Nursing Nurses ' Perceptions Of Motivators And Barriers For Obtaining The Certified Clinical Transplant Nurse ( Cctn ) Certification

For the majority of nurses working within the field of modern medicine, one of the most difficult tasks associated with the job must be maintaining the tenuous balance between the pull of professional ambition and honoring the responsibility owed to their current role. Nursing remains one of the most stratified occupations in terms of recognized qualification, and a wide disparity exists between the positions of Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) and Registered Nurse (RN) in terms of both experience and education. While standards vary from state to state, individual LPNs may be required to complete many of the same duties as their RN counterparts, including the administration of intravenous fluids, the withdrawal of blood for testing, and other crucial aspects of inpatient care. Despite the similar set of skills possessed by LPNs and RNs, the latter position commands a greater level of prestige and a significantly higher salary within the nursing field, and because of this many qualified LPN's aspire to attain the rank of RN in order to better their personal and professional lives. As a working LPN beginning the transition to future RN career, I have encountered many difficulties and obstacles which I feel will only strengthen my resolve and crystallize my ambitions. During the extensive reading required to gain the knowledge needed to work as an RN, a statement made by the authors of LPN to RN Transitions: Achieving Success In Your New Role resonated deeply with me, and I

“Definition of a nurse: To go above and beyond the call of duty. The first to work and the last to leave. The heart and soul of caring. A unique soul who will pass through your life for a minute and impact it for an eternity. An empowered individual whom you may meet only for a 12-hour period, but who will put you and yours above theirs”-Anonymous. For the past year and a half, I have volunteered at Blaire E. Batson Children’s Hospital. It has been an amazing experience! My passion for the medical field and career of nursing has been magnified. I know without a doubt that nursing is what I want to do for the rest of my life. I long for the opportunity to care for my future patients and their families. I want to touch other people’s lives just as I have witnessed nurses do throughout my time volunteering. God has given me a passion for nursing. With my passion and compassion for others, I know I will be successful if admitted into the BSN program.

The national shortage of Registered Nurses (RNs) has helped generate formidable interest in the nursing profession among people entering the workforce and those pursuing a career change. According to a report issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service in 2002, the national population is continuing to grow and age and medical services continue to advance, so the need for nurses will continue to increase. They report from 2000 to 2020 the predicted shortage of nurses is expected to grow to 29 percent, compared to a 6 percent shortage in 2000. With the projected supply, demand, and shortage of registered nurses and nursing salaries ever-increasing, the nursing profession can offer countless opportunities. But first one must

Nursing had never been in my passion when I was younger because the image of a nurse in a white uniform holding a tray full of loaded syringes, frightened me. To me the nurses were ruthless individuals who made the children cry with injections. However a nice, gentle, and sympathetic nurse who took care of me when I was hospitalized with a foot fracture, changed my opinions about the nurses. I realized that nursing is a profession which provides care for the ailing and needy people. My qualities that are with me right up until today were instilled by my Indian origin and Christian faith. These qualities add to my perspective and philosophy of nursing. My passion for

Approximately one-third of those interviewed have their Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing and several of those interviewed possess recognizable specialty healthcare certifications.

Throughout the history of nursing, nurses made vast strides to help it grow into the profession it is known to be today. Without clearly defined education and roles, the role of caring for the sick aimlessly moved amongst different groups of people from deaconesses, knights, nuns, and inmates until institutions were established for organized teaching programs. Today, individuals are eligible to take the Registered Nurse (RN) licensure test as soon as they complete the minimum of an Associates Degree in Nursing. However, there has been an increasing push for “making the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), or equivalent degree, the standard for entry-into-practice” (Altmann, 2011). Aiken et al. reported that recent studies indicate a decrease in morbidity, mortality, and failure-to-rescue rates in hospitals that employ larger percentages of baccalaureate prepared nurses (as cited in Altmann, 2011, p. 257). In addition, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recently released a report, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health, and recommended the increase of BSN prepared nurses from 50% to 80% by 2020 (2011). In order for nurses to advance in the healthcare environment as professionals, they should be educated to the appropriate degree and be committed to lifelong learning. This paper will discuss professional identity in nursing and the implications of a bachelor prepared nurse.

The American Nurse Credentialing Center (ANCC) defines “certification as a tool in the form of an exam utilized to assessment minimal clinical knowledge and skills in entry-level nurse practitioners. Individuals must meet certain eligibility requirements before considering certification” (ANCC, 2014). For example, NP students must attend an accredited degree program that incorporates core courses outlined by the certifying body. Another requirement, applicant must have a current and active nursing license. On the other hand, credentialing is awarded once clinical competency has been assessed and successfully achieved. For example, ANCC award nurse practitioners as FNP-BC for board certified (ANCC,

Certifications also provide a level of validity to healthcare providers that their specialized nursing staff has an additional level of training for their specialized roles. Continuing education is required to keep nurses current on the latest in technology, innovations, and

To become an RN, one must not only have the compassion and empathy for others but have the skills to care for those in need. To learn those skills, a student can attend a college or university program which can offer an Associate Degree or a Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing. There are also hospital-based nursing programs which offer a Diploma of Nursing. All nurses are required to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), whether they have an AD or BSN. The NCLEX is the national exam required for licensing and practice as a nurse in the United States. For someone to make the right decision on which program to attend it is best to compare and look at their differences, strengths, and weaknesses.

Research further shows that those registered nurses that have obtained their degrees at the associate degree and diploma levels have an increase in their level of skills when completing a BSN degree. When comparing RN to BSN graduates from the years 1995 to 1998 it was (Rosseter, 2010, para. 24) shown that these students had a higher competency in nursing process, articulation, management, professional integration and analysis/dissemination (Phillips, C.Y., Palmer, C.V., Zimmerman, B.J. & Mayfield, M. 2002).

Nursing licensure is the second most licensed practice in the United States.1 However, the way in which nurses are licensed is no longer practical and should be changed to fit the changing times. To obtain nursing licenses, one must go through nursing school and then take a national state exam known as the NCLEX. After one passes the NCLEX, he or she must then obtain a license from the state he or she resides in. The fact that a nurse can only obtain a license via a state-by-state process, after taking a national exam, is becoming a large problem in the United States. The current licensure, state-by-state, does not allow for nursing to grow and become more uniformed.

The purpose of the Accrediting Commission for Education is to provide accreditation for every nursing program which includes practical programs, associates, baccalaureate, masters, and even clinical doctorate programs. The roles of the ACEN vary from nursing education representatives, public representatives, and program evaluators. The responsibilities of the ACEN is to promote a set of standards in nursing education programs. The ACEN evaluates the quality of the nursing programs and strengthens it, so that the nursing programs can excel when taking the state examination. The ACEN benefits students and professional Registered Nurses because when they are considering to advance their education to a graduate program or even entering a Nursing Program it will enhance students to seek an education program that is accredited by the ACEN. If its accredited by the ACEN it ensures that the education program meets or exceeds the standards of the program and the student is at a higher likelihood to pass or excel in the national examination

Five of these entities include the individual nurse, employers of nurses, the nursing profession, boards of nursing, and nurse educators. Each state has a state board on nursing. Each state board of nursing belongs to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN). The NCSBN is one such regulatory agency whose mission it is to provide leadership to advance regulatory excellence for nursing practice (NCSBN, 2006). Nursing educators develop competency in students through the use of curriculum content including findings from current research, through evaluation of student performance, and as role models for students (Exstrom, 2001). Ensuring nursing competence is a combined partnership among all the above stated entities. As educators in higher educational settings, they are required to teach the curriculum which will produce competent nurses whom are eligible to sit for and attempt to pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) exam. The educator is ultimately guided by the state board of nursing and subsequently the NCSBN to uphold the criteria necessary for the student to graduate and be considered competent. Educators can collaborate with the NCSBN's education department to help with mentoring, curriculum review, and graduate transition.

In the early 1980s it came to light that while the supply of nurses had reached a record high, only 80% of hospitals nationwide had adequate nurse staffing levels (American Nurse Credentialing Center, 2011, p. 8). To address this issue a taskforce was formed within the American Academy of Nursing (AAN). Through an initial study of 165 hospitals, the AAN determined the characteristics of healthcare organizations that were magnetically attracting and retaining nurses as employees (American Nurse Credentialing Center, p. 9). In this study the AAN found “Forces of Magnetism” that contributed to the high level of job satisfaction amongst nurses, superior quality of care, low job turnover, and high level of nurse involvement in leadership, decision-making, and research. In the early 1990s, catapulted by the findings of this initial study, the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) developed the Magnet Recognition Program. The intention of the ANCC’s Magnet Recognition Program was threefold: To reward hospitals that demonstrated “excellence in the delivery of nursing services to patients;” to encourage quality in the nursing work environment to support practicing professional nurses; and to guide navigation for the dissemination of evidenced-based clinical nursing practice (American Nurse Credentialing Center, 2011, p. 14).

Furthermore, licensing and accreditation standards must be heightened to insure the quality of the nurses that enter the workforce. Certifying organizations must therefore mandate the proper demonstration of core competencies and skills prior to endowing students with the nursing title. The nursing profession, according to the IOM report, must undergo fundamental changes within the overall education of nurses. In many respects the basic