CCI Blog

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.

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.

CCI established the Certification Coaches program as an opportunity for certified nurses to become more involved with CCI, certification, and their fellow nurses. The Certification Coaches program acts as a volunteer mentorship opportunity for nurses dedicated to helping others achieve certification in the perioperative field, thus increasing overall patient safety.

Overview of CFPN

The Certified Foundational Perioperative Nurse (CFPN) credential is the newest certification from CCI. It is designed to give perioperative nurses with less than 23 months in the operating room a firm foundation for career-long professional development success. Additionally, earning the CFPN certification puts early-career perioperative nurses on the fast track to earning either CNOR or CNAMB.

As the only accredited credentialing program for perioperative registered nurses, CCI's credentials are the gold standard. Earning a certification is a mark of distinction and a highly sought-after personal and professional accomplishment. Certified nurses are committed to providing the highest quality of care to their surgical patients.

It’s a common misconception that leaders do not need to pursue certification because leaders are often not considered “frontline staff” that provide direct patient care. However, certified nurse leaders do have a significant impact on patient care and outcomes.

Nurses notice leaders who are actively engaged in ensuring that the policies and procedures implemented in their facilities align with current best practices. In order to stay updated, leaders must continue to learn and serve as an example for their staff. If leaders are not modeling the importance of being certified, how can we expect frontline staff to see the value of certification?

Specialty nursing certification validates a nurse’s knowledge, skills, and abilities in a defined role and clinical area of practice. Nurses who pursue certification, and the organizations that support and encourage them, demonstrate a commitment to exceptional patient safety and a mastery of current standards in their field of practice.

CCI developed the TrueNorth Award in 2013 to recognize facilities that use certification as a “true north” to guide their perioperative nurses to be models of competent practice, advocates for patient safety excellence, and lifelong learners. To be considered for this high award of merit, facilities must submit an application detailing how their organization recognizes and rewards nurses who earn their certification, and the impact certification has on patients and staff. Applicants must also include letters of endorsement to support the efforts of their facility.

The Certified Ambulatory Surgery Nurse (CNAMB) certification was developed for perioperative nurses working in the ambulatory surgery setting seeking to improve and validate their professional competencies. CNAMB certification assesses the knowledge and skills of a perioperative nurse with a minimum of two years of clinical practice in the ambulatory surgery setting and confirms a certificant has met established eligibility standards of competence.