Where has the time gone? I am writing my last letter as President of Plastic Surgical Nurses Certification Board (PSNCB). It has been an honor to serve on the PSNCB. I have been with the board for 8 years, 4 years on the Board of Directors, 2 of those years as Treasurer, and these last 4 years as President. It has been a rewarding opportunity to lead this governing arm of a remarkable organization.
Together we had set some very challenging goals. In order for the organization to move forward, we needed to look for innovative ways to meet the ever-changing health care venue. A survey was conducted with our membership to see whether there was an interest in developing a separate examination for the aesthetic nurses who do not work in surgery. The results from the survey suggested a strong interest in developing an examination for these members. We formed a task force to work on this possibility and as a result we had our first official examination during the San Diego, CA, convention. We are so excited to be able to provide this for our membership. It is the Certified Aesthetic Nurse Specialist examination.
To take the Certified Aesthetic Nurse Specialist examination, you must:
1. Be currently licensed as a registered nurse in the United States, its territories, or Canada.
2. Practice within one of the core specialties of plastic/aesthetic surgery, ophthalmology, dermatology, or facial plastic surgery (ENT).
3. Have a minimum of 2 years of nursing experience as a registered nurse within one of the earlier mentioned core specialties, in the role of general staff, administrative, teaching, or research capacity within 5 years prior to application.
4. Have spent at least 50% of practice hours within the core specialties during 2 of the preceding 5 years.
None of this would have been possible without the collaboration of several wonderful hardworking individuals. I want to thank my board members, Sherri Levin, Christine Brajkovich, Jacqueline Frazee, Renee Hinojosa, and Peggy Stovall-Margan; Lindsay DeSantis, Executive Director of our management firm, (Perri) and her staff; the Task force, test writers, and the review course instructors. Those individuals are Jill Jones, Connie Brennan, Dawn Sagrillo, Marcia Spear, Barbara Weber, Hermine Warren, Renee Hinojosa, Susan Wells, Abbey Helton, and Stephanie Holden.
We are only as strong as the volunteer members who contribute their knowledge and time to the organization. I encourage the members to share their time and knowledge to advance the organization through volunteering with committees, board of directors, and task forces. Get involved and have a voice within ASPSN and PSNCB: Volunteer today!