One specialty nursing certification that I hold is my CCRN. I think specialty certification is a good way to show that you are competent in your area of expertise to others. It is a good way to verify that you are providing standard of care and the best care possible with the best knowledge available. Many nurses I work with hold their certification in critical care and I think that encourages others to push themselves and set high standards. Although no strong clinical correlation has been found between specialty certification and improved patient outcomes (Boyle, 2017), specialty certification in the nursing profession should be encouraged because it shows other professionals what area you have experience with. There are so many areas of nursing and certification encourages learning and professional growth within your field. I can say that I am very glad I obtained my certification because I have grown a lot because of it and I feel more confident with the care I provide. I think the AACN put it best when it comes to specialty certification, “Certification enhances your professional credibility and indicates your commitment to lifelong learning.”
References
Benefits of Earning Nursing Certification. (2017). AACN Bold Voices, 9(11), 18.
Boyle, D. K. (2017). Nursing Specialty Certification and Patient Outcomes: What We Know in Acute Care Hospitals and Future Directions. Journal Of The Association For Vascular Access, 22(3), 137-142. doi:10.1016/j.java.2017.06.002
Hi,
I enjoyed reading your post. I agree that certification shows competence in your area as well as encourages others to grow and learn . I plan on getting certified after I finish my BSN in the summer.
Good luck on your certification!!
Julopez,
I find it interesting that there is no correlation between specialty certifications and patient outcomes. I would think that more education would always improve the care that is delivered, but that does not appear to be the case. That’s a little disheartening, but won’t stop me from obtaining certifications. I, also, want to obtain my CCRN someday. What did you think of the overall experience? Did you find it difficult to obtain? Do you feel that it has improved your skills as a nurse?
Reference:
[Avera McKennan].(2011, March 01). Retrieved June 22, 2017, Nursing Certification – Avera Medical Minute[Video File].from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIZv6OJ7tvA
I would like to see all major specialty certifications being compared on their impact if possible. I think there just isn’t enough evidence statistically to show benefits, but I know from personal experience there are clinical benefits to getting certified. I enjoyed the experience of getting certified because it pushed me to learn my clinical area well and I am very glad I did it. It was stressful but rewarding to know you have the expertise to care for your patients. I feel I have grown a lot from my pursue of specialty certification.
I too find it surprising that there is no correlation. Perhaps there is no direct correlation, but it seems that there would be some sort of benefit otherwise. Does an RN that is certified contribute more to a unit than one that is not certified? Is one that is certified more committed to driving the profession of nursing forward? These are just questions, not statements.
My question now is that if certification does not correlate to better patient care, does obtaining a BSN over an ADN benefit the patient? I’m going to take a look at your references, it might be interesting reading!
Great post! Thanks!