Position statement on certification
1
Reprint requests: NAPNAP National Office, 1101 Kings Highway North, Suite 206, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034. J Pediatr Health Care. (2001). 15, 21A. Copyright © 2001 by the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. 0891-5245/2001/$35.00 + 0 25/8/118660 doi:10.1067/mph.2001.118660 P H C NEWS September/October 2001 21A JOURNAL OF PEDIATRIC HEALTH CARE Certification The National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) believes that the practice of pediatric nursing re- quires specialized knowledge and skills for both the general pediatric nurse and the pediatric nurse practitioner. Certifi- cation provides a nationally recognized mechanism for validation of specialty knowledge and skills. Certification is a process by which an independent, nongovernmental agency recognizes an individual nurse’s qualifi- cations and knowledge for specialty nursing practice. Through the comple- tion of specialized education, experience in specialty nursing practice, and the successful completion of a qualifying examination, nurses achieve specialty certification credentials. Maintenance of certification is accomplished though a variety of mechanisms including re- examination, continuing education, self- assessment, and ongoing clinical prac- tice. Certification maintenance contrib- utes to the assurance of the public’s health and safety. NAPNAP supports the certification of pediatric nurses and nurse practi- tioners and believes that certified pedi- atric nurses (Cary, 2001) and pediatric nurse practitioners have a positive im- pact on the quality of health care to children and families. NAPNAP advocates for: 1. national certification of pediatric nurs- es and nurse practitioners in special- ty areas by an accredited certification organization (Dunn, 1996). 2. educational preparation of nurse prac- titioners and advanced practice nurs- es at the graduate level (American Association of Colleges of Nursing [AACN], 1996; Dunn, 1996). 3. educational programs for nurse prac- titioners designed to meet nationally recognized standards for graduate nursing education (Association of Fac- ulties of Pediatric Nurse Practitioner/ Associate Programs, 1996; National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties, 1995). 4. certification at the advanced prac- tice level, which should be considered a requirement for state licensure in advance nursing practice. 5. individual responsibility for nurses and nurse practitioners to participate in a certification maintenance program by an accredited certifying organization throughout their professional career. NAPNAP affirms that professional certification of pediatric nurse practi- tioners and nurses is necessary to en- sure that consumers, colleagues, and the public at large will receive the high- est quality pediatric nursing care. Certi- fication ensures national consistency of professional standards, imposes stan- dard titles, helps the public understand the professional’s scope of practice, and provides a venue for the public to raise practice grievances (AACN, 1994). REFERENCES American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (1996). The essentials of master’s education for ad- vanced practice nursing. Washington, DC: Author. American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (1994). Position statement: certification and regulation of advanced practice nurses. Washington, DC: Author. Association of Faculties of Pediatric Nurse Practi- tioner/Associate Programs. (1999). Philosophy, conceptual model, terminal competencies for the education of pediatric nurse practitioners (1996). In the National Certification Board of Pe- diatric Nurse Practitioners and Nurses PNP Pro- gram Review Manual. Gaithersburg, MD: The Association. Cary, A. H. (2001). Certified registered nurses: Results of the Study of the Certified Workforce. American Journal of Nursing, 10, 44-52. Dunn, A. (1996). NP certification and licensure. Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 10(2), 14A, 16A. National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Facul- ties, Curriculum Guidelines Task Force. (1995). Advanced nursing practice: Curriculum guidelines and program standards for nurse practitioner edu- cation. Washington, DC: Author. Approved: October 1992 Revised and approved by Executive Board: June 2001 Designation—Regular Position Statement
Transcript of Position statement on certification
Reprint requests: NAPNAP National Office, 1101 Kings Highway North, Suite 206, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034.
J Pediatr Health Care. (2001). 15, 21A.
Copyright © 2001 by the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners.
0891-5245/2001/$35.00 + 0 25/8/118660
doi:10.1067/mph.2001.118660
PHCNEWS
September/October 2001 21AJOURNAL OF PEDIATRIC HEALTH CARE
CertificationThe National Association of PediatricNurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) believesthat the practice of pediatric nursing re-quires specialized knowledge and skillsfor both the general pediatric nurse andthe pediatric nurse practitioner. Certifi-cation provides a nationally recognizedmechanism for validation of specialtyknowledge and skills.
Certification is a process by which anindependent, nongovernmental agencyrecognizes an individual nurse’s qualifi-cations and knowledge for specialtynursing practice. Through the comple-tion of specialized education, experiencein specialty nursing practice, and thesuccessful completion of a qualifyingexamination, nurses achieve specialtycertification credentials. Maintenance ofcertification is accomplished though avariety of mechanisms including re-examination, continuing education, self-assessment, and ongoing clinical prac-tice. Certification maintenance contrib-utes to the assurance of the public’shealth and safety.
NAPNAP supports the certificationof pediatric nurses and nurse practi-tioners and believes that certified pedi-atric nurses (Cary, 2001) and pediatricnurse practitioners have a positive im-pact on the quality of health care tochildren and families.
NAPNAP advocates for:1. national certification of pediatric nurs-
es and nurse practitioners in special-ty areas by an accredited certificationorganization (Dunn, 1996).
2. educational preparation of nurse prac-titioners and advanced practice nurs-es at the graduate level (AmericanAssociation of Colleges of Nursing[AACN], 1996; Dunn, 1996).
3. educational programs for nurse prac-titioners designed to meet nationallyrecognized standards for graduatenursing education (Association of Fac-ulties of Pediatric Nurse Practitioner/Associate Programs, 1996; NationalOrganization of Nurse PractitionerFaculties, 1995).
4. certification at the advanced prac-tice level, which should be considereda requirement for state licensure inadvance nursing practice.
5. individual responsibility for nursesand nurse practitioners to participate ina certification maintenance program byan accredited certifying organizationthroughout their professional career.NAPNAP affirms that professional
certification of pediatric nurse practi-tioners and nurses is necessary to en-sure that consumers, colleagues, and thepublic at large will receive the high-est quality pediatric nursing care. Certi-fication ensures national consistency ofprofessional standards, imposes stan-
dard titles, helps the public understandthe professional’s scope of practice, andprovides a venue for the public to raisepractice grievances (AACN, 1994).
REFERENCESAmerican Association of Colleges of Nursing.
(1996). The essentials of master’s education for ad-vanced practice nursing. Washington, DC: Author.
American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (1994).Position statement: certification and regulation ofadvanced practice nurses. Washington, DC: Author.
Association of Faculties of Pediatric Nurse Practi-tioner/Associate Programs. (1999). Philosophy,conceptual model, terminal competencies forthe education of pediatric nurse practitioners(1996). In the National Certification Board of Pe-diatric Nurse Practitioners and Nurses PNP Pro-gram Review Manual. Gaithersburg, MD: TheAssociation.
Cary, A. H. (2001). Certified registered nurses:Results of the Study of the Certified Workforce.American Journal of Nursing, 10, 44-52.
Dunn, A. (1996). NP certification and licensure.Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 10(2), 14A, 16A.
National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Facul-ties, Curriculum Guidelines Task Force. (1995).Advanced nursing practice: Curriculum guidelinesand program standards for nurse practitioner edu-cation. Washington, DC: Author.
Approved: October 1992Revised and approved by Executive Board:
June 2001Designation—Regular
Position Statement
