Discussion: Professional Development and Certification

Discussion: Professional Development and Certification

Consider the following scenario:

Maria recently earned certification in executive nursing practice from the American Organization for Nursing Leadership. She was especially proud of this accomplishment and was confident it would serve her well as she continued her career. At a conference last week, she had found herself talking with a colleague about certification.

To her surprise, her colleague suggested that she look into the Project Management Institute. It had not occurred to Maria that she might need or want that type of certification, but upon further reflection, she could see how important it was to be able to manage projects effectively. She wondered how pursuing this type of certification might further her professional development and lead to new opportunities. At the very least, she decided it was worth exploring further.

Certifications like those Maria has pursued recognize an individual’s specialty area knowledge and skills and can lead to professional empowerment. By obtaining certifications, you can help improve your quality of practice and increase your earning potential.

In this Discussion, you consider development opportunities afforded through professional associations and examine how earning certifications can advance your career.

To prepare:

• Reflect on your professional goals.
• These goals may relate to the practicum professional development objectives you established in Week 2, but you are encouraged to take a broader view of what you would like to accomplish in the immediate future, as well as 5 or 15 years from now. Identify at least one goal that is especially important to you.
• Think about the benefits of becoming involved in professional organizations and obtaining certifications.
• If you already have a specialty or clinical certification, reflect on how this has impacted the achievement of your professional goals thus far.
• As a Walden graduate, consider how you will advance the role of scholar-practitioner in your daily practice and how certification may assist.
• Review information about two or more of the professional organizations listed in the Learning Resources.

Consider the following questions:

• As you explore each organization’s website, review the mission, vision, and value statements. Also examine the strategic plan, if possible. How do these align with your interests and your professional goals?
• Investigate whether the organization offers networking opportunities with fellow professionals. Is there a local or regional chapter you could join?
• What are the potential benefits of obtaining a certification through each organization? Examine the criteria for certification.
• Evaluate your readiness and desire to become certified through each organization. What hesitations, if any, do you have?
• How and why might this certification be useful to you and/or enhance your professional development?
• Post a description of one or more of your professional goals. Describe a certification provided by a professional organization that would be of interest to you.
• Explain how and why this additional certification would be useful to you and/or enhance your professional development and your role as a scholar-practitioner.
• Evaluate your readiness to obtain this certification, noting any reservations you may have.

Week 2 practicum professional development objectives

Objective 1: By the end of nursing 6600, I will be able to effectively communicate my role as a nurse executive to the nursing staff as evidence-based practice.
Objective 2: By the end of nursing 6600, I will have the experience necessary to expand on my conflict resolution skills from a team member to the management level as evidence by attending leadership meetings.
Objective 3: By the end of nursing 6600, I will have the necessary skills to be able to understand, analyze, develop, and get a budget approved as evidence by taking a class.

Please, include a minimum of three references.

 

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Professional Development and Certification Sample Solution

Professional Development and Certification

One of the ways through which nurses can find answers to the challenges that they are experiencing in practice is by joining professional nursing organizations. Irrespective of whether they have a specialized or a generalized focus, professional nursing organizations play a crucial role in improving professional practice and maximize its influence on health systems and policy (Morin, 2021). Nurses who join professional organizations do not only experience personal growth but they also have enhanced knowledge development and can support meaningful reforms (Cline et al., 2019). The purpose of this discussion is to explore the opportunities available for nurses who join professional associations. The discussion will further describe how nurses can advance their careers by earning certifications that are offered by professional nursing organizations.

My Professional Goals

I have three professional development goals that I would wish to achieve by the end of Nursing 6600. First, by the end of nursing 6600, I will be able to effectively communicate my role as a nurse executive to the nursing staff as an evidence-based practice. Second, by the end of nursing 6600, I will have the experience necessary to expand on my conflict resolution skills from a team member to the management level as evidence by attending leadership meetings. Third, by the end of nursing 6600, I will have the necessary skills to be able to understand, analyze, develop, and get a budget approved as evidence by taking a class. I am confident that I will be able to achieve my professional development goals by obtaining certifications that are offered by one or more professional nursing organizations.

Professional Nursing Organization: ANCC

A professional organization from which I would like to obtain additional certification is the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). ANCC is an American-based organization that offers certification to nurses in different specialty practice areas internationally. It prepares nurses to promote excellence in practice by ensuring that they are adequately prepared to provide quality and safe patient care. ANCC also provides continuing education for nurses as they prepare to undertake new practice roles (ANA Enterprise, 2021). The professional nursing organization strives to achieve the shared mission, vision, and values of the American Nurses Association (ANA) Enterprise. The vision is to create a ‘healthy world through the power of nursing (ANA Enterprise, 2019).’ Its mission is to ‘lead the profession to shape the future of nursing and health care (ANA Enterprise, 2019).’ ANCC embraces the shared values of trust, inclusivity, innovation, and most importantly, empowerment. Under the value of empowerment, the association instills optimism and joy through shared decision-making and problem-solving. To realize its mission, vision, and values, ANCC networks with other professional organizations including the American Nurses Association (ANA) and the American Nurses Foundation (ANA Enterprise, 2019). It provides networking opportunities for its members through these associations.

ANCC offers a certification that aligns with my professional development goals. The organization provides certification to nurses who are able to demonstrate a high degree of expertise in their respective specialty practice areas (ANA Enterprise, 2021). The primary role of the certification program offered by the ANCC is to validate the nurse’s knowledge and skills, not only to employers but also to patients. To obtain a certification offered by ANCC, nurses must sit and pass exams that are targeted to their specialty areas. Besides, ANCC required nurses to be in a position to integrate the latest or current nursing practice standards into clinical practice with patients (ANA Enterprise, 2021). The organization offers its members an opportunity for professional satisfaction. It also empowers nurses to perform their roles with pride.

Benefits of Additional Certification

Additional certification issued by ANCC will be very useful to me as a nurse. The reason is that it will enhance my professional development and my role as a scholar-practitioner. As Morin (2021) emphasizes, obtaining certification from professional nursing organizations promotes professional empowerment. One of my professional development goals is to effectively communicate my role as a nurse executive to the nursing staff as an evidence-based practice. I adequately understand that I can confidently communicate my roles to others after confirming that I have the necessary knowledge and skills to perform those roles. Certification issues by ANCC will give me an opportunity to strengthen my capabilities and improve on my weak areas as far as the nursing executive role is concerned (ANA Enterprise, 2021). After completing and passing the targeted exams issued by the association, I will be in a position to help the nursing staff understand the nurse executive role.

One of the crucial aspects of ANCC certification that also aligns with my professional development goals is the emphasis that the association lays regarding the application of current nursing practice standards. The integration of the most recent evidence into nursing practice is the essence of evidence-based practice (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2019). Therefore, ANCC certification will be useful to me as it will enable me to understand, embrace, and implement evidence-based practice. In this manner, I will be able to communicate to the nursing staff about the importance of incorporating evidence-based practice into nursing care.

As a scholar-practitioner, additional certification issued by ANCC will prepare me for the challenges that I am likely to encounter as I provide nursing care to patients while studying at the same time. Nursing students encounter numerous challenges, especially when they are working with interdisciplinary teams both at school and at the workplace. To effectively address these challenges, scholar-practitioners require good conflict resolution and problem-solving skills (Cline et al., 2019). One of the goals I anticipate achieving is to have the experience necessary to expand on my conflict resolution skills from a team member to the management level as evidenced by attending leadership meetings. Since ANCC creates opportunities for networking and instills optimism through shared decision-making and problem solving, I believe that the certification will enable me to accomplish my goals as a scholar-practitioner.

 

Level of Readiness

Considering the preparation that I have made this far, I believe that I am ready to obtain ANCC certification. I have reviewed the resources that the association has provided on its website. Through support from my fellow nurses, I am reviewing clinical practice guidelines to understand recent changes in nursing practice standards. In this manner, I am confident that I can sit the targeted exams issued by ANCC and undergo the necessary professional evaluations.

Conclusion

Obtaining certifications that are offered by professional nursing organizations empowers nurses to perform their roles effectively and participate in policy reforms. The additional certification that will enable me to achieve my professional development goals is that which is provided by the ANCC. The certification will not only enable me to improve my nursing executive role but will also help me to advance my managerial skills.

 

References

ANA Enterprise. (2019). ANA Enterprise. https://www.nursingworld.org/~4ae4e8/globalassets/ana-enterprise/about-us/ana-enterprise-2020-2023-strategic-plan-infographic.pdf

ANA Enterprise. (2021). About ANCC. https://www.nursingworld.org/ancc/about-ancc/

Cline, D., Curtin, K., & Johnston, P. A. (2019). Professional organization membership: The benefits of increasing nursing participation. Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, 23(5), 543-546. doi: 10.1188/19.CJON.543-546. PMID: 31538979.

Melnyk, B. & Fineout-Overholt, E. (2019). Evidenced based practice in nursing and healthcare a guide to best practice (4^th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Walters Kluwer.

Morin, K. (2021). Editorial: Contributions of professional nursing organizations. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 77(6), e1-e3. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.14808