Have you ever thought about how to boost your nursing skills and stand out in a crowded job market? Nursing certifications can be the key to doing just that. In 2022, over 290,866 nurses got certified, showing the big impact of these credentials. But what are the perks of getting certified? And how can it help you move forward in your career?

Key Takeaways

• Nursing certifications show you’re an expert in a specific nursing area.
• They can make your resume shine, open new doors, and make you happier at work.
• Employers really value certified nurses, with more than 90% preferring them.
• Patients like hospitals with more certified nurses, proving certification’s role in care quality.
• Getting certified keeps you up-to-date with new trends and helps improve your nursing abilities.

Why Pursue Nursing Certifications?

Nursing certifications bring many benefits for nurses, employers, and patients. They show a nurse’s skill in a specific area and encourage ongoing learning and career growth. Nurses with certifications get more respect from their colleagues, better job chances, and more trust from employers and patients. They also have more freedom in their work.

Benefits for Nurses

Getting a nursing certification can mean a higher salary and a longer nursing career. A study showed that certified Registered Nurses (RNs) made about $77,000 a year, more than those without certification. This certification also makes nurses more confident, happy, and perform better at their jobs.

Benefits for Employers

Healthcare organizations that hire more certified nurses stand out and show they want the best nurses. Certified nurses make fewer mistakes, which lowers risks and legal issues. Employing certified nurses also means less staff turnover and happier nurses.

Benefits for Patients

Certified nurses show patients and families that they are well-trained and professional. Research shows that certification improves patient care and safety. In fact, over 73% of Americans would pick a hospital with more certified nurses if they could.

“Nurses whose clinical judgment has been validated through certification reported making decisions with greater confidence, experiencing personal growth, and feeling more satisfied in their work.”

Types of Nursing Certifications

Nursing certifications come in many forms for different career levels and specialties. They show your expertise and can lead to career growth and higher pay.

Career-Level Certifications

Certifications are available at various career stages, from Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) to Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs). Some, like the A-GNP for Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioners, are for advanced nurses. Others are for both RNs and APRNs.

Specialty Certifications

Nurses can also get specialty certifications in areas like oncology, pediatrics, and psychiatric-mental health. These certifications give nurses deep knowledge in a specific area. For example, the CCRN certification for Acute/Critical Care Nursing is offered by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN).

Getting nursing certifications is a smart move for your career. It helps you stand out in the job market and gives you the skills to care for patients better. Knowing about the different certifications can help you plan your career and reach your full potential as a nurse.

Board Certification vs. Specialty Certification

In the nursing world, there are two main types of certifications: board certification and specialty certification. It’s important for nurses to know the difference to move forward in their careers.

Board Certification is needed for some nursing jobs, like Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs). Nurses get this through a tough review by a state board. They check the nurse’s skills and qualifications to see if they’re ready for the job.

Specialty Certification is something nurses choose to show they’re experts in a certain area. It comes from nursing groups and doesn’t make you a licensed nurse. But, it does show you know a lot about a specific area.

The main difference between board certification and specialty certification is that you must have board certification for some jobs. Specialty certification is extra and helps with your career growth and chances for more jobs.

Research shows 39% of the 20,454 nurses in the study were specialty certified. Nurses with a BSN degree, working in oncology, being older, having more experience, and working full-time were more likely to be certified.

Getting both board and specialty certifications is great for nurses. It shows you’re serious about being the best and can lead to more job options and higher pay.

Top Certifications for New Graduates

As a new nursing graduate, getting the right certifications can really help your career. It also makes you better at caring for patients. Here are three key certifications you should think about:

Basic Life Support (BLS)

The BLS certification is a must-have for nurses. It shows they know how to do CPR and use Automated External Defibrillators (AED). This certification lasts two years and needs to be renewed. Courses are 2-4 hours long and cost $85-$110.

Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS)

ACLS builds on what you learn in BLS. It shows you can handle serious heart problems or other emergencies. For new nurses, ACLS is a great choice. Online courses are about 6.5-7 hours, and in-person sessions are 1-1.5 hours. Costs are $150-$250, and you need to renew every two years.

Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)

PALS shows you can save the lives of babies and kids in crisis. It’s not just for those working in pediatrics. Even if you’re not focusing on children, PALS is a strong skill to have. PALS costs $80 to $200 and lasts two years.

Getting these certifications proves you’re committed to your career and ready for more challenging roles. It opens up better job options and can lead to higher pay.

Certifications for Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs)

As an LPN, you can boost your skills and job chances by getting certifications. These special certifications show your skills and get you ready for more education and higher licenses.

The Certified Wound Care Associate (CWCA) is a top choice for LPNs. It’s from the American Board of Wound Management (ABWM). You need at least three years of wound care work and 30 hours of wound care classes.

LPNs can also get the Certified Hospice and Palliative Licensed Nurse (CHPLN) from the Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center (HPCC). You need two years of experience and 500-1,000 hours of hospice and palliative nursing in the last two years.

There’s also the Certified Long-Term Care (CLTC) from the National Association for Practical Nurse Education and Service (NAPNES). It’s for LPNs who know a lot about long-term care, gerontology, and managing chronic illnesses.

These are just a few of the LPN nursing certifications and certifications for licensed practical nurses out there. LPNs can also get LPN specialty certifications in areas like IV Therapy, Nephrology, Urology, Wound Care, and more. Getting these certifications can really boost your career and show you’re dedicated to great patient care.

Certifications for Registered Nurses (RNs)

As a registered nurse (RN), getting certifications can boost your career and show your skills. The Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse (CMSRN) credential is very popular. It shows med-surg nurses are dedicated and skilled in this key area. About 35,000 nurses have this certification, proving its value.

RNs can also look into many specialty certifications, like oncology, pediatrics, and psychiatric-mental health. These certifications show deep knowledge in a nursing area. They can lead to new career paths and make you more valuable to employers.

Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification

The CMSRN certification is a top choice for nurses in medical-surgical units. To get it, RNs must meet certain requirements and pass a tough exam. This exam checks their skills in patient care, medicine, and more. Keeping the CMSRN means doing ongoing learning and professional growth.

Certifications in Nursing Specialties

Registered nurses can also get many specialty certifications that match their clinical work. These certifications prove a nurse’s deep knowledge and dedication to doing great work in areas such as:

• Oncology
• Pediatrics
• Psychiatric-Mental Health
• Surgery
• Critical Care
• Emergency Nursing
• Gerontology
• Informatics
• and many others

Getting a specialty certification boosts a nurse’s confidence and career chances. It also helps improve patient care in their chosen nursing area.

Certification Process and Requirements

Getting nursing certifications is key to moving up in your career and showing you’re an expert in healthcare. You need to meet certain requirements, like having work experience, taking extra classes, and passing an exam.

To start, check if you qualify for the certification you want. This depends on the specialty and includes things like:

• Having a valid nursing license as an RN or LPN/LVN
• Gaining enough hours of patient care in that specialty
• Finishing any needed continuing education or training
• Passing a detailed certification exam

The exam tests your knowledge, skills, and abilities in nursing. It’s given by nursing boards and covers topics like patient care, ethics, and evidence-based practice.

Passing the certification shows you’re serious about continuing to grow professionally and committed to top-quality patient care. It can open up better job options, higher pay, and more job satisfaction.

The steps for certification differ by credential, so make sure to look into the details and plan well. With hard work and a drive for excellence, you can open new paths in your nursing career through certification.

Maintaining and Renewing Certifications

Nursing certifications are not just for one time. Nurses must renew their renewing nursing certifications every 2-5 years. This includes completing continuing education, showing you’re still good at your job, and paying fees. It’s important to keep up with maintaining nurse certifications to keep them valid.

Certifications last for 5 years before they need to be renewed. If you let your certification lapse within two years, you can reactivate it by doing the renewal steps and paying fees. But if it’s been more than two years, you’ll need to do more work to get it back.

You must keep up with your renewal deadlines. If you don’t, you might lose your certification. And, ANCC won’t let you renew late for work or other reasons. It’s also key to keep your contact info current so you get renewal notices on time.

It’s smart for nurses to check their certification status often and plan for renewal. By being proactive with renewing nursing certifications, nurses show they’re serious about growing their skills. This helps them give the best care to patients.

“Certification renewal is a vital step in maintaining nursing expertise and ensuring the highest standards of patient care.”

Whether you’re new or have years of experience, keeping up with your renewing nursing certifications and maintaining nurse certifications is key. By focusing on recertification for nurses, you boost your skills, move forward in your career, and help your patients more.

Impact of Certification on Patient Care

Many studies show that nursing certification improves patient care and safety. Certified nurses make better decisions, which leads to better health outcomes for patients. Patients also prefer nurses with specialty certifications because it shows they are experts.

Over 800,000 nurses are now certified by the American Board of Nursing Specialties, and this number is growing. A survey found that over 90% of nurses believe certification proves their knowledge and boosts their professional image. Almost 90% of nurse managers also prefer hiring certified nurses when other things are equal.

Certified nurses do more than just help individual patients. Hospitals with more nurses who have a bachelor’s degree and certifications have fewer deaths and mistakes. Certified nurses lead to better patient care, fewer mistakes, and lower costs. The Institute of Medicine says up to 200,000 deaths in the U.S. happen each year because of preventable medical errors, which certification can lessen.

“Specialty certification is recognized as critical for improved patient care, ensuring competence and protecting the public.”

Groups like the American Board of Nursing Specialties (ABNS) and the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) offer certifications in areas like pediatric and gerontological care. These certifications show a nurse’s skills and dedication to learning, which helps patients get better care.

Employer Preferences for Certified Nurses

Employers in the healthcare field clearly prefer hiring certified nurses over non-certified ones. In fact, more than 86% of nurse managers would pick a certified nurse for an open position. This shows how much value employers put on nursing certifications.

Healthcare organizations see hiring more certified nurses as a strategic move. It helps them stand out, show their commitment to quality, and draw in top nursing talent. Certified nurses are seen as less likely to make mistakes, which lowers risk and liability for employers.

Employers want nurses with many qualities, like compassion, empathy, and stamina. They also look for organization, communication skills, and respect for diversity. Clinical expertise, leadership, critical thinking, precision, and quality assurance knowledge are also important. Certification shows a nurse’s commitment to their profession and to learning and growing.

By valuing certified nurses, healthcare organizations can keep their staff longer, improve their hiring, and give better patient care. The role of nursing certification for employers is huge.

Career Advancement with Certifications

Nursing certifications can boost your career. They make you more employable and respected by your peers. You’ll also get more chances for leadership and specialized roles.

Having many nursing certifications shows you know a lot and are skilled. This makes you wanted for different nursing jobs. A 2020 study showed that nurses with certifications give better care. They have fewer cases of falls and infections.

The healthcare field is competitive, so certifications help you stand out when looking for jobs or promotions. They can also make you earn more money. Many employers pay nurses with special certifications more.

Certifications improve your decision-making and confidence at work. This leads to better patient care. They also offer chances to meet other nurses, find mentors, and learn about new jobs.

By getting nursing certifications, you’re setting yourself up for career advancement opportunities. You show you’re serious about patient care. Getting certified takes effort, but it can change your career for the better.

Preparing for Certification Exams

To get nursing certification, you must pass a certification exam. Luckily, the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and other groups offer many affordable resources. These help nurses get ready for these key tests.

About six months before the ANCC exam, start a formal study plan. The ANCC gives you a Test Content Outline, Test Reference List, and sample questions with answers. The Test Content Outline is key, showing what each exam section covers. It helps you know what to focus on while studying.

The exam questions cover real-world nursing situations and check your skills in your nursing area. To do well, make sure you have lots of practice questions from review courses. In the last two weeks before the exam, practice with tests a lot. But also rest, eat well, and drink plenty of water.

There are many review products on sites like Lippincott NursingCenter. These products give nurses the tools they need for their exams. Using these tools and strategies can boost your confidence and knowledge. This helps you do well on your certification path.

Conclusion

Nursing certifications bring many benefits for nurses, employers, and patients. They show you have special knowledge and are dedicated to growing in your career. Employers want certified nurses because they know they work better, make fewer mistakes, and are happier at work. This can really help you move forward in your career and make a big difference in patient care.

Studies show how good nursing certifications are. More than 90% of certified nurses feel proud of their work and think it makes them more credible. They also help reduce infections and save lives in surgery. Nurses with certifications feel more powerful, which makes them happier and more likely to stay in their jobs.

If you’re just starting or have been nursing for a while, getting certifications can really help. It shows you’re serious about your work and keeps you up to date with new skills. This makes you a key part of your team and helps you give the best care to your patients. So, go for those certifications and watch your career soar.