Becoming certified is one of the most positive and powerful achievements for a nursing professional. Certification is the recognized path for nurses to build and demonstrate commitment, confidence, and credibility.
Benefits to Hiring and Retaining Certified Nurses
- Certified nurses have a positive impact on patient care and patient safety
- Employing certified nurses validates to patients and families that nursing staff has obtained a high level of experience, knowledge, and skills
- A facility staffed by certified nurses in turn attracts more qualified nurses
- Employers who support nurses in certification and education benefit from a higher nurse retention rate
- Certified nurses are essential to achieving and maintaining American Nursing Credentialing Center (ANCC) Magnet® Recognition
Recommendations
According to the Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification (ABSNC) position statement on The Value of Nursing Specialty Certification, employers should:
- Seek certified nurses for their workforce
- Support nurses in their efforts to achieve or maintain certification
- Inform patients and the public about the certification status of their workforce
- Encourage nurses to display their certification credentials
- Market the accomplishments of certified nurses
Ways to Honor and Promote Certified Nurses
- Submit articles and press releases to local media
- Announce in facility's newsletter, e-mails, annual report
- Offer salary increase, bonus, advances in clinical ladder
- Display posters and plaques that recognize certified nurses
Order an MSNCB Perpetual Plaque - Give congratulatory certificates
- Give gifts (education resources, textbooks, pins)
See gifts in the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nursing online store
Keep the Appreciation Going
Becoming certified isn't a 'One and Done' achievement: Nurses must recertify after 5 years to maintain their status. According to MSNCB surveys, certified nurses greatly appreciate recognition and incentives from their institutions and managers, especially as they approach recertification.
Here are a few ideas on how to show your support:
- Reward nurses during special events like Certified Nurses Day™ (March 19) that celebrates them with a luncheon, dinner, or reception.
- Support continuing education (host a conference, send nurses to classes or symposia).
- Offer a bonus for recertification.
- A formal letter, a casual note, or simply words of gratitude are easy to provide and go a long way in making a certified nurse feel appreciated.
