ABPANC Hot Button Issues

CHANGE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE REQUIREMENT FOR INITIAL CERTIFICATION

The clinical experience requirement for those seeking initial certification has been changed and is effective beginning with candidates registering for the April 2007 certification examinations.  The clinical practice requirement has not been changed for recertification. 

The revised requirement for those seeking initial certification, as published in ABPANC’s Certification Handbook and Application for the 2007 and 2008 Exams and on our website as well, states:

“Candidates applying for CPAN® or CAPA® certification must have a
minimum of 1800 hours of direct perianesthesia clinical experience as a
Registered Nurse during the past two years prior to application.
 In other words, when seeking initial certification, a candidate must
have ’hands on’ experience
caring for perianesthesia patients.”(1)

The number of hours has not changed; the need to have been involved in direct care of patients is new. Those in staff nurse roles will obviously have no problem meeting this requirement.  However, confusion exists regarding how educators, managers, researchers, and Clinical Nurse Specialists can meet the requirement.

One does not need to be “technically” employed in a “direct care” position.  If one's role (e.g., educator, manager, Clinical Nurse Specialist) involves bedside interaction with the patient and/or family in some capacity, those hours would count toward meeting the experience requirement. 

Why the change?  The ABPANC Board of Directors believes that nursing is both an art and a science, and in order to translate nursing knowledge and judgment into practice, one needs to have practiced direct, hands-on care prior to being CPAN® and/or CAPA® certified. 

After a lengthy discussion with the board focusing on the purpose of specialty nursing certification – which is to protect the public – the board’s decision to change the requirement focused on those seeking initial certification only. The CPAN® and CAPA® certification programs are intended to assure the public that the certified nurse has both the knowledge and experience to meet their needs.  As the board pondered this decision, they asked themselves the most important question – What’s best for patients?  The board believes that patients should logically be able to assume that the certified perianesthesia nurse has actually provided direct, hands-on care to perianesthesia patients.  Putting ourselves in the position of being a patient or family member, would we feel comfortable having a board-certified cardiovascular surgeon perform open heart surgery on us or a loved one if the surgeon has never actually done so before or performed such surgery recently? 

The importance of nursing practice stems from its connection to patient care.  Our patients have the right to expect that a certification credential reflects not only current knowledge of the specialty, but experience as well. 

The board recognizes that becoming CPAN® and CAPA® certified is a major professional and personal achievement, and the change made to the clinical practice requirement is not meant to demean that in any way.  We recognize that once a perianesthesia nurse is certified, advancing into roles that may take nurses further from the bedside may be a natural transition for some.  As noted previously, the clinical practice requirement for recertification has not changed. Certainly we do not mean to imply that perianesthesia nurses working in such roles are less of a perianesthesia nurse by virtue that they are no longer employed in a clinical setting. 

It is ABPANC’s experience that perianesthesia nurses sitting for initial CPAN® and CAPA® certification are practicing in roles that maintain a direct connection to the bedside.  For those who do not have this direct connection, we encourage them to seek certification in an area more relevant to their role, such as ANCC’s CNA or CNAA certification for managers and administrators, or their staff development certification program.  In addition, NLN is now offering certification for academic educators. 

In summary, the CPAN® and CAPA® credentials are an affirmation of ABPANC’s commitment to quality nursing care and patient safety.  ABPANC is committed to ensuring that our patients receive care from CPAN®- and CAPA®-certified nurses – such certification reflecting current and the most up to date knowledge and experience.  For those seeking certification for the first time, requiring that they have hands-on experience is not unreasonable.  In fact, such a requirement adds credibility to our certification process.  If you are unsure whether your role would meet the new clinical practice experience requirement, do not hesitate to contact ABPANC for clarification at abpanc@proexam.org.

Another way to clarify the new requirement – You participate actively in the individual patient experience.

WHY DON’T THE ON-LINE PRACTICE EXAMS GIVE ANSWERS AND RATIONALE?

There are two common tools used to help candidates:  a practice exam and a study guide.  A practice exam is just that – a tool to give one the opportunity to “practice” taking a multiple-choice exam.  A study guide helps to study content and will give references, rationales and answers to questions.  At this time, ABPANC offers  practice exams. 

As stated on the ABPANC website:
ABPANC’s practice exams should be regarded as a tool to assess strengths and weaknesses.  They are not intended to serve as a study guide nor should they be used as a substitute for studying.  A passing score on a practice exam does not in any way guarantee a passing score on any ABPANC certification exam.  Use of a practice exam is not a requirement for eligibility or for success in passing any ABPANC certification exam.
The purpose of a practice exam is to provide you with a simulated (or similar) experience to taking the actual CPAN or CAPA certification examination.  You will not be given the correct answer for each item. Just like the real examination experience and like the former paper/pencil versions of the practice exams, you will also not be provided with the rationale for the correct answer.  The scoring information that is provided will help guide you to identify further study needs and allow you to assess which domains you may need further study. The practice exam should be used as a tool to assess your level of preparedness for the actual examination. It is not and should not be intended to be a study guide or the sole means of study for the examination.

ASPAN will have a Study Guide available in November 2007that gives questions plus answers and rationales.  ABPANC sent each author the ABPANC guidelines for writing multiple-choice questions and reviewed/edited  all submissions, not for accuracy of content, but to be sure questions were in the style used by ABPANC.

WHY DOES IT TAKE SO LONG TO RECEIVE RECERTIFICATION RENEWAL AND WHY DOES IT TAKE SO LONG TO CASH CHECK OR CHARGE A CREDIT CARD?

It states in the Recertification Handbook (pg 6):

You will be notified of recertification status within approx. 8 – 10 weeks following ABPANC’s receipt of your recertification materials.  Once your recertification application is received, you are considered certified until otherwise notified by ABPANC.  If an employer requires further verification of certification status during this period, a request for such verification should be made by contacting ABPANC in writing.  To avoid the possible disruption in any monetary reward granted by your institution for certification, do not submit your application near the deadline date!  Applications are processed in date order received.

The complaint about processing payment was a legitimate one and has now been rectified.

WHY CAN’T WE RENEW ONLINE AND WHY CAN’T OUR RECORD KEEPING BE DONE BY COMPUTER?

ABPANC is pleased to announce that on-line recertification will be offered beginning with those due to renew CPAN or CAPA certification in November 2009.   Now, however, all of the documentation forms can be downloaded from the website and saved as Word documents.  Individuals can enter their own documentation and save it accordingly and make a copy to submit with recertification materials. 

WHY DON’T WE HAVE A RETIRED STATUS?

ABPANC has reviewed this issue many times and believes that having a retired status runs contrary to the purpose of certification – which is to protect the public.  Certification reflects recency and currency of knowledge and experience – allowing retired candidates to continue to use a certification credential is not in keeping with ABPANC’s philosophy.  In addition, it sends a mixed message to the public.  They are lucky to know who the RN is let alone understanding what a certified RN is – to introduce the concept of a retired certified RN adds further confusion.  Many of our certification organization colleagues do offer a retired status so we often have to defend our decision.  We do recognize that letting go of a credential that one has worked so hard to achieve is difficult.  If a CPAN or CAPA is retiring and not able to recertify, they receive notification in their expired notice that if they fill out the Why Not Renew Survey, we will send them a lovely certificate noting the period they were certified.

WHY AREN’T THE CPAN/CAPA EXAMS GIVEN ON COMPUTER LIKE “EVERYONE” ELSE?

The good news is that ABPANC will launch computer based testing (CBT) for the April 2009 exams.  Moving from Paper/Pencil testing to CBT is an expensive proposition and many things need to be in place before an organization can do so.  For example, a sizeable item bank is necessary.  A plan to move forward was put into place 2 years ago.  The CCRN and CNOR programs are able to do so and have done so for awhile because they are considerably larger.  Further info about our move to CBT will be posted on the ABPANC website.