Certification...what's in it for me?

One thing that I am very much in favor of is advanced certification. If you have taken the time, and energy, to pursue certification, it speaks volumes about you. It says that you have decided that time spent increasing your knowledge about a particular aspect of nursing is important to you, and that overall, delivering safe, effective, quality care is too. If you are a certified nurse, you understand the feeling of satisfaction, accomplishment, and the boost to your self esteem you received after passing your exam. It's a great feeling to know that you have put yourself out there, and succeeded in something far too few will ever try.

But is it for everyone? Probably not. And that's okay. "To each, his own." But what about you? What are your thoughts on advanced certification in your specialty?(If there is one, anyway.)

It was the hardest test I have ever taken; boards were nothing compared to my certifying exam. That is where the pride and honor come from. If it were easy, what significance would it have? Very little, if any. Becoming a certified nurse doesn't make you "smarter" or "better" than a non-certified nurse. It simply says that you have challenged yourself to. Level of expertise in your field, and that you are dedicated to delivering the best care you can, based on the advanced knowledge gained by achieving and maintaining your certification. Patients may never know who is and isn't certified, but wouldn't it be nice if they did? Maybe some would argue that patients may feel that ALL nurses should be certified. And that they may feel that care from a non-certified nurse may be, somehow, substandard. I think it's all how you approach the conversation.

To me, being certified was a personal choice, as much it was a professional one. What have you got to lose? You fell off your bike a few times, but you still kept on trying, didn't you? Or maybe you just said "forget it!" and walked away. Think about what you would have missed. The main issues I find with pursuing certification are the time and financial costs involved. But please know there is help out there! Surely you didn't learn to ride a bike, or to swim without help? Seek and ye shall find.

What about compensation? "Will I get paid more for being certified?" That depends on your facility. But when you receive raises, do you begin practing better only when you receive financial gain? I doubt that. Money does not (or at least it should not) dictate your standard of practice. Sure, it's nice to receive a little extra for your hard work and dedication, but then again, "why are you a nurse?"

Remember, nursing has been deemed over and over again as the most "trusted" profession. Think about that. That's huge! Trust doesn't come lightly, in fact, it bears quite a responsibility. We are not the "good enough" profession, or the "status quo" profession. No, we are far more than that, and we owe it to our patients and ourselves to be equipped with the best information we can, and hold ourselves to a higher standard than what is required. Do some research, talk to your certified colleagues...and if no one is certified, be the first one!

A few links to get you started:
ABNS position statement for certification
ANCC website
Wikipedia list of certifications*
* I typically steer away from wikipedia, as it is not the best source of information, but it does at least point the way for further review. Also, please note that among the many certifications available, there are several such as "TNCC" which are not "specialty certifications", more like "practice certificates", and although valuable, are not concidered "valid" specialty nursing certifications.

Thank you.

Steve