Poll Results

We asked:

Are you given financial incentives from your employer to seek or retain certification?

Resources

Recognition Plaque

Take this opportunity to recognize CNOR-certified nurses in your facility with this 9”x12” walnut-finish recognition plaque. Engrave the names of nurses who have achieved the CNOR with sleek, black name plates. The cost is $75.00 plus $7.95 shipping.

Click here to order.

All Certification Programs are not Created Equal

CCI proudly displays that the CNOR and CRNFA are accredited by both the American Board of Nursing Specialties (ABNS) and the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) on its Web site. Accreditation is an important element of a quality, professional certification program, but why is accreditation of your credential important to you?

First, let’s talk about the definition of accreditation. Accreditation is the voluntary process by which an agency or organization evaluates and recognizes an institution as meeting certain predetermined qualifications or standards. In more simple terms, this means that ABNS and NCCA reviewed CCI’s certification programs and determined that they complied with standards of practice; standards that are widely accepted in the professional certification and nursing industry.

The NCCA and ABNS standards require that the examination process is fair and valid and that candidates for certification have access to certain information about the program. Accreditation focuses on specific areas of the certification process:

• Governance, finances and resources - The certification program must operate independently and must be able to financially administer and support the program. It should ensure that the certification population is represented on the governing board. These standards help ensure that the certification board is working to uphold standards of practice and that the board is free from undue influence from outside pressures.
• Responsibility to stakeholders - The certification program must have established policies and procedures related to the examination process including eligibility criteria, exam administration, confidentiality, secure testing sites, and appeals. These policies and other information about examination administration and development must be available to candidates for certification. These standards help ensure that individuals interested in pursuing the certification have easy access to all of the information they need to make an informed decision about the certification process. They also help individuals who are actively pursuing or who have already obtained the certification understand the policies that impact them.
• Assessment instruments - The certification program has created an assessment instrument (in this case the CNOR and CRNFA examinations) derived from a job/practice analysis and that the exam is consistent with generally accepted testing principles. Adherence to a high standard for test development, administration and ongoing test maintenance ensure that the exam is fair, valid, free from bias and secure.
• Recertification - The certification program establishes, publishes, applies, and periodically reviews policies and procedures for recertification. It is the consensus of the certification industry that recertification is valuable and “is in the best interests of both the public and the discipline certified.”

CCI voluntarily puts its program through this process by two, independent bodies (the NCCA and ABNS) to ensure that the credential you receive is the highest quality certification available. In addition to the rigorous accreditation process the programs must also submit annual reports and periodic re-accreditation applications to maintain accreditation.

For more information about the NCCA click here. For the ABNS click here.

CCI Clarifies CNOR Professional Portfolio Option for Recertification

The recent issue of CCI News included information about a new option CCI will offer as a method to recertification—the CNOR Professional Portfolio. We have received some questions about the portfolio and want to clarify any confusion our certificants may have.

The CNOR Professional Portfolio is an optional method of recertification that will be offered in addition to the continuing education and re-examination options that currently exist. Recertification by contact hours will still be an acceptable method.

The new portfolio program enhances an existing program CCI has had in place for many years. We are not only creating a stronger, evidence-based foundation for this existing program, but we will also be adding it as an acceptable method for recertification beginning in 2008.

CCI will provide updates about the development and implementation of the program in CCI News and in the monthly updates. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at (888) 257 – 2667 or email info@cc-institute.org.

• The certification application deadline is May 31^st. Click here to apply online for the CNOR. Click here to apply for the CRNFA.
  
• The 2007 recertification deadline for CNORs and CRNFAs is July 2. Please note that all materials must be postmarked by July 2.
• Click the following links for more information: CNOR Recertification or CRNFA Recertification. Register for the CNOR exam at the AORN World Conference in Seoul, South Korea on September 29^th. The application deadline is Aug. 17^th. Click here to apply online.
  
• CCI has extended the time available to access the e-practice exams after purchase from 24 to 72 hours. E-practice exams are designed to give potential candidates a sense of how actual exam questions are structured. They highlight a candidate’s strengths and weaknesses in the subject matter, making it easier to plan and prepare for the certification examination. Click here to order your e-practice exam today.