You Know It, Now Show It… GET CERTIFIED! Nursing Education and Professional Development Council

What is certification?  A formal process by which a certifying agency validates a nurse's knowledge, skills, and abilities in a defined role and clinical area of practice, based on predetermined standards.  A profession's official recognition of achievement, expertise, and clinical judgment.  It is a mark of excellence that requires continued learning and skill development to maintain.  Nurses achieve certification credentials through specialized education, experience in a specialty area, and a qualifying exam

Why should I get certified? The value of certification extends beyond the individual nurse. It is a mark of autonomy for the nursing profession and benefits nurse managers, hospital administrators and patients in significant ways.

 Personal Accomplishment: Certified nurses routinely report a sense of pride, fulfillment, empowerment, personal satisfaction and enhanced personal confidence in clinical abilities. Certified nurses are recognized and respected by their peers, patients, supervisors and administrators.  Professional Achievement: Certified nurses have distinguished themselves in their specialty area. Continued competency requirements for certification renewal ensure that certified nurses remain up-to-date with the latest developments in their specialties.  Professional Opportunities: Certified nurses have influence and input. They are invited to contribute their expertise to standard setting and role delineation.

 Career Advancement: As healthcare delivery and patient acuity become ever more complex, the demand for experienced, highly skilled care providers with a depth and breadth of knowledge is on the rise. Certified nurses have a proven knowledge base in a given specialty and have demonstrated a professional commitment to lifelong learning.  Quality Indicator: In other fields, consumers seek out certified professionals when they need a variety of services, and public awareness of the value of nurse certification is growing. It is an important indicator to patients that nurses are qualified and experienced, and have met rigorous requirements to achieve the additional credential of a specialty certification.  Safe Patient Care: A growing body of research indicates a link between certification and nurse knowledge, techniques, and judgment that affect patient safety.

What does Magnet have to do with it? Magnet is the highest level of recognition a hospital can achieve for excellence in nursing and is awarded by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). Magnet Certification recognizes excellence in nursing practices, quality patient care and excellent clinical outcomes. Magnet standards designate that professional certification is promoted across all nursing roles and requires that ≥ 20% of Direct Care Nurses and ≥ 40% of Nurse Leaders achieve and maintain national specialty certification.

How does Loyola support certification?  Salary Increases Through Clinical Ladder Leveling: Certification is worth 3 points for Level 3 and is required for Level 4. For more information, go to Nursing Clinical Ladder Nursing Clinical Ladder  Education Stipend: Reimburses certification costs up to $300 for obtaining certification or re-certification. For more information, go to the “Education Stipend” section at Career Development, Education and ResearchCareer Development, Education and Research  Review Courses: The Department of Nursing Education offers review courses throughout the year. For more information, go to Continuing EducationContinuing Education  Nursing Education and Professional Development Council: As one of the Magnet Shared Governance Councils at Loyola, this council helps develop and promote the process for nurses to pursue certification. For more information about the Education and Professional Development Council and who to contact, go to Nursing Education and Professional Development CouncilNursing Education and Professional Development Council o Council members serve as a resource and support for staff seeking certification o Send letters of congratulations to staff obtaining certification o Distribute “Certified Registered Nurse” badges to staff obtaining certification o Acknowledge staff obtaining certification in Nurse Link publications o Celebrate National Certification Day on March 19th

How do I get started?

Step 1: Get the Facts Determine which specialty certification applies to your area of expertise Take a look at Certification Information Sheets on Loyola’s Intranet- go to Career Development, Education and Research and look for the “Certification” sectionCareer Development, Education and Research To access a complete list of Magnet- approved certifications, go to the ANCC website and click on the link "Selected Examples of National Certification for Submission on DIF" ANCC website Determine if you meet the requirements to become certified in your area of expertise This information is dictated by the credentialing organization, or certifying body, that administers the certification exam Consider the requirements of maintaining the certification Continuing Education, Clinical Practice, Competency Assessments Consider joining a professional organization Some offer discounted exam rates for members

Step 2: Get Ready Identify your resources: talk to other nurses who have gone through the process A colleague in your Department Your Nurse Educator or Manager A member of the Nursing Education and Professional Development Council Set a date: commit to taking the test by a certain date Make it a goal on your performance evaluation Make plans to apply for the Nursing Clinical Ladder Make a study timeline Study: identify your strengths and weaknesses Take a review course Purchase study material Find a test buddy or form a study group

Step 3: Go For It Take the test: most tests are offered at computer- based testing centers with locations throughout the Chicago-land area Show off your credentials: Let your Manager know Let the Nursing Education and Professional Development Council know Help your colleagues begin the process of certification Get reimbursed: after passing your test, apply for Loyola’s Education Stipend to off-set the cost of certification up to $300

Have more questions? We can help! Contact the Nursing Education and Professional Development Council: See if anyone from your Department is on the Council Send an via Trinity Outlook to one of the members listed at the following link Nursing Education and Professional Development CouncilNursing Education and Professional Development Council

References American Nurses Credentialing Center. (2010, March 5). Why Certify? The Benefits of Nursing Certification. Retrieved from Hering, B. ( 2012, March). A New Model for ANCC’s Magnet Recognition Program ®: Stripped Down to the Basics. Retrieved from Loyola University Health System, Department of Nursing: Nursing at Loyola