Importance of Certification
Debbie Buchwach, MSN, RN-BC is the Director of
Professional Practice for Ambulatory Nursing & Optimization for Kaiser
Permanente in the Northwest Region.
We began our nursing careers with the
desire to provide the best care for our patients/clients. We participated in
in-services, attended conferences, read specialty-care journals, and
collaborated with other colleagues to increase our knowledge, skills, and
abilities. Once we transitioned from novice to expert in our field, many of us
sought certification. It was a way to recognize our depth of knowledge and commitment
to our chosen specialty practice. I often wonder why some of us don’t follow
this same path when we enter into the specialty practice of Nursing
Professional Development.
I was acutely aware that I had entered
a different nursing specialty when I was asked to implement a new
interprofessional care plan. What I didn’t know as I planned my “training” was
that I needed to understand change, leadership, and learning theory. Looking
back, I didn’t provide the best learning experience for the learners. I was
fortunate that my organization sent me to my first ANPD Conference just a few
months later. I was exposed to best practices in our field, networked with
fellow NPD Practitioners, and found out about the Journal for Nurses in Professional Development. I left with a commitment to increasing my knowledge,
skills, and abilities in order to provide the best NPD leadership to my
organization.
A year later, I attended my first ANPD certification
preparation class. My learning objective was to gain a better understanding of what
I needed to know to be an effective NPD Practitioner. What I left with was a passion for our specialty. I
actively sought out best practices through reading the journal and other
professional resources, networking with NPD colleagues, and attending the ANPD convention
every year. As I incorporated my learning into my practice, I became more
valuable to my organization. I was better able to provide the leadership required
to help the organization meet its strategic goals.
Four years into my NPD career, I
decided to seek certification. I wanted to validate the specialized knowledge,
skills, and abilities I had developed. I attended another ANPD certification
preparation class to prepare for the exam. This time, I validated what I had
learned and identified a few opportunities for additional preparation. A few
months later, I took and passed my board exam. I’m now entering my second
recertification cycle.
Why is certification important? Certification
is one of the measurements used to validate professional growth and competence in
a specialty field. Because we are role models for lifelong learning, I believe
it is important that NPD Practitioners are certified. NPD certification
increases our credibility with staff, interprofessional colleagues, and
organizational leaders. The journey to NPD certification, which begins with
professional development, ultimately leads to evidence-based programs that change
nursing practice which improve patient outcomes. Certified NPD Practitioners
provide leadership that is critical in meeting the challenges of our current healthcare
systems.
What are your thoughts on the importance
of NPD certification for NPD Practitioners?
