CCI Blog

Dear members of the CCI community,

We are thrilled to announce that the Competency & Credentialing Institute has a new CEO. We are excited to welcome Melissa Nosik, Ph.D., BCBA-D, ICE-CCP, SHRM-SCP, to our organization, and we look forward to the positive changes and innovations she will bring to CCI.

Melissa has been previously working as Deputy Chief Executive Officer for the Behavior Analyst Certification Board and has more than nine years of experience related to handling the operations and growth of specialized certification organizations. She has a deep understanding of the importance of competency-based education and its vital role in credentialing, and we are confident that she is the right person to lead CCI into the future.

After six years, James X. Stobinski, Ph.D., RN, CNOR, CNAMB, CSSM(E), CEO of the Competency and Credentialing Institute, announced his retirement, anticipated on February 23, 2023. Stobinski started with CCI in September 2011. Under his leadership, CCI added three credentials, seven microcredentials, and two Certificate of Mastery programs, and received accreditation for four of the six CCI credentials, all with the primary goal of ensuring competency in the perioperative nursing community.

We had the opportunity to sit down and interview Jim to reflect on his time spent with CCI. He provided insight on what he will miss most about employment and how he plans to spend his retirement. 

Remote Secure Proctored Examinations are new to the realm of test taking. This method of test delivery allows you to take your exam in the comfort of your own home. Enjoy the flexibility and schedule your next exam remotely. 

Spread Holiday Cheer this Year! Create fun celebrations at your facility to increase festivities this holiday season.

Certification allows nurses to demonstrate their commitment to exceptional patient safety. Nurses who attain certification, and the facilities that support them, demonstrate a commitment to improving patient outcomes and mastering the knowledge it takes to do so. Facilities value having certified staff, but a lot of nurses are not certified upon hiring. Getting your staff certified may sound like a daunting task, however, CCI has many resources available to assist in getting your staff certified.

Congratulations! You have taken the first step toward earning your credential by recognizing the importance of certification and deciding to begin exam preparation. Now is the time to study and make sure you adequately prepare. Here are a few tips to help as you start this process.

In many ways, certification acts as a compass directing a nurse’s clinical practice towards nationally accepted standards. Nurses who attain certification, and the facilities that support them, demonstrate a commitment to improving patient outcomes and mastering the knowledge it takes to do so.

Professional development is an integral component of staying informed on new findings and best practices in a continuously changing field. By completing professional development activities, you can learn about current best practices and new findings within the perioperative field. These opportunities come in a variety of forms and are available to everyone. Here are some professional development opportunities for you to consider.

The modern perioperative setting is continuously changing and evolving, requiring a conscious effort to maintain competency. By pursuing recertification, you demonstrate a continued dedication to perioperative excellence and a personal commitment to patient safety.

Recertification by professional activity points allows nurses to engage in various activities that will count towards the recertification of their credential. Many nurses are already performing activities at work that are worth points. If this is your first time utilizing points, we are confident that you will find professional activity points to be a flexible and convenient path to recertifying your CNOR credential.

As we all work to navigate life among COVID-19, frontline workers will experience another taxing holiday season. As a nurse, you may expect to work some holidays, but this year many find themselves without a choice due to understaffed facilities from COVID-19. Here are a few ideas for making the holidays a little merrier amid the chaos.