Nursing certifications are essential to provide the best possible care for your patients. There are many different types of certifications, and each one offers a different set of skills and knowledge. By being certified, you can show your patients that you are a competent and qualified nurse.
One of the most critical aspects of nursing is assessing a patient’s condition properly. This aspect includes taking into account their medical history, current symptoms, and vital signs. By being certified, you can show your patients that you have the skills and knowledge necessary to assess their condition and create a treatment plan correctly.
Among the many certifications for rookie nurses, a handful should be considered must-haves, including ACLS certification. By achieving these certifications, you can show your patients the communication skills necessary to care for them effectively.
Look at a few nursing certifications and what they mean for student nurses.
Basic Nursing Certifications
There are three baseline certifications that student nurses need to invest in as they begin their careers. Once you finish your registered nursing exam, these certifications are highly recommended.
Basic Life Support
Basic Life Support nurse certification is a process by which nurses can become certified in basic life support techniques. For example, BLS certification teaches you how to perform CPR and use an AED, which can be vital in an emergency.
Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support
Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support certification, or ACLS certification, is a must. The ACLS certification demonstrates your knowledge and skills in managing a cardiac arrest patient and builds off the BLS certification.
Pediatric Advanced Life Support
Certification in Pediatric Advanced Life Support is essential for nearly everyone in the nursing field. PALS certification shows you have the skills and knowledge to provide the best possible care to children in an emergency.
Next-Level Nursing Certifications
Once you are an LPN or RPN, these are the certifications you can pick up to diversify your skills.
General and Specialty Wound Care Certification
There are two main types of wound care certification: general and specialty. General certification is for nurses who want to be able to care for all kinds of wounds. Specialty certification is for nurses who wish to focus on a specific type of wound, like pressure ulcers or diabetic wounds.
IV Therapy Certification
IV therapy certification demonstrates that you can effectively perform IV therapy as part of any treatment. Once you’ve passed the certification exam, you’ll be able to use the Registered Nurse-Board Certified in IV Therapy credential.
This credential will show that you’re a qualified IV therapy nurse and will help you advance your career.
Long-Term Care Certification
The long-term care certification for nurses is a voluntary process that allows nurses to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in providing care to patients with chronic illnesses or disabilities.
In addition to passing an exam, nurses must complete a minimum of 30 contact hours of continuing education in topics related to long-term care, such as geriatric nursing, chronic disease management, or palliative care.
Certified Pediatric Nurse
Certified pediatric nurses earn higher salaries than non-certified nurses and have better job security. This certification also allows nurses to specialize in pediatric care. Being certified can help you advance your career by allowing you to pursue specialty positions or nursing management roles.
Acute/Critical Care Nursing
Nurses with Acute/Critical Care Nursing certification care for patients with life-threatening conditions, such as heart attacks, strokes, and respiratory failure. They also care for patients who are recovering from surgery or who have been injured in accidents.
Acute and critical care nurses must have excellent clinical skills, think quickly, and make decisions under pressure.
HIV/AIDS Certified Registered Nurse
This highly specialized certification allows nurses to care for patients who have HIV/AIDS. The HIV/AIDS-certified registered nurse program teaches nurses how to care for HIV-positive and AIDS patients.
The program covers various topics, including providing care for patients in the early stages of HIV/AIDS, managing the symptoms of the disease, and how to prevent the spread of the disease.
Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Certifications
If you opt for a Master’s Degree in nursing, you have the opportunity to grab upper-level nurse certifications for better pay and more responsibility. Here are a few options to consider if you seek to become an APRN.
Certified Nurse Practitioners
Certified nurse practitioners are a specific type of nurse practitioner that has completed additional education and training. CNPs can provide a wide range of primary care services, including diagnosing and treating illnesses, ordering and interpreting tests, prescribing medication, and counseling on preventative care.
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
A Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist or CRNA specializes in administering anesthesia. To become a CRNA, you must first be a registered nurse and complete a Master’s degree in Nurse Anesthesia. Considering the demand for CRNAs, with the Baby Boomers needing medical procedures that require anesthesia, these types of nurses are in demand.
Family Nurse Practitioner
Family Nurse Practitioners provide comprehensive primary care services to individuals, families, and communities. They are trained in both nursing and medicine. These nurses offer a wide range of services, from health promotion and disease prevention to diagnosing and treating acute and chronic illnesses.
FNPs are in high demand, and the demand is expected to grow. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the employment of FNPs will increase by 31 percent from 2018 to 2028.
Certified Nurse Midwife
There is nothing like the moment when a child is born. Nurses who choose to go a more specialized route when it comes to the profession may opt for a midwife certification. Midwife certification allows nurses to aid parents during those crucial birth moments and the precious moments in between.
With dozens of certifications available for nurses, there are many ways to increase your knowledge and your paycheck. Considering the Baby Boomer generation is hitting peak age when it comes to hospital visits, diversifying your abilities as a nurse is a must.
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- 12 Types of Nursing Certifications and What They Mean for Student Nurses - November 4, 2022