We celebrate Certified Nurses Day™ to honor the excellence certified nurses bring to the profession, their specialty, and ultimately, optimal patient care. Nurse specialty certification continues to be a respected and demonstrable recognition of expertise in knowledge, skills, and abilities (Chappell et al., 2019). Over 30 years ago, the Association for Nursing Professional Development (ANPD) witnessed the birth of the nursing professional development (NPD) specialty certification, offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. And in 2021, over 4,900 high-achieving nurses held NPD certification.
For those not yet certified, nursing certification can be a highly desired achievement, and at the same time, a daunting pursuit. Solomon et al. (2016) found that nurses who self-identified as being likely to pursue certification possessed three characteristics: they completed a certification review course in the previous three years; they were a member of a national nursing organization; and they had a colleague who was certified (p. 44). In addition to membership benefits, ANPD continues to support NPD practitioners in obtaining certification by offering a variety of certification preparation opportunities through instructor-led and learner-directed formats, as well as a range of resources for NPD-certified nurses to remain current in their practice.
Recently, three accomplished instructors of ANPD’s NPD Certification Preparation Course discussed their own certification journey, the value of NPD certification, and their experience serving as course instructors. Tabitha Kinlaw, MBA, MSN, RN, NPDA-BC, CNOR, ONC, Mary Holtschneider, MEd, MPA, BSN, RN, NPDA-BC, NREMT-P, CPTD, and Jo-Ann R. Robinson, DNP, APN-BC, RNC-OB, NPD-BC share their stories.
How did you prepare for your own NPD certification exam?
Tabitha Kinlaw, MBA, MSN, RN, NPDA-BC, CNOR, ONC
In the words of Alexander Graham Bell, “Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.” Living these words was crucial to my success in passing the NPD-BC exam in 2017. When I started the certification journey, I crafted a detailed, targeted plan to ensure my success. That plan spanned about three months, allowing me to schedule studying in small, targeted chunks and move through the material purposefully and methodically. It also prevented me from getting overwhelmed and cramming. Another key action in my plan was to take ANPD’s NPD Certification Preparation Course, which helped me focus my studies according to the test content outline and helped me build upon my strengths and target my studies to my areas of opportunity. I also took advantage of the sample test included with my cert prep course, which allowed me to become familiar with the format of the test questions and further highlighted potential areas of needed focus. I also found it helpful to supplement my studies with resources such as ANPD’s Core Curriculum for Nursing Professional Development.
In addition to helping me successfully pass the NPD certification exam, the cert prep course allowed me to see the vast scope of an NPD practitioner’s responsibilities and potential impact, thereby fostering growth in my role. As I reflect on my journey to NPD-BC certification, I am honored and humbled to now serve as an ANPD NPD Certification Preparation Course instructor alongside Mary Holtschneider, who taught the cert prep course I took as a participant. This full-circle moment underscores that with preparation, dedication, and mentorship, goals and dreams do come true.
How has certification added value to nursing, to the NPD specialty, and to your career?
Mary Holtschneider, MEd, MPA, BSN, RN, NPDA-BC, NREMT-P, CPTD
As we celebrate Certified Nurses Day™, it is important for us to honor that initial nursing licensure is just that — initial licensure. This pivotal step to becoming a licensed registered nurse means that we are safe to practice, though it is only the start of our professional journey. Attaining specialty certification is the next step to demonstrating knowledge and commitment to our practice. We must also articulate this achievement to our healthcare colleagues, patients, and the public so that they can also appreciate the significance of certification.
Though certification is a voluntary process, it is becoming increasingly valued by employers and is required for some nursing roles. Many nurses enter the NPD specialty after achieving certification in a clinical practice area, such as critical care, ambulatory care, or others. Because the practice of NPD is distinct from other nursing specialties, preparing for and attaining NPD certification by NPD practitioners must be supported and expected.
I have been proudly certified in NPD since 2005 and have taught ANPD’s virtual and in-person NPD Certification Preparation Courses since 2010. It is an honor to share my passion for NPD with others who are dedicated to elevating the NPD nursing specialty and articulating our contributions to healthcare. Being certified has afforded me both job and volunteer opportunities, one of which was the honor to serve on the Steering Committee that developed the requirements for NPD certification at the advanced level.
What is it like for you to now teach the Certification Preparation Course?
Jo-Ann R. Robinson, DNP, APN-BC, RNC-OB, NPD-BC
I started teaching the ANPD Certification Preparation Course almost 20 years ago. It started by responding to an email calling for instructors and I have enjoyed teaching ever since. I feel fortunate to mentor NPD practitioners in meeting the high standards required to attain certification. It is always a wonderful experience traveling the country teaching a live multi-day, in-person course and meeting other NPD practitioners who have the same enthusiasm and desire to advance our specialty.
During COVID, we were challenged to move the course to a virtual platform to meet the demands of the pandemic. Kari Schmidt, Mary Holtschneider, and I worked with ANPD staff to develop an interactive program that allows NPD practitioners to take the course anywhere and offers the flexibility of sessions scheduled over four afternoons. We wanted to facilitate networking and discussing best practices in this new format, which we did by creating a live virtual course fostering robust interactions for both participants and instructors. It was exciting to be part of this new addition to our complement of certification preparation offerings.
Teaching the Certification Preparation Course continues to be a valuable part of my professional journey. I’m passionate about preparing others for the NPD certification exam and sharing my 30 plus years of experience. The best feeling is to receive an email from someone who attended the course and hear the news, “I passed!”
Sources:
Chappell, K., Jeong, D., ElChamaa, R., Lundmark, V., Kendall-Gallagher, D., Salt, E., Newhouse, R., Johantgen, M., Reeves, S., Moore, D., Olson, C., Van Hoof, T., Price, D., Campbell, C., Danilovich, N., Kitto, S. (2019). Constructing a sensitizing definition of certification in nursing for research purposes: A hybrid methodology using consensus-building approach. The Journal of Nursing Administration, 49(1), 12-18. doi:10.1097/NNA.0000000000000701
Dickerson, P.S. (Ed.). (2016). Core curriculum for nursing professional development (5th ed.). Association for Nursing Professional Development.
Harper, M., & Maloney, P. (Eds.) (2022). Nursing professional development: Scope and standards of practice (4th ed.). Association for Nursing Professional Development.
Solomon, D., Lahl, M., Soat, M., Bena, J., McClelland, M. (2016). Strategies to influence RN specialty certification. Nursing Management, 47(8), 38-46. DOI: 10.1097/01.NUMA.0000488858.54323.80
Mary Smith, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, NC-BC, AMB-BC, C-EFM, CCE
Mary Smith is ANPD’s NPD Education Program Manager. Leveraging 25 years of experience as a registered nurse and a graduate education in nursing, Mary is committed to serving the needs of the ANPD community. Mary is a published author and a national nursing publication peer reviewer, fostering the support of continued professional development and growth of nurses. She has experience spanning inpatient and outpatient work in obstetrical nursing, regulatory and nursing leadership, and as a nurse coach, which have provided a broad foundation for her continued work in nursing professional development with ANPD.
Jo-Ann R. Robinson, DNP, APN-BC, RNC-OB, NPD-BC
Dr. Jo-Ann Robinson is the administrative system director of nursing professional development at the Bon Secours Charity Health System, a member of the Westchester Medical Center Health Network, and a part-time professor at Saint Peter’s University’s School of Nursing. She has served in many nursing roles over the last 25 years, including nursing professional development specialist, manager and director; clinical nurse manager, director of women and children’s services; system director of professional practice and magnet; and adult nurse practitioner.
In addition to NPD, she is also certified in inpatient obstetrics and as an adult nurse practitioner. Dr. Robinson earned her Doctorate in Nursing Practice from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of NJ where she completed her original research on the relationship between the generation of a nurse and their learning style that was published in the Journal for Nurses in Staff Development. As well as presenting nationally on various nursing professional development topics, she has been an ANPD Convention Content Planning Committee member and was the 2018 convention chairperson.
She has been a chapter author for ANPD’s 3rd edition of Core Curriculum for Staff Development and authored ANPD’s NPD Quick Guide Series booklet, Educational Design Process: Logistical Planning. She has served as a member of the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Fundamentals of Magnet Content Panel and the Watson Caring Science Institute’s Executive Caritas Council. Presently, she is a board of directors member and the education committee chairperson of the Bergen/Passaic Nurse Educators Organization, an ANPD affiliate. Dr. Robinson was recognized by ANPD for nursing excellence in the area of professional development leadership. She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau and Phi Lambda Theta, the International Honor Society in Education.
Mary Holtschneider, MEd, MPA, BSN, RN, NPDA-BC, NREMT-P, CPTD
Mary E. Holtschneider has a wide variety of experience in healthcare education. She currently serves as Nursing Professional Development Specialist and Simulation Education Coordinator at the Durham, North Carolina Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Care System. She co-directs the Durham VA Interprofessional Advanced Fellowship in Clinical Simulation, a year-long educational program designed to prepare individuals to become simulation leaders.
She is the recipient of the 2014 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Under Secretary for Health’s Excellence in Clinical Simulation, Training, Education and Research Practice Award. Ms. Holtschneider is also nursing program manager for Duke Area Health Education Center (AHEC), part of the NC statewide AHEC system. Over the past 20 years, she has also served as the heart center clinical nurse educator for Duke University Health System, the Director of the Duke University School of Nursing Simulation Center, and the Director of Practice and Education for her state nurses association.
She has been certified in NPD since 2005 and is an avid supporter of nursing certification. Ms. Holtschneider serves on the Editorial Board for the Journal for Nurses in Professional Development (JNPD) and co-edits the bimonthly column on Interprofessional Learning Environments (previously titled Simulation), where she explores various topics related to interprofessional education and collaboration. She served on the ANPD Scope and Standards workgroup in 2015, co-authored the Simulation chapter for the 5th edition of Core Curriculum for Nurses in Professional Development and is currently serving on the Advanced NPD Certification steering task force. In 2019, Ms. Holtschneider was the recipient of the ANPD Leader Award and was also recognized as one of the Great 100 Nurses of North Carolina. She speaks regularly on nursing, leadership, mindfulness, interprofessional education, simulation modalities, simulation faculty development, simulation debriefing techniques, and other related topics.
Tabitha Kinlaw, MBA, MSN, RN, NPDA-BC, CNOR, ONC
Tabitha Kinlaw is currently employed as the nurse manager of education and development with the Competency and Credentialing Institute (CCI) in Englewood, CO. Prior to joining the staff of CCI, she served on the CCI board of directors, including the role of immediate past president. During her tenure as board president, Tabitha received the Daisy Nurse Leader Award. She has 30+ years of nursing experience in various areas such as perioperative nursing and nursing professional development. She is currently enrolled in a DNP at Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin, where she also serves as adjunct faculty.
She is certified in perioperative nursing, nursing professional development, orthopaedic nursing, and most recently obtained her advanced nursing professional development certification. She currently is an ex officio member of the ONCB Board of Directors – Exam Prep Committee Chair. Additionally, Ms. Kinlaw previously served as an appraiser for the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Practice Transition Accreditation Program (PTAP). Ms. Kinlaw has been published in various peer-reviewed journals and textbooks. A most recent publication of hers was serving as a chapter author for NAON’s recently released Core Curriculum for Orthopaedic Nursing (8th Edition).