The field of plastic surgery continues to grow and expand for surgical and nonsurgical procedures and/or treatments. The number of private surgery facilities is increasing. Medspas are opening in conjunction with the plastic surgery practice, or as a separate identity. Consumers are looking for ways to differentiate between clinics, physicians, and aesthetic specialists. As nursing advocates, it is our duty to look out for public safety. A way to do this is to increase awareness of certification, so clients know what to look for when selecting a facility for surgical and nonsurgical procedures. Advertising campaigns have been successful in informing people to look for a surgeon who is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) and is a member of American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) or American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS). Displaying the association logo creates a confidence to the consumer, so they know they are being cared for someone who is specialized in his or her field.
This recognition should apply for the Certified Plastic Surgical Nurses (CPSN) and the Certified Aesthetic Nurse Specialist (CANS). We need to be proud of our certification and promote this recognition to every person who comes to our office.
Front office staff should be trained to credential the staff when a potential client calls to make an appointment, or they are responding to an e-mail inquiry. Emphasizing that the nurse is a certified nurse shows the level of commitment that he or she and his or her physician have made to ensure a safe and professional office experience. The certification certificate should be hung in a visible area, and this information should be added to websites and social media sites. This may be the difference between your office and Dr. Jones down the street.
Certification is the formal process by which a certifying agency validates a nurse's knowledge, skills, and abilities in a defined role and clinical area of practice, on the basis of predetermined standards. Nurses achieve certification credentials through specialized education, experience in a specialty area, and a qualifying examination (http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/717805; retrieved July 8, 2013).
The ASPSN is proud to offer two certification courses through PSNCB (Plastic Surgical Nursing Certification Board). The CPSN examination was established in 1989. The examination focuses on cosmetic and reconstructive surgery for all procedures, of all patient ages. The study guide, The Core Curriculum for ASPSN, was a collaborative effort between a group of ASPSN nurses and Terry Goodman, project editor. Since 1989 there have been three revised additions of the Core Curriculum.
To be eligible to apply for Certified Plastic Surgical Nurse (CPSN) certification, the candidate must:
* be currently licensed as a registered nurse in the United States, its territories, or Canada;
* have a minimum of 2 years of plastic surgical nursing experience as a registered nurse in a general staff, administrative, teaching, or research capacity within 5 years before application; and
* have spent at least 50% of practice hours in plastic surgical nursing during 2 of the preceding 5 years (http://www.psncb.org; retrieved July 8, 2013).
In 2011, a taskforce was developed under the direction of Jill Jones and a select number of ASPSN members. This was in response to an overwhelming demand for aesthetic nurses to have a certification designation. The taskforce worked very hard to write an examination that covered all the important nonsurgical procedures. This prompted the need for the fourth edition of the Core Curriculum, due in the fall of 2013. It includes an expanded section of the nonsurgical aesthetic procedures and will be the study guide for the CANS examination. The pilot test for the examination was held at the ASPSN Aesthetic Symposium in April 2013. The first official sitting will be at the annual ASPSN Convention, in San Diego, on Friday, October 11.
To be eligible to apply for certification, the candidate must:
* be currently licensed as a registered nurse in the United States, its territories or Canada;
* practice within one of the following specialties: Plastic/Aesthetic Surgery, Ophthalmology, Dermatology, or Facial Plastic Surgery (ENT);
* have a minimum of 2 years of nursing experience as a registered nurse within one of the listed core specialties above in a general staff, administrative, teaching, or research capacity within 5 years before application;
* have spent at least 50% of practice hours within the core specialties during 2 of the preceding 5 years; and
* have your Medical Director endorse your application (http://psncb.org/cans-exam.cgi; retrieved July 8, 2013).
To date there are 295 active CSPSN nurses. With the introduction of the CANS examination, and the initiative to promote certified nursing, the ASPSN and PSNCB are hoping to enjoy a steady increase over the next years to come.
Respectfully,
Tracey Hotta, RN, BScN, CPSN
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