Certified Nurses Day™ occurs every March 19, the birthday of Dr. Margretta "Gretta" Madden Styles, RN, EdD, FAAN, one of the greatest leaders in the field of nursing certification. Dr. Styles created the first comprehensive study of nurse credentialing in the 1970s. She was at the forefront of the development and implementation of standards and credentials for nurses.
Due to our Magnet Celebration in March, Certified Nurses at Midwestern Regional Medical Center will be recognized on Monday May 5th during Nurses Week. As Nurses Week draws closer, more information about this recognition reception will be forthcoming. The Value of Being a Certified Nurse is the posting for March. This article does not count towards Clinical Ladder credit, but it would be interesting to hear your thoughts about what becoming certified has meant to you. If you are not certified in the area that you practice, it might be helpful to share what barriers you have encountered that have kept you from becoming a certified nurse.
There have been five Journal Club articles posted so far this year. To receive credit for Clinical Ladder you must have participated in six of seven articles. There will be articles for April and May. Participation includes answering the questions from the post, and blogging on the blog site.
Please send any and all questions and comments to: melissa.luebbe@ctca-hope.com
There have been five Journal Club articles posted so far this year. To receive credit for Clinical Ladder you must have participated in six of seven articles. There will be articles for April and May. Participation includes answering the questions from the post, and blogging on the blog site.
Please send any and all questions and comments to: melissa.luebbe@ctca-hope.com
I became certified in perianesthesia with CAPA and CPAN one year after hire into PACU. I did this voluntariliy to enhance my orientation into new territory. I received the bonus and joined ACE ladder.
ReplyDeleteThen I renewed my certifications and discovered how expensive this becomes. Renewing two certifications and 2 professional organization memberships cost $600 out-of-pocket. I was told the hospital would not reimburse certifications that were not "mandatory" like OCN.
I am due to renew again, but considering letting them lapse. I have transferred to a new department and focusing on advancing my education instead.
Honestly, certifications were a hot trend after applying for Magnet. There were no other staff certified in my department that I am aware of - was never made a priority by management.
Truthfully,
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DeleteMy heart aches for you not renewing your certifications that you worked so hard to achieve. I certainly can appreciate the financial burden the renewal creates. I find it sad and very unfortunate that additional certifications do not seem to have the "significance" that advancing ones education has at CTCA. Certifications provide specialized area of expertise that can serve as an advantage to patients and other stakeholders.
DeleteI became certified in Oncology last year. Since then, I've become one of the two OCN Advocates for CTCA (along with Melissa Luebbe). To me, it provided a large amount of personal satisfaction, and validated my knowledge of our specialty. We currently have 54 OCN certified nurses here at our hospital and that number is sure to increase!
ReplyDeleteIf anybody has any questions on becoming certified, please see Melissa Luebbe in pain management x6367 or myslef on 3rd floor. We can help you with study tips or steer you in the right direction!
I would love to become OCN certified. My issue is the cost. While I know that I would be reimbursed, I can't afford to take the test. I am blessed to be paying for college for 2 children with my 3rd beginning college this fall. The cost of their education is my priority. I do attend many education events in and out of the hospital to learn as much as I can about cancer and the treatment of cancer but for me, certification is out of reach.
DeleteI obtained OCN certification many years ago when it was a priority of the hospital and have maintained it for many years and plan to continue to do so. I am proud to have ocn after my name, however, throughout the years the cost has continued to rise and requirements have changed to maintain certification; presenting new challenges.
DeleteI think being certified in your profession is very important. You should be recognized for what you know and do everyday. I can absolutely understand the financial part of it. That has been the reason why I am not certified yet. I have been thinking about it for a long time and plan to do it in the future. Also, finding the time to study and go to class is difficult with work/life balance. We, as nurses, are great at taking care of everyone except ourselves. I definitely fall into this category.
ReplyDeleteI have thought about becoming certified. For the time being, it is just a thought. Between the clinical ladder requirements, our yearly evaluation goals, and having many personal hobbies, it is just a bit much for me.
ReplyDeleteBeing a Certified RN is very satisfying and rewarding.Aside from the fact that we are financially being rewarded,it is personally satisfying to say that i'm a certified nurse.It validates what you do for your patients;that you have both the knowledge and skills to take care of them.It is a great sense of accomplishment.
ReplyDeleteI am currently in the process of becoming a Certified Holistic Nurse, and I definitely have a passion to become a certified oncology nurse. I feel there is so much power behind knowledge and if we do not take the time to learn and better ourself in our particular areas of profession, we are doing harm to ourselves and those we care for... Becoming a certified nurse only encourages education and the best learn more about your particular field.
ReplyDeleteAnd congrats to all those who posted about being certified! I love that I work with nurses who are challenged by themselves and challenge other to do the same!
Terry Watt, RN, OCN - It took me a long time to become certified as an Oncology nurse, I found that studying tests to learn the material was my challenge, but once I committed to taking the test I did learn a great deal through the tests and rationales. I am glad that I have the OCN after my name now as I put in a lot of studying that I would not have gained otherwise. I am sad that it is such a sacrifice monetarily. I not only paid for the test but because I was so fearful I bought 3 books to study from as well, that were quite expensive. I feel the bonus received really just covered or barely covered the cost to me. I am fortunate that I have the resources to cover it.
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