Nursing National Certification

Presbyterian fully supports and encourages nurses to seek national certification in their specialty.  To encourage Registered Nurses to become nationally certified we pay for their certification exam fees prior to taking the test. 

Why do we support National Certification?

We believe that external validation of knowledge directly impacts clinical outcomes, validates your nursing knowledge and builds confidence in your professional ability.

Certified nurses excel in their profession because they must meet strong professional development requirements.

• Nurse Managers believe that certification validates specialized knowledge, indicates a level of clinical competence and enhances professional credibility. (American Board of Nursing Specialties Value of Certification Survey March 2005)
• Certification has been linked to fewer medical errors and increased job satisfaction and confidence. (American Association of Critical Care Nurses 2002)

Process

1. Presbyterian will pay the fees associated with national certification testing (and recertification testing) for Registered Nurses in the Albuquerque Delivery System who have worked at least 1,000 hours for PHS in the previous 12 months.
2. Certifications eligible for funding must be nationally recognized by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and designated as appropriate for the nurse’s area of practice by their Department Director.
3. No more then one national certification per participant will be funded at a time.  If the applicant does not pass the initial test, additional funding for retesting becomes the responsibility of the applicant.  Additional funding from PHS for national certification may not be obtained until the normal expiration date of the original certificate.
4. Applicants applying for certification renewal may apply for funding up to six months prior to their existing certificate expiration.

Applicants must be in good standing