1. ABNS OVERVIEW Orientation and Overview

2. Supported by funding from the Macy Foundation Incorporated in 1991 Initial goal of ABNS was to serve as an advocate for consumer protection by setting standards for the formal recognition of nursing certification programs. HISTORY

3. In order to be a member of ABNS at that time, an organization needed to be accredited by ABNS. In order to be accredited, an organization needed to require candidates/certificants to have a BSN degree. Many nursing certifying organizations were precluded from membership. There were only 13 members! HISTORY

4. A major reorganization was begun in 1999 and completed in 2000. ABNS reorganized as a membership organization with an accreditation function through the ABNS Accreditation Council. HISTORY

5. In 2009, a separate corporation was created for accreditation activities – Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification, Inc. (ABSNC) Allowed ABNS to seek a change to its tax status with the IRS – in 2011 reclassified to a 501(c)(3); ABSNC remained a 501(c)(6) HISTORY

6. Specialty nursing certification is THE standard by which the public recognizes quality nursing care! ABNS VISION

7. ABNS promotes the value of specialty nursing certification to all stakeholders ABNS MISSION

8. INTEGRITY CONSUMER PROTECTION QUALITY COLLEGIALITY, INCLUSION, MUTUAL RESPECT EXCELLENCE ABNS VALUES

9. INTEGRITY ABNS exhibits integrity and earns trust through demonstrated member responsiveness, transparency in all activities and decision-making processes, and a commitment to an accreditation program based on peer- reviewed and research-based standards. ABNS VALUES

10. CONSUMER PROTECTION As an association comprised of specialty nursing certification organizations, ABNS supports the role certified nurses play in promoting optimal health outcomes and ensures that its accreditation standards are driven by the needs of health care consumers. ABNS VALUES

11. QUALITY ABNS is committed to providing the highest level of quality products and services and will engage in evidence- based improvement activities to ensure that quality, as defined by the members, is consistently achieved. ABNS VALUES

12. COLLEGIALITY, INCLUSION, MUTUAL RESPECT ABNS encourages and respects diversity of thought and of individuals. We embrace the belief that we can achieve more as a group than any of us can as individual member organizations. ABNS VALUES

13. EXCELLENCE ABNS promotes excellence as the minimum desirable standard for specialty nursing certification. ABNS VALUES

14. I.ABNS is the authoritative resource and voice for issues of specialty nursing certification. II.ABNS ensures organizational vitality with sustainability. We provide benefits that delight our members. SUCCESS MARKERS

15. III. ABNS advances knowledge regarding specialty nursing certification through research. IV. ABNS supports continuing competence as a means for ensuring patient safety. SUCCESS MARKERS

16. V. ABNS promotes accreditation to recognize quality specialty nursing certification programs. Recognize and support ABSNC. SUCCESS MARKERS

17. CORE MEMBERS ◦Regular members ◦Potential Regular members MEMBERS ◦Not for profit and for profit organizations that have an interest in the promotion of specialty nursing certification (affiliate and potential affiliate members) CUSTOMERS ◦Individual RNs, MDs, Employers, Payors, Administrators, Regulators, Educators KEY STAKEHOLDERS ◦The public, funding agencies STAKEHOLDERS

18. Certification is defined as the formal recognition of the specialized body of knowledge, skills, and experience demonstrated by the achievement of standards identified by a nursing specialty to promote optimal health outcomes ABNS DEFINITION OF CERTIFICATION

19. Regular member organizations – 34 Affiliate member organizations – 12 Public member – 1 Auditors at meetings ABNS Structure

20. Regular Membership Regular Membership Specialty nursing organizations that certify registered nurses exclusively or as a majority portion of their population Membership Categories

21. Affiliate Membership Affiliate Membership Organizations with an interest in the promotion of specialty nursing certification Public Membership Public Membership Maximum of 2; voting privileges. Represents the public Membership Categories

22. Bylaws Elected Board of Directors ◦President ◦President-Elect ◦Secretary/Treasurer ◦Member at Large ◦Public Member (appointed) ◦President – Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification ◦President – Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification* * Ex-officio Member ABNS Governance

23. Bylaws, Policy and Procedure** Finance** Nominations and Elections* Research Program Awards and Recognition ** Committee of the Board *Elected ABNS Committees

24. Semi-annual meeting schedule; Usually Spring (1st weekend in March) and Fall (1st weekend in October) – depends on when Jewish holidays fall. Spring meeting is the official Annual Meeting Regular member organizations have one vote Assembly Meetings

25. Business of the organization Organizational Sharing “Certification” University and benchmarking forums (Approved Contact Hours) Formal and informal networking Strategic thinking Awards and recognition Accreditation Q&A Friday evening reception Meeting Features

26. Active networking Sharing of innovative ideas Collaboration on the promotion of nursing certification Sharing of resources Benchmarking Combined research efforts Benefits of Membership

27. ABNS Website www.nursingcertification.org A great resource…

28. ABNS Award for Nursing Certification Advocacy Janel Parker President’s Award ABNS Member Recognition Program ABNS Awards Programs

29. Major Benefit to Members Ability to participate in far-reaching research initiatives that would be difficult to accomplish alone A Word About Research

30. 2006-First collaborative research effort with 20 participating member organizations – The Value of Specialty Nursing Certification Purpose – to validate the perceptions, values, and behaviors related to nursing certification of certified nurses, non certified nurses, and nurse managers Also examined barriers and challenges to certification, incentives for certification, impact on lost work days and nurse retention. A Word About Research

31. Fall 2009 ABNS/CCI Research Summit Objectives of Summit: ◦Identified plans for certifying agencies to adopt research agenda ◦Designed communication and marketing plan to disseminate key messages about agenda ◦Developed funding plan to support research agenda A Word About Research

32. Patient Outcomes Continuing Competence Work Environment Research Agenda Priorities

33. National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI ® ) Certification Research Study ◦ABNS (and 26 ABNS members) partnering with AACN (critical care) ◦18 month long study conducted in two phases, beginning fall 2010 Dr. Diane Boyle, NDNQI Principal Investigator Research Agenda

34. National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI ® ) Certification Research Study ◦Examined trends in specialty certification of RNs in acute care hospitals using a unique nursing data resource – NDNQI database ◦Data on how the prevalence of specialty certified RNs impacts patient safety Research Agenda

35. National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI ® ) Certification Research Study ◦Phase One Completed: participating organizations given descriptive data about nurses holding their credentials as well as a description of the overall sample for comparison ◦Phase One results are posted on the ABNS website, Research tab Research Agenda

36. National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI ® ) Certification Research Study ◦Phase Two has been completed ◦Looking at nurse outcomes as related to certification status of inpatient hospital units. ◦Findings: Over time, as nurse specialty certification rates increased, fall rates decreased or slowed. Research Agenda

37. Certification bibliography. Search for new articles conducted annually through Canadian Nurses Association support. Contains comprehensive list of all nursing certification articles. Available on website Research tab. Great Resource

38. Regular Membership - $2000 per year Affiliate Membership - $2500 per year Fees are prorated based on month joining Membership Fees

39. ABSNC –Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification formerly known as the ABNS Accreditation Council The only accrediting body specifically for nursing certification Separately incorporated from ABNS in August 2009 Accreditation

40. ABSNC composed of 9 - 10 elected board members Includes a professional Psychometrician and Public Member Organizations with accredited certification programs are members of ABSNC ABSNC shares the ABNS website – see information about accreditation under Accreditation tab Accreditation

41. Demonstrate compliance with 18 Standards See website: ◦List of accredited certification programs ◦Instructions for submitting accreditation application ◦Complete Standards document ◦FAQs ◦ABSNC Bylaws and P&P manual Accreditation

42. Role in APRN Recognition NCSBN Recognized by NCSBN as an approved accrediting organization for Advanced Practice RN (APRN) certification examinations, in the current version of the interstate compact language for advanced practice nursing Accreditation

43. Role in APRN Recognition ABSNC is represented on the LACE (Licensure/Accreditation/Certification/ Education) Group by ABNS/ABSNC CEO, Bonnie Niebuhr, MS, RN, CAE Regular updates/forum about APRN issues are given at ABNS Assembly meetings Accreditation

44. Based on number of certificants First 25,000 x 30 cents Over 25,000 x 10 cents Maximum of $12,000 Due annually by July 1 Accreditation Fees

45. ABNS is managed by the Niebuhr Consulting Group, LLC Located in Aurora, Ohio Bonnie Niebuhr, MS, RN, CAE is Chief Executive Officer Melissa Biel, RN, DPA is Deputy Director Barbara Glennon – Admin. Asst. Jane Tustin - Accreditation Manager ABNS NATIONAL OFFICE

46. Promoting Excellence in Nursing Certification ABNS….