As an organization, the Orthopaedic Nurse Certification Board (ONCB) understands the value of certification to the professional registered nurse. The ONCB participated in a web-based study conducted by the American Board of Nursing Specialties (ABNS) in 2003. More than 11,000 certified and noncertified nurses, including a subset of nurse managers, participated. "Among the top perceived values, certification is perceived to enhance feelings of personal accomplishments, provide personal satisfaction and a professional challenge, enhance professional credibility, and provide evidence of professional commitment" (ABNS, 2006).
With the transformation of healthcare at the bedside, research is being used to promote patient safety and improvement in the quality of patient care. Does specialty certification make a difference for the consumer of healthcare? The ONCB is pleased to be one of 26 organizations sponsoring a national research project examining trends in specialty certifications in acute care facilities. The project is led by Dr. Diane Boyle, using the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators. The National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators is the largest nursing registry providing hospitals with unit-level performance comparative data. The database allows review of nursing performance relative to patient outcomes. The aim of this study is to identify specialty certification trends related to hospital structure characteristics and unit types in acute care hospitals from 2003 to 2009. These hospital characteristics include Magnet designation, academic facility, staffed bed size, ownership, and location (ABNS, 2010).
The ONCB believes that certification adds value to the stakeholders both seeking and providing musculoskeletal care. The certification credentials, ONC, ONP-C, and OCNS-C recognize a commitment to lifelong learning and a high level of knowledge that contributes to effective patient care and safety. During the NAON Congress 2012, you proudly showed us your credentials at the exhibit booth, but now we want to know how you market yourselves to your patients, colleagues, and institutions. Share with us on Facebook, the value you place on the credential that certifies excellence in Orthopaedics? Go to http://www.oncb.org and like us.
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