Increasing Nurse Certification Rates

Certification, as defined by the American Board of Nursing Specialties, is “the formal recognition of the specialized knowledge, skills and experience demonstrated by the achievement of standards identified by a nursing specialty to promote optimal health outcomes.”

Clinical specialty certification can have a positive impact on registered nurses’ job satisfaction, and in other research, was associated with feelings of empowerment and collaboration with colleagues. Certification was also associated with better clinical outcomes.

Almost half of Cleveland Clinic nurses are certified.

In May 2013, a group of Cleveland Clinic nurses set out to examine nurses’ value of certification. Their study also attempted to determine links between perceived value of certification, likelihood to certify, nurse characteristics and barriers to certification.

Deborah Solomon, MSN, RN, ACNS-BC; Meredith Lahl, MSN, PCNS-BC, PNP-BC, CPON; and Marian Soat, MSN, RN, CCNS, CCRN, launched a prospective correlational study using survey methods. Under the mentorship of Mark McClelland, DNP, RN, CPHQ, the team surveyed nurses across Cleveland Clinic health system using the Perceived Value of Certification Tool© and investigator-developed questionnaires.

Characteristics of nurses who value certification

Of 1,589 participating nurses, there were four characteristics associated with nurses’ value of certification:

1. Being a member of a professional organization
2. Serving a caregiver role in the workplace
3. Certification status
4. Number of years working as an RN

Barriers to pursuing certification

The five barriers to pursuing certification were:

1. Not having preparatory material
2. No desire or interest in getting certified
3. Feeling it was not relevant to practice
4. Not having institutional support
5. Expense

“Nurses’ response regarding not having preparatory materials was interesting,” Lahl says. “We have materials available and need to ensure nurses are aware of resources.”

According to Solomon, these findings spurred a movement to heighten awareness of the many resources available to nurses to enhance their professional development.

3 factors that increase likelihood to certify

Nurses’ likelihood to certify in the next six months increased when study participants:

1. Knew a certified nurse on their unit
2. Had taken a review course
3. Were members of a professional organization

“We see many more hands go up when asked during a review course, ‘Who is going to go for certification?’” says Solomon.

Although most survey respondents did not think that certification increased salary, Lahl and Solomon agreed that it shows a commitment to professional development, which enhances marketability.

How to increase nurses’ value of certification

Solomon says that research results will be used to make recommendations to nursing leadership aimed at increasing nurses’ value of certification. Key themes might be to promote membership in professional organizations, provide more diverse and accessible preparatory education, and recognize nurses who achieve certification.