b'|CERTIFICATIONWhy You Shoulda nurse have the knowledge and expertise Specialize or Getneeded to provide excellent care, exercise good judgment, and ensure patient safety.3. Certification may establish compe-Certified in Healthcare tence. For certain positions, certifica-tion may be mandatory. For example, a nurse practitioner requires a certifica-Professional advantages are numeroustion. However, having a certification in a By Krystina Ostermeyer RN, BSN, CDE specific field or subcategory of medicine also shows that you have the dedication to succeed in that area.ITOP 3 REASONS TO EARN ATYPE OF NURSING CERTIFICATIONSbegan my nursing career as an LPN. I always knew that I wanted to be a nurse,CERTIFICATIONbut truthfully, I didnt get into BSN schoolThere are many reasons why you may chooseAccording to nurse.org, there are well over the first time l tried. After assessing my sit- to earn a certification. Aside from specializing100 nursing certifications available for nurs-uation, I knew it wasnt my intelligenceitin an area where you are most passionate, jobes! Currently, there are 183 options, though was my lifestyle. I was working long hourssatisfaction and fulfillment are critical.there are a few that are retired and no longer as a cocktail waitress and it was affecting myPurdue University describes three reasonsavailable for testing.grades. But I knew what I wanted to do longthat nurses and other healthcare professionalsNo matter what your field of expertise or term and I vowed to get my RNeventually. may choose to earn a healthcare certification: nursing interest, there is likely a certification After spending about a year as an LPN, I1.Certification may diversify employ- available.knew that I was ready to go back to school.ment opportunities. Because you haveHere are several examples Within a couple of years, I earned my ADN. a certification, you have obtained addi- Nurse PractitionerThen I hit roadblock after roadblock. Theretional and specialized education that canAcute Care Nurse Practitioner were plenty of opportunities as a bedsideset you apart from your peers, poten- (ACNP-BC)nurse or procedural nurse, but I already hadtially giving you a leg up when it comesAcute Care Nurse Practitioner (Adult-several injuries. I knew that I couldnt be atto advancement. In addition, It showsGerontology) (ACNPC-AG)the bedside foreverbut all the jobs I covetedthat you meet national standards, whichAdult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse required a BSN. is attractive to employers. Practitioner (AGPCNP-BC)Back to school, I went. Shortly after obtain- 2. Certification may lead to improvedAdult Nurse Practitioner (ANP-BC)ing my BSN, I took a position as a diabetespatient care. Certifications improve theAdvanced Oncology Certified Nurse educator. I obtained my certified diabetes edu- base of education for those who havePractitioner (AOCNP)cator certification (CDE) about a year and athem; this means that healthcare provid- Oncologyhalf later. Below are some reasons why certifi- ers who have a certification are likely toAdvanced Oncology Certified Nurse cation is important. provide better care. A certification helps(AOCN)www.elitecme.com |2019| EDUCATION 13'