and you can't get too detailed. I am an adult/geri CNS student, going to a school that will prep me for prescriptive authority (offers pharm, patho, etc.), BUT, so, as a CNS in Illinois, in what context do you use that authority? Most of the CNSs I have contacted (all over the country), except for the psych/mental health CNS, have no experience with prescribing. Some have left me with the impression that they did not know that that was something that they could pursue. Others have acted like it was majorly taboo....

I hope to continue my practice in the emergency department (ED), comparably to an NP, by seeing pts as needed, but also working on projects, training, and research. I would hate to stop "seeing" pts. After eons in the ED, I pretty much know CHF, for example, and its standards of care, including meds and doses. So, why NOT be able to order those as an ED CNS?

My situation is further complicated as I work & live in an area of Indiana where advanced practice nursing is almost non-existent. NPs are starting to trickle in. I don't think we have a single practicing CNS in the city/county --probably the closest is an hour away!

Any thoughts?

[vrily]

well yes, ancc has decided to retire the new cns core certification. it's unfortunate because there are so many cns's practicing without being certified in their specialty area. one thing i didn't like about that general exam is that it exempts nurses who were hired as cns's and have years of practice under their belt as a cns. their degree may have been granted as an np or nurse administrator. i felt that, although one may have obtained a degree in one area but could not find a position other than a cns should have been allowed to sit for that exam.

my degree was a general msn degree in nursing so i was deemed eligible to take the core cns certification. i specialize in wound management and took it because there is no cns certification for that area. i believe there were many more like me but they decided not to take the exam for different reasons. that, on their part was unfortunate because i believe this was a wonderful opportunity to become certified and license in one's area of clinical practice. i hope they are all thinking about sitting for the final testing period next year so that, that opportunity doesn't pass them by.

i am finding it quite unsettling waiting until february 2010 for the results, but i believe the lord will answer the desires of my heart. because the first exam was the pilot test applicants in the widow period between 9/1/09-12/31/09 results are 2/2010. the next testing period results will be available immediately after the exam is completed by the applicant.

psalms 37 v 4-5: delight thyself also in the lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. commit thy way unto the lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

[jlhs1969]

I graduated from an Adult Psych MH CNS program in 1996 and never pursued certification. I applied for AP certification this past summer and was denied eligability because at that time, my CNS program did not offer general courses in Advanced Health Assessment. The program content was specific to the specialty. The ANCC suggested I take the CNS Core Certification and I declined as I have been a practicing MHP CNS for 14 years. Didn't like the generalist/ specialist certification idea either. I have since taken Adavnced Health Assessment and been deemed eligible for the ANCC PMH CNS (yeah).

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Congrats!

I guess from what I've heard recently is that the core competency CNS exam didn't go over real well and few folks signed up to take it.

I'm an adult health CNS currently completing a peds CNS so that I can see the full spectrum.

Good luck with your exam.

[jlhs1969]

:up:Thank you! I need lots of luck! I'm currently searching for a review guide/ course. I need all the help I can buy...I mean find.