Why Medical Surgical Nursing Certification

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I have been considering getting a Medical Surgical Nursing certification but was wondering if there is an advantage to doing so. I think any opportunity to learn is important so I don't mean this in a flippant manner, but can anyone tell me the advantages of being certified in medical surgical nursing? I have been a med surg nurse for 2 years and have never had my NM asked me if I was going to be certified.

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Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.

Well...you learn a lot more indepth and it helps you think a bit more critically with a broader understanding of issues.

For me, it was also a personal challenge to take the class (it was 12 weeks long and excellent)and pass the blasted exam.

The extra money earned isn't bad either.

My hospital is paying us for the 12 week long class to become certified, so I took advantage of it. Even though I have been a nurse for a long time, it's nice to have more indepth knowledge.

BTW, one co worker took the ANCC and the rest of us took the AMSN. The ANCC focused more on ethics, law, etc..from what she said. For us the AMSN was strictly all the systems/diseases, labs, and a lot less ethics.

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Specializes in MICU - CCRN, IR, Vascular Surgery.

It shows commitment to education and your patients, looks great on a resume, and Magnet likes having certified nurses. But mostly the looking good on the resume I think ;P

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Specializes in oncology.
On 8/18/2012 at 12:46 PM, seadaisy said:

I think any opportunity to learn is important so I don't mean this in a flippant manner,

Years ago in 1995 I took the Med-Surg test. Then there were no classes, no support groups...just an outline in the back of the barebones booklet. I have always known my week spots and study'd those. Passed with flying colors.The school I was working at the time posted my accomplishment in the paper but of course there was no reimbursement.  It never occurred to them I wanted out of their snake pit...I  did it to move onto another job , and yes I got the job. ...Skip the prep sessions, review what you know,...look at the index in your med-surg book....You know what you don't know!

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Specializes in oncology.

https://www.nursingworld.org/our-certifications/medical-surgical-nurse/

Quote

The ANCC Medical-Surgical Nursing board certification examination is a competency based examination that provides a valid and reliable assessment of the entry-level clinical knowledge and skills of registered nurses in the medical-surgical specialty after initial RN licensure

If you have graduated and received your RN, You have ALREADY been qualified via valid and reliable assessments for entry-level clinical knowledge and skills in your basic nursing education. 

Why pay twice...Inside I encourage ANA to get back to improving our working conditions (that's what they were chartered to do) not skimming money off of hokey certification tests. ANA..Fight for better working conditions....you let us down during the pandemic for the lack of outrage from you about the lack of PPC.  Oh, you wrote letters about it...let this be my letter to you... In education I never refer students to join you nor do I encourage coworkers. Want to last... reinvent your self *go back to your roots)  and see how you are actually supporting with your name being   AMERICAN NURSES ASSOCIATION

PS that interview with Trump was cringeworthy. If you need speakers to front the ANA, please vet them ahead of time..God dang, she ended up giving in to Trump about the availability of PPD>

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