Choosing to be Certified May Increase Earning Potential

In surveys conducted over the years by ABPANC addressing the question of why perianesthesia nurses do not seek CPAN and/or CAPA certification, one of the reasons commonly cited is that employers do not recognize or reward such certification.  On the flip side, ABPANC has found that perianesthesia nurses seek certification because of the more intrinsic rewards such as personal and professional pride associated with such an achievement.  In other words, perianesthesia nurses do not typically seek certification because of a monetary benefit.

However, in its annual salary survey, Nursing 2004 (Robinson, 2004) reports that being certified does increase one’s income!  The following data was noted in the 2004 survey:

• 50% of respondents reported that they received conference and travel benefits versus 38% in 2003. 
• 29% reported they received reimbursement for certification fees as compared to 23% in 2003. 

Of great significance is the fact that those with certification had an average full-time annual income that was almost $10,000 higher than those who were not certified!

Reference:  Nursing (October, 2004). Robinson, Eileen, Mee, Cheryl. Nursing 2004 Salary Survey. Retrieved March 10, 2005, from
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3689/is_200410/ai_n9431354.