‘How Am I Going to Do This?' CMSRN^® Views of Changing Requirements for Recertification

Boyle, Diane K.
Thompson, Sarah A.

Diane K. Boyle, PhD, RN, FAAN, is Professor (retired), Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY.
Sarah A. Thompson, PhD, RN, FAAN, is Dean and Professor, Sinclair School of Nursing, University of Missouri, Colombia, MO.

Source of Funding: Research reported in this publication was supported by the Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification Board. The content is solely the authors' responsibility and does not necessarily represent the official views of the Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification Board.

MEDSURG Nursing 29(5):p 346, September-October 2020.

Background

Various entities have called for system redesign to implement more effective methods of determining continuing competence and safe practice of specialty-certified healthcare professionals.

Aim

Determine Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse (CMSRN^®) credential holders' attitudes toward periodic competency assessments and personal learning plans for recertification, and if there is any additional burden with changing recertification requirements.

Method

Qualitative focus groups were held at the September 2018 Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses Convention in Orlando, FL.

Results

Two major themes of Professionalism and Assessment and Personal Learning Plans as a Path to Maintaining Certification emerged. Participants generally agreed the current method of garnering evidence for recertification is “hodgepodge.” They recognized a periodic competency assessment that could help them understand what they need to learn and provide a pathway to guide them if the learning plan was relevant to their specific practice. Perceived burdens included more time needed to complete requirements, being “forced” to relearn information not relevant to their practice and situation, and juggling new recertification requirements with other requirements (e.g., life support training, work, family, school).

Implications

Certification boards and nurses should co-create requirements meaningful to certificants' situation and practice.

Conclusion

CMSRNs liked the concept of an assessment if it offers a mechanism for individuals to understand what they need to learn and provides a flexible pathway. Learning plans need to be individualized and meaningful for each certified nurse's situation and practice.

Various entities have called for system redesign to implement more effective methods of determining the continuing competence and safe practice of healthcare professionals. Certification boards and nurses must work together to co-create requirements meaningful to their certificants' situation and practice.