CNA Certification
Resources
Bulletins
CERTIFICATION NEWS - Fall 1998 - Number Five
Committed to Nursing Excellence
Content
Federal Minister of Health backs
certification
The list grows on
First Council on Certification meets
Employers awarded for support
Canada-U.S. reciprocity for
occupational health nurses
Drop by the web for a chat
Recertification Q & A
Certification profile: Helping nurses
prepare for certification
Certified across the land
CNF Awards
Exam news
Notice board
Dates to Remember
 Minister of Health Canada, Allan Rock tells RNs attending CNA’s Biennial Convention, “You deserve recognition, gratitude and support for the fine work you do.” |
Nurses who attended CNA’s Biennial Convention in June heard for the first time that a new nursing position, the Executive Director of Nursing Policy, would soon be established within Health Canada.
A working group, including nurses from CNA and other national nursing groups, is now ironing out the details of the function and responsibility of the position.
The overall message delivered by the federal Minister of Health, Allan Rock, was that nurses are of critical importance in developing health care policy and he would like to strengthen that role.
He stressed this would not be a figure-head position, but one that would place nursing’s ideas and values at the forefront of health policy. “In order to advance primary health care, for example, we must include an enhanced role for nurses. We can’t move ahead on primary health care without nurses,” Rock pointed out.
Those certified nurses within the audience were even more delighted when the Minister went on to praise CNA’s Certification Program.
He mentioned seeing the CNA Certification Program booth on his way into the room. “Whether it’s in gerontological or oncology nursing, I think we should encourage the development of those specialties and the acceptance of specialist registered nurses in those areas,” said Rock.
In addressing the pending nursing shortage, Rock suggested that certification would assist in retaining and recruiting nurses. “I think the more we signal an institutional respect for the role of nurses and their place in the health care system, the more likely it is we will retain nurses in Canada.”
The Minister also indicated that together, the government and nurses, must develop practical strategies to deal with the existing and increasing shortage.
Identifying nurses as the “core of care” in Canada, Rock said these strategies must address, as well, the lack of full-time jobs for nurses.
Rock concluded, after promising that the presence of the federal health minister would be a tradition at CNA conventions, by saying that “since Jeanne Mance, nurses have been caring for Canada, now it’s time for Canada to show it cares for nurses.”
The Certification Program now has a mailing list of almost 7,000 certified nurses. The constant growth of the program, and continued interest of additional specialties wanting to join is obviously good news. But this growth also means that we can use the certification list to provide additional educational opportunities and professional information for certified nurses.
Occasionally we may like to mail you information about special offers for nurses or information about educational programs, conferences, workshops or special events in your specialty. Also, from time to time CNA receives requests from nurse researchers wanting to connect with other certified nurses in specialty areas.
With the names of all certified nurses in one convenient location, national nursing specialty groups will find it easier to recruit new members and let nurses working in the various specialties, know what their national association is doing on their behalf.
The mailing list will be closely monitored. Certified nurses may have their name removed from the list regarding this activity at any time, contact us by using the change of name box on page 8.
In compiling information for the last few newsletters, we have come across an increasing number of messages from certified nurses describing what their employers are doing to acknowledge certified colleagues.
In the last issue of Certification News, we read how an emergency department has established a plaque incorporating the names of certified nurses. At the North York General Hospital in Toronto, certification is recognized by awarding each certified nurse with a high quality hospital pen engraved with their name, designation and year they were certified. The hospital administrator also added that each nurse’s success is celebrated with a traditional coffee and cake party.
The benefits of the Certification Program also reach to future employers. We were informed that one of the arguments used to support the creation of a new cancer clinic in Oshawa, Ontario was the certification of oncology nurses already working in the same city. One hundred per cent of the chemotherapy nurses and about 75 per cent of the ward nurses have been certified or are ready to write the CNA exam in 1999.
The Certification Program would like to acknowledge employers who support certified nurses. Starting in 1999, the Council on Certification will choose one employer per year among those nominated for this recognition award. The award recipient will receive a symbol of acknowledgment and an article will follow in Certification News. If you are interested in nominating your employer, please go to our web site (www.cna-aiic.ca and use the certification link). The opportunity to send us nominations is between Jan. 1, 1999 and March 31, 1999. A selection will be made in May, 1999 by the Council on Certification.
CNA’s Certification Program is constructing a discussion group on our web page found at www.cna-aiic.ca (go to the certification link). We hope to have it activated in January, 1999.
Not only will this be a convenient place for the program to post updates, but certified nurses and new candidates preparing for the exam can also exchange information about such things as organizing study groups, and spreading the word about upcoming meetings and conventions for continuing education hours.
As we monitor the discussion group, we will continue to improve it with suggestions included in your feedback. When the new year rolls around, tell us what you would like to have as topics on the discussion group, and also how you see such a project addressing the current and future needs of certified nurses and nurses interested in becoming certified.
Certified nurses have many questions about recertification. This column, a regular feature in Certification News, will answer some of these queries. If you have a question, send it to CNA (see contact information on page 8).
| Q | Although I appreciate that the recertification fees were reduced by $75 last year, I still have trouble understanding why the fees are as high as they are. Can you shed some light on why it is still expensive to recertify and how the money is spent? |
| A | It may seem like the recertification process is quite simple, but this is not the case. An outline of the process is as follows: We develop promotional material, which includes the production of the application guide, for recertification that is sent to all candidates who are due for recertification; we maintain their names in our data-bank throughout their five-year term, updating when required; we receive recertification candidates’ applications; we review these applications ensuring that candidates meet the eligibility criteria (for example, reviewing all the continuing education requirements and submissions); we upgrade the information in our files; we prepare the portfolios to mail to successful recertification candidates with the new wallet card, certificate, as well as other certification materials; they also continue to receive Certification News twice a year during their five-year term. Broken down over the five-year term, the recertification fee costs an average of $58 annually. It’s important to remember as well, that the same benefits and reasons for becoming certified initially apply to recertifying. Recertification is another opportunity for life-long learning and may, in certain situations, make the difference between getting the job and not. With most licensing bodies discussing the issue of continuing competency, it’s also comforting to know that when you recertify, you are already actively involved in one method of keeping your skills and knowledge current. Certification and recertification continue to grow in popularity. As of 1998, the recertification rates by specialty are: occupational health nursing, 74 %; neuroscience, 41%; nephrology, 64 %; for an average of 68 % of our certified nurses choosing to recertify. |
| Q | Why do I have to apply so early to recertify? |
| A | A number of nurses are now choosing to recertify by exam, particularly if they have found it difficult to accumulate enough continuing education hours. As a result, we must process both certification and recertification applications at the same time. This also saves time. |
| Q | I am taking courses toward my baccalaureate degree and was wondering if generic courses, for example an ethics course, could count as continuing education hours for my eventual recertification? |
| A | You are the best person to determine if the continuing education activity meets the requirements of the Certification Program. To allow as much flexibility as possible in earning continuing education hours, CNA has provided guidelines for what counts as formal education and professional participation. College or university courses fall into the formal education category. As a guideline, we say that the continuing education activity must relate to your nursing specialty. Taking a university course such as an ethics course or a leadership course may not be as clear as taking ACLS. It is your responsibility to make these generic courses more specific to your nursing specialty so that you can count them towards your CNA recertification. For example, if you are recertifying in emergency nursing, you can focus your ethics course assignments towards ethical issues in the ER. This then, gives the generic ethics course a specialty focus and you may claim it for your recertification. Professionally and ethically, you are the best person to make a decision as to which continuing education activities you can apply towards your recertification. We also receive a lot of questions around the tracking of university/ college courses. One credit equals 12 hours, so you can calculate your university/college course hours accordingly, e.g., a three-credit course equals 36 hours. If no credits are provided for your course, give yourself one continuing education hour for every clock hour of the course. All CE hours are to be tracked on the formal education/professional activities forms as provided by CNA with your graduate portfolio. The Verification of Continuing Education Form is optional; it is for use when other proof of attendance/participation (receipt, transcript, certificate, attendance record, etc.) is not available; and is not necessary to include with your recertification application unless requested by CNA for auditing purposes. These forms are also available on the certification web page at www.cna-aiic.ca |
The map below illustrates the total number of certified nurses in Canada by province and territory.
The Canadian Nurses Foundation (CNF) is pleased to announce the 1998 Certification Awards to nurses who recently obtained certification or recertification in their specialty through the Canadian Nurses Association Certification Program. Award winners had their certification or recertification fees paid for by CNF. The funding that makes these awards possible is acquired from corporate donors/sponsors, bequests and gifts from individuals and organizations who support the goals of the foundation. Of the 646 applications received, over 60 per cent were from Ontario. All nurses can apply and successful candidates are randomly selected. The successful candidates in each specialty for 1998 are:
| Critical Care Nursing
Katherine Bousfield, RN, CNCC(C), Ontario Julia Jarecsni, RN, CNCC(C), Ontario |
Perioperative Nursing
John Handy, RN, CPN(C), British Columbia Sandra Lowery, RN, CPN(C), Ontario |
| Psychiatric/Mental Health
Nursing
Lynn Hilton-Nat, RN, CPMHN(C), Ontario Mel Garcia Jr., RN, CPMHN(C), Ontario |
Emergency Nursing
Joanne Collins, RN, ENC(C), Newfoundland Linda M. Polin, RN, ENC(C), Ontario |
| Nephrology Nursing
Kimberly Wenzel Jibb, RN, CNeph(C), Ontario Marian Ortiz Luis, RN, CNeph(C), Ontario |
Neuroscience Nursing
Judy Chisholm, RN, CNN(C), Nova Scotia Petronella Suska, RN, CNN(C), Ontario |
| Occupational Health Nursing
Suzanne MacDougal, RN, COHN(C), Québec Jocelyne Lemaire, RN, COHN(C), Québec |
Oncology Nursing
Brenda Wilks, RN, CON(C), Ontario Deborah Devitt, RN, CON(C), Ontario |
Saudi Arabia exam site
Over 80 Canadian nurses in Saudi Arabia, representing all specialties, have expressed
interest in writing the CNA certification exams. The Certification Program is considering
Riyadh, more specifically the King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, as an
overseas test site.
New length
We have listened to your comments! All certification examinations administered in 1999
will be half-day sessions lasting four hours. The examination, with approximately 170 to
200 questions, will run from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.
Competency review
A review of the competencies of the Critical Care Certification Examination and the
Psychiatric and Mental Health Examination has been conducted this fall. Since the nursing
profession continually evolves, a review of the existing competencies developed in 1993
has allowed nurses practising within these specialties to confirm the competencies or
modify them as necessary. Work sessions will be held across the country.
Gerontological nursing
A translation review of the new certification examination in gerontological nursing was
completed in September. A committee of three Francophone gerontological nurses reviewed
the translation of the examination scheduled for its first administration in 1999. A
sincere thanks to all the gerontological nurses who have contributed their professional
expertise in the development of the examination.
Certification News is your communication vehicle. Not only will we fill you in on program activities, but you can take this opportunity to network with colleagues. If there is enough interest, a notice board could become a regular section of the newsletter, particularly useful for those without access to the internet. We’re hoping the notice board will become a useful communication tool for certified nurses.
This is also a good time to remind readers to send in their certification testimonials outlining their reasons for becoming certified and what the credential means to them, plus how it has benefited their careers. Sometimes sharing starts slowly, but we are sure these messages would be inspiring to those both certified and those considering becoming certified. Send your testimonials to Certification News and they may be of great value to the newsletter itself or future promotional material.
New Addresses
Canadian Association of Critical Care
Nurses (CACCN)
P.O. Box 25322
London, ON N6C 6B1
Phone numbers and e-mail remain unchanged.
Canadian Association of Nephrology
Nurses and Technologist (CANNT)
Suite 2G-57 Simcoe Street South
Oshawa, ON L1H 7N1
Phone: (905) 436-0145
Fax: (905) 436-2969
E-mail: jhm@osha.igs.net
Canadian Occupational Health Nurses
Association (COHNA)
has a new president:
Kay Godden
Tel: 1 (519) 759-4150 ext.3111
Address: 27 Strathcona Ave.,Brantford ON N3S 1T6
E-mail: kayg@worldchat.com
Next examination date for all nine
specialties (including the first gerontological nursing exam):
Saturday, March 27, 1999 Application deadline for all nine specialties was November 6,
1998.
Recertification reminder
Nurses who require recertification in 1999, specifically those in neuroscience,
nephrology, occupational health and emergency (the first recertification since the first
exam in 1994), should have received their recertification application guides from CNA
during the summer. If you have not received this information please contact the
Certification Program and we will ensure you get your application guide.
1999 National Emergency Nursing
Symposium “EMERGing into the Millennium,”
May 16 to 17, 1999
Delta St. John, St. John’s, NF
Contact: Mary Prideaux, 42 Ottawa St.,
St. John’s, NF A1A 2Z2
or tel: (H) (709) 579-8902;
(W) (709) 753-9961
or fax: (709) 753-1210.
Canadian Gerontological Nursing
Association (CGNA) 10th National Conference
May 26 to 29, 1999
Fantasyland Hotel Conference Centre
Edmonton, AB
Contact: CGNA
by fax at (403) 431-3795
“Cresting the Wave”
Operating Room Nurses Association of Canada (ORNAC) 16th National Conference
June 14 to 16, 1999
World Trade and Convention Centre
Halifax, NS
Contact: Bev Wood at P.O. Box 36045,
Halifax, NS B3J 3S9
or tel: (902) 473-6480
or fax: (902) 473-5787
