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ABPANC HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE YEAR

MAY 2006 – APRIL 2007

  • There are a total of 7,480 CPAN and CAPA certified nurses representing an overall growth of 8.9% this past year.  For the period, 2005-2006 we experienced an overall growth of 4.5%.  The total number of CPAN certified nurses is 4,729 which represents a 7.7% growth this past year.  For the period, 2005-2006 the CPAN program experienced a 0.9% growth.  The total number of CAPA certified nurses is 2,751 which represents an 11.1% growth this past year.  For the period 2005-2006 the CAPA program experienced an 11.5% growth.
  • Of those sitting for the April, 2006 certification examinations, 71.5% passed the CPAN examination and 68.3%% passed the CAPA examination.
  • Of those sitting for the November, 2006 certification examinations, 74% passed the CPAN examination and 73.4% passed the CAPA examination.
  • The sixth ABPANC Award for Advocacy was given at the 2006 CPAN/CAPA Celebration Breakfast to Sara Waldron, BSN, RN, CPAN, Staff Nurse, at Carondelet St. Joseph’s Hospital, PACU, in Tucson, Arizona! 
  • The ABPANC Shining Star Award – to recognize components that support and promote CPAN and CAPA certification at the component level - was given to AzPANA, MeSPAN, and OSPAN during the 2006 CPAN/CAPA Celebration Breakfast. 
  • The following units remained in the ABPANC Leadership Circle – which recognizes units that achieve 100% certification of its eligible Perianesthesia Nursing Staff:  St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital, Day Surgery Center, Houston, TX and Rush Copley Medical Center, Day Surgery Unit and PACU, Aurora, IL.
  • The Certification Coach Program and the Certification Champion program continue to flourish.  There are 102 Coaches in 35 states and 21 Champions representing 18 states.
  • The ABPANC Leader Resource Team role was created for past ABPANC Board members interested in continuing to exhibit for ABPANC – 9 former board members are currently serving in this capacity.
  • An ABPANC Crisis Management Plan was developed.
  • An ABPANC Bylaws change was approved to change the term of office for ABPANC board members to 2 years, rather than 3 years. 
  • The Board of Directors approved increasing the number of ABPANC Board members from 9 to 11 beginning April 2007.
  • On-line CPAN and CAPA practice examinations were launched in May, 2006.  Nearly 500 people have taken a practice examination.
  • The Examination Candidate Handbook and Application is now available on CD.
  • ABPANC was one of 20 member organizations of the American Board of Nursing Specialties to participate in the study – The Perceived Value of Specialty Nursing Certification.  11,427 participants responded to an on-line survey.  Results of the survey will be presented on Tuesday, April 17th from 12:30 – 1:30 pm at the 2007 ASPAN National Conference in the session – Promoting CPAN/CAPA Certification to Employers – What’s the Value?  Visit the ABNS website at www.nursingcertification.org to read more about the study findings.
  • ABPANC conducted an environmental scan and trends survey project in collaboration with ASPAN at the 2006 ASPAN National Conference.  1,234 individuals completed the survey.  The ABPANC Board has reviewed the trends as part of their strategic planning process and will incorporate the findings of a SWOT analysis into future planning. 
  • A Task Force chairman, Shelly Cannon, has been appointed to convene a group to examine issues related to best methods for demonstrating continuing competency through the recertification process. 
  • The formation of an ABPANC Research Committee has been approved.  A call for nominations will be disseminated in May.
  • The impact of ANCC’s change to a 60 minute contact hour from a 50 minute contact hour on the CPAN/CAPA Certification Programs was reviewed – no changes will be made to Recertification Program – ABPANC will continue to require 90 contact hours of continual learning activities over a 3 year certification period.
  • A Passing Point Study was conducted in March 2007.  New passing points will be approved by the Board of Directors for the CPAN and CAPA examinations.
  • CPAN/CAPA examinations based on revised test blueprints launched in April 2007.
  • New ABPANC exhibit booth premiers at 2007 ASPAN National Conference.
  • Beginning with those candidates registering for the April 2007 examinations, all candidates, regardless of their role, must have accrued the required  clinical hours in direct care of perianesthesia patients.  In other words, when seeking initial certification, one must have “hands on” experience caring for perianesthesia patients.  To further clarify, 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.  The number of hours required to sit for initial certification has not changed.   1800 hours in the two years prior to applying for either the CPAN or CAPA examination are required.
  • Representatives of ABPANC attended the following meetings:
    • American Board of Nursing Specialties (ABNS)
    • National Organization for Competency Assurance (NOCA)
    • Component Meetings: CBSPAN; CSPAN; FLASPAN; HIPAN; ILSPAN; ISPAN; KSPAN; LAPAN; MAPAN; MSPAN; NAPAN; NCAPAN, NJBPANA; NPANA, NYSPANA; OSPAN; PANAC; PAPAN; RMPANA; SCAPAN, TSPAN; USPAN.