Increasing Certification: A Certified Emergency Nurse Campaign

Abstract

Session C presented Thursday, September 27, 1:00-2:00 pm Purpose: The primary objective of our project was to determine if participating in a Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) campaign would increase the number of CENs. The secondary objective was to identify the perceived value of certification. Design: We focused this project on staff development as a quality improvement initiative. Setting: The project setting included a 73 bed level 1 trauma center comprised of approximately 183 staff nurses. Participants/Subjects: All Emergency Department (ED) Registered Nurses (RN) within this ED were invited to participate in this campaign. Methods: The project started by identifying current ED RNs who retain a CEN certification. Next, a survey was e-mailed to ED RN staff. The purpose of the survey was to identify current perceived barriers and motivators in obtaining CEN certification. Through this we were able to evaluate learning styles. A workgroup consisting of 8 Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) members working in this ED collaborated to organize a CEN launch night to educate staff about CEN certification, the exam, and preparation. From there, we organized monthly large group study sessions based on relevant review content. The educational sessions were focused on the needs of those interested. Weekly e-mails were sent to RNs to ‘Test Your Knowledge’, filled with CEN review questions. Each week focused on a different topic pulled from CEN exam study guides. Monthly follow-ups occurred to check on participant progress. Resources were provided to staff for studying and learning, including support from RNs currently holding CEN certification. Social media posts were made to encourage participation in large group sessions. A post-survey will be completed to evaluate and compare with the pre-survey. Results/Outcomes: For this project we had a 6 month timeline. We initially had a total of 35 interested RNs. On average, 5-10 nurses attended each study session, which were held from October 2017 to February 2018. Participants are currently registering to take the CEN exam. Completion of anticipated testing is expected by March 2018. Preliminary results indicate an increase in the perceived value of certification. Implications: The CEN launch campaign has thus far proved beneficial. Based on varied work schedules and personal degree of motivation, it was deemed that additional and ongoing campaigns would be needed to allow more RNs to become certified. It has also been suggested that this campaign be extended to other nurses in facilities located in the local ENA territory.