This post was written by Ellen Ahlersmeyer, DNP, RN, CNRN, Administrative Nursing Director, Parkview Randallia.
Having a strong base of certified nurses supports enhanced care, increased patient satisfaction, improved safety outcomes and superior clinical results.
What is certification, and why is it considered a significant achievement?
The significance of certification achievement is celebrated annually on March 19, an international day set aside to honor nursing professional development. This date commemorates Dr. Margretta "Gretta" Madden Styles, who played a vital role in establishing credentialing systems for nurses.
Nursing certification formally recognizes a nurse’s advanced knowledge, skills and experience in a specialty. When a nurse obtains certification, it reflects their dedication, expertise and commitment to providing high-quality patient care.
Nurses are not required to obtain certification, but they pursue this achievement voluntarily through additional education and testing to demonstrate competence in their chosen field. By becoming certified, nurses:
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Exemplify commitment. Achieving certification shows dedication to professional growth and exceptional patient care.
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Demonstrate confidence. Staying current with the latest best practices prepares the nurse for complex patient care.
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Earn respect. Their advanced skills are validated, and they are identified as experts.
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Increase job opportunities. 80% or more nurse managers prefer hiring certified nurses. Certification strengthens a resumé and boosts chances of promotion and leadership roles.
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Have potentially higher earning potential. Certified nurses typically earn more than their non‑certified peers.
What are some pro-tips for nurses who want to become certified?
Parkview Regional Medical Center and Affiliates (PRMCA) nursing teams are taking creative approaches to achieving certification.
Parkview Hospital Randallia
The Intensive Care Unit team celebrated the recent certification achievements of Calynn Parks, BSN, RN, CCRN; Macy Schlotterback, BSN, RN, CCRN; Daniel Clickovich, BSN, RN, CCRN; and Lauren Quinn, BSN, RN, PCCN. They coordinated a certification prep class with Cheryl Rockwell, MSN, RN, CCRN, NPD-BC, nursing professional development specialist. This team developed a plan to apply for testing and set aside time to study together. They shared resources, including a special prep book they dubbed their “good luck charm,” as everyone who used it passed the test!
The Inpatient Rehabilitation team also celebrated the recent certification accomplishments of Eric Miller, ASN, RN, CRRN; Kayla Kimberlin, ASN, RN, CRRN; Maria Stout, BSN, RN, CRRN; and Rachel Duncan, BSN, RN, CRRN. The team believes that their secret sauce was the “Rehab Success Suite” study guide published by their professional nursing organization, the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses.
Nursing manager Chloe Drudy, BSN, RN, CRRN, and assistant nursing managers Erin Johnson, BSN, RN, CRRN, and Eric Miller, ASN, RN, CRRN, promoted certification through open dialogue during routine touch bases. The nurses prepared individually but coordinated frequent supportive check-in conversations with their leaders. With this approach and studying, the team found the test was much easier than they had imagined!
Parkview Regional Medical Center
The Surgical Intensive Care Unit and Neuroscience Unit teams at Parkview Regional Medical Center celebrated recent certification recipients: Amanda Sorge, BSN, RN, SCRN; Jenna Conrad, BSN, RN, CNRN; Breanna Zehr, BSN, RN, CNRN; Staci Valez, BSN, RN, SCRN; Jayce Colclasure, BSN, RN, CCRN; Chandler Blake, BSN, RN, SCRN; Megan Bates, BSN, RN, SCRN; Makayla Cook, BSN, RN, SCRN; and Michelle Moss, ASN, RN, TCRN. This team of specialized neurology and trauma nurses came together with the assistance of Kristina Asa, BSN, RN, SCRN, nursing professional development practitioner. They took a group approach to learning and studying together, using resources from Parkview and professional nursing organizations, including the American Association of Neuroscience Nurses certification toolkit.
Kristina organized the content and, if needed, walked them through the certification application site. Comments shared included: “I feel competent now–I have more information to be able to make better care decisions. I wanted to be certified, but did not know where to start. I knew the material–but forgot how much I already knew! I needed to study in a group. Studying for the test made me more aware of the entire care spectrum, from community, to inpatient, and then care after discharge”.
The Vascular Access Team (VAT) certification journey began with the group sharing their strong desire to become certified with their assistant nursing manager, Andrew Miller, BSN, RN, VA-BC. They reported that the largest barrier to this was the cost of testing and preparation resources. Andrew discussed this barrier with Cheryl Rockwell, who was able to connect them to resources for testing vouchers and study materials. They purchased study guides and used the “going back to school together” approach, with group learning sessions and frequent sharing of test-taking tips and tricks.
Today, their unit has achieved an impressive certification rate of 92%. Congratulations to Jennifer Beck, BSN, RN, VA-BC; Brittany Bell, BSN, RN, VA-BC; Vernon Bontrager, BSN, RN, VA-BC; Evetta Brown, BSN, RN, VA-BC; Charlie Estrada, MSN, RN, VA-BC; Dianne Flory, ASN, RN, VA-BC; Lauren Gonser, BSN, RN, VA-BC; Dorenna Gospodareck, Diploma, RN, VA-BC; Jill Hire, MSN, RN, VA-BC; Katelyn Hodge, ASN, RN, VA-BC; Tiffany Jansen, Diploma, RN, VA-BC; Megan Jorrey, BSN, RN, VA-BC; Holly Kline, BSN, RN, VA-BC; Emily Rausch, BSN, RN, VA-BC; Kyleigh Sprunger, BSN, RN, VA-BC; Dalton Staley, BSN, RN, VA-BC; Cecily Wharton, BSN, RN, VA-BC; and Kelsey Young, BSN, RN, VA-BC.
What types of certifications are available?
PRMCA is a Magnet®-designated organization that has been verified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) as a nursing care center of excellence. Due to the importance of quality care, the ANCC views certification as a mark of nursing best practice. And as you can imagine, with a wide variety of care needs and specialties, there are many nursing certifications available. There are currently 380 specialty nursing certifications. PRMCA has 580 certified registered nurses, representing 29% of our nursing workforce in Allen County.
How does Parkview support nurses in obtaining certification, and what ongoing support do they provide after certifications are achieved?
Parkview supports nurses pursuing specialty certification through a variety of no-cost and low-barrier programs. Nurses have access to free on-demand e-learning certification reviews, along with live, specialty-specific classroom review courses—three of which are already established and continue to expand.
To reduce financial barriers, Parkview offers voucher programs for most specialty certifications, covering exam fees and making certification more accessible. As new needs or specialty areas emerge, additional voucher opportunities are actively researched to ensure nurses and leaders have ongoing support. After nurses earn certification, these programs help them maintain momentum in their professional growth and continue advancing their expertise.
Final thoughts
When a nurse becomes certified, they step into a higher level of practice to ensure their patients receive the best possible care. Parkview appreciates and recognizes them for the outstanding effort they put into accomplishing this.
To learn more about achieving nurse certification, our Student Nurse Program and other opportunities available at Parkview, visit parkview.com/careers/nursing.
