Long gone are the days when a nurse was just a nurse. Thanks to the many specialties, a nurse can now choose what type of nursing that she wants to do. She may choose obstetrics, pediatrics, geriatrics, emergency nursing, critical care nursing, the list goes on and on. Just as every person is an individual, every nurse has his or her own niche in nursing. Someone who is terrible in obstetrics may excel in emergency nursing. There is a fit for everyone. Once you determine what your “fit” is, you can then become certified in your nursing specialty. There are as many types of nursing certifications as there are nursing specialties. Being certified is in your best interest for a variety of reasons. Read on to discover how you can benefit from nursing certification.
The Benefits of Nursing Certification
So why should nurses become certified in their specialty? The answers to that question come from a study conducted several years ago. This study found that nurses who were certified had fewer adverse events and errors in patient care. This is critical because of the increasing number of lawsuits that are being filed against health care workers. Reducing nursing errors is not only important to the patients, it is also important for you.
The study also concluded that certified nurses were more confident because they were able to detect the early signs of complications. Catching a complication in the early stages results in a much better outcome for the patient.
Certified nurses were reported as having a higher level of job satisfaction and personal growth over nurses who were not certified. This may come from being more confident about their abilities and receiving more respect from their peers and other healthcare workers. Being certified also gives you a feeling of accomplishment because you know that you have completed advanced training in your nursing specialty.
The study also found that certified nurses received higher patient satisfaction ratings. They are believed to be more credible providers than nurses who are not certified. A certified nurse will have more effective communication with the health care provider team to improve patient outcomes. They also experience fewer disciplinary events and work-related injuries.
In addition to higher job satisfaction and more respect, a certified nurse can expect to enjoy a higher rare of pay than a nurse who is not certified. On the average, certified nurses receive about $8,000 to $10,000 more per year than their uncertified counterparts. So how do you become certified in your specialty?
First of all, you must have a least two years of experience working full-time in your specialty. Then there is an application process that you must go through to obtain your certification for nursing. You can download the application to test online and mail it in. You must also mail your testing fee in at this time. The fee will be around $300 on the average. If you belong to any professional organizations, you may get a discounted fee. You may check with your facility to determine if they will pay this fee for you.
Once you have mailed the application and fee, you will be notified when you are eligible to test. You should be studying for your certification exam while you are waiting to test. There are plenty of study materials online or you may choose to attend nursing certification courses in your area. These resources are excellent ways to prepare for your nursing certification exams. You must travel to a testing site in your area to take the certification exam. Upon completion of the exam, you will be given the results right away.
The good news is that most certifications are good for five years. When it is time to renew, you must meet certain renewal specifications and pay a renewal fee.
So if you want to increase your job satisfaction and gain more credibility as a nurse in your specialty, get certified. You will be glad you did.
The Nursing RN to BSN degree completion program at South University allows registered nurses with associate degrees to complete their bachelor’s degrees. The program is offered at three South University campuses and online. Learn more about South University | Request free info
The Nursing RN to BSN degree completion program at South University allows registered nurses with associate degrees to complete their bachelor’s degrees. The program is offered at three South University campuses and online.
