THE EVOLUTION OF SPECIALTY NURSING RECERTIFICATION CRITERIA: HOW AND WHY RECERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS ARE CHANGING
Credentialing is an umbrella term used for many types of programs, including licensure, certification, and accreditation. A credential is an attestation of qualification, competence, or authority issued to an individual by a third party with a relevant, legal authority, or assumed competence to do so. Nursing credentials may be awarded by State Boards of Nursing, education institutions, and specialty nursing credentialing organizations. Examples include RN, CNA, MSN, DNP, ACHPN, CHPN, and CPLC.
Certification is the formal recognition of the specialized knowledge, skills, and experience demonstrated by the achievement of standards identified by a nursing specialty to promote optimal health outcomes, the obligation of safe practice, quality patient care, and professional development. It is a documented outcome achieved by passing an examination in a specific body of knowledge. Unlike the credential required by the State Boards of Nursing to practice nursing, specialty nursing certification is a voluntary way to validate skills and experience. Certification is a means of testing and demonstrating attainment of knowledge in a specialized field and is recognized in health care as the gold standard for judging the knowledge, skills, and experience within a specialty.
In contrast, a certificate is the documented outcome of completion of an educational course, meeting educational responsibilities, or validation of attendance at and evaluation of an educational event. Completing a posttest after the educational program may be a requirement for obtaining the certificate.
Specialty nursing certification and recertification are means of demonstrating competence and continuing competence. In 2011, the National Board for Certification of Hospice and Palliative Nurses, now the Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center (HPCC), developed a Statement on Continuing Competence, which has since been endorsed by other specialty certification organizations, state boards of nursing, and educational institutions.
The statement emphasizes that to be competent, one must have the knowledge and skills to function in a given situation. A certification examination tests the knowledge base pertinent to the specialty practice. Competency is the actual performance in a situation. Competency is validated every day by job performance and is evaluated by the employer, coworkers, patients, and families.
It is expected that certificants gain knowledge and skills through lifelong learning activities over the course of their careers. The Institute of Medicine reports on the Future of Nursing (2011) and Dying in America (2014) both emphasize the importance of professional education and development. This builds upon Patricia Benner's "From Novice to Expert." Initial nursing specialty certification tests for mastery of a defined body of knowledge that a minimally competent person in a particular role would be expected to attain.
Taking the same initial examination and achieving a passing score do not demonstrate building upon experience or gaining more knowledge. The challenge for nursing specialty certification organizations has been to define and develop a means for assessing continuing competence. Over the last several years, many organizations are changing their recertification criteria.
Examples of activities that have been included for recertification are a minimum number of practice hours; educational course work; continuing education activities; professional presentations; and writing professional articles, chapters, or books. Some organizations have defined recertification through portfolio, which may also include a self-evaluation, an individual learning needs assessment, clinical narrative or answering essay questions, and professional recommendation letters. For some organizations, a skills demonstration of technical mastery is included.
The HPCC has developed a Situational Judgment Exercise (SJE) for the Advanced Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (ACHPN) and Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (CHPN) programs. The SJE is a means of testing critical reasoning and clinical application beyond the level of the initial examination. It uses patient care scenarios to provide an in-depth assessment of the approach taken by the nurse to handle the complexity of real-life clinical situations. Performance on the SJE is measured through skills of information gathering and decision making. Points are accrued and lost based upon the ability of the certificant to read questions and choose from the available information.
Although the SJE is required in the ACHPN and CHPN recertification programs, there is no minimum passing score. It is an assessment that helps the certificant identify learning needs. Applicants receive feedback regarding their performance on the SJE and accrue points toward recertification based upon their performance.
The 2015 HPCC Board of Directors has reviewed the work of previous Boards of Directors, the Statement on Continuing Competence, and the Hospice and Palliative Accrual for Recertification (HPAR) criteria for each of our programs and the criteria and direction of other specialty nursing certification organizations. The board also considered feedback from certificants and employers.
Points can be accrued for recertification in many categories, including the SJE, continuing education (both live and through self-study), academic education, professional publications, professional presentations, precepting academic health care students, orienting staff, and volunteer service in health care-related organizations including your place of employment. Visit the "recertification" tabs under each certification at http://www.goHPCC.org for specific certification activities and points of accrual.
The HPCC Board will continue to evaluate recertification criteria and activities. The goal is to continue to build a competent workforce that advances expert care in serious illness.
Susan Koff, MSN, ARNP, GNP-BC, ACHPN, CRRN
HPCC President
THE HOSPICE AND PALLIATIVE NURSES ASSOCIATION WELCOMES NEW DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH
We are pleased to announce that Marianne Matzo, PhD, GNP-BC, FPCN, FAAN, has been named the new director of research for the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA). Dr Matzo has been actively involved in palliative care research and education for more than 20 years and has held numerous academic and professional honors. She comes to HPNA from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, where she served as a professor and the Frances E. and A. Earl Ziegler Endowed Chair in Palliative Care Nursing in the College of Nursing. She was also the director of research, education, and outreach for Supportive Care Programs at the Stephenson Cancer Center. We welcome Dr Matzo to HPNA!
2015 HPNA RESEARCH SCHOLARS
The HPNA is pleased to announce its 2015 Research Scholars. Three HPNA members will be attending their first Kathleen Foley Palliative Care Retreat. Joan Carpenter, PhD-c, CRNP, GNP-BC, ACHPN, a doctoral candidate at the University of Utah, is examining the continuity of patients' palliative care after discharge from the hospital to the nursing home. Christine Fortney, PhD, RN, a research scientist at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, OH, studies infant symptoms in the neonatal intensive care unit and their impact on parent decision making, coping, and distress. Hyejin Kim, PhD-c, CRNP, a doctoral candidate at the University of Pennsylvania, is exploring surrogate decision makers' experiences of Physician Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment (POLST) discussions for nursing home residents with advanced dementia. A fourth HPNA member, Jennifer Seaman, PhD, RN, now a postdoctorate student at the University of Pittsburgh, will be returning to attend her second retreat. She will be presenting a poster about her work on the patterns of palliative care service consultations with critically ill intensive care unit patients. Congratulations to these HPNA members!
HPNA BOARD OF DIRECTORS SEEKS NOMINATIONS
The HPNA Board Development and Leadership Committee is seeking nominations (including self-nominations) for individuals to serve on the Board of Directors for a 3-year term to begin January 2017. Full application details are available on the HPNA Web site. The application deadline is Monday, February 1, 2016.
THIRD CALL FOR PROPOSALS OPEN
Planning is underway for the 2016 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM)/HPNA Annual Assembly to be held in Chicago, Illinois, on March 9 to 12, 2016. Dates for the one remaining call as follows:
*October 1 to November 3, 2015: third call for case submissions
All proposals must be submitted via http://www.aahpm.org.
NURSING ASSISTANT EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT
Do your nursing assistants have the tools they need? The care provided by nursing assistants (ie, hospice aides, home health aides, etc) for the patient and family is a vital component of palliative care, which includes hospice. In providing palliative care to patients with serious or life-threatening illness and their families, nursing assistants are on their journey with them. In many settings, nursing assistants spend more time with patients than any other health care worker, which gives them the opportunity to get to know patients and families better than other health care workers do.
HPNA has the tools nursing assistants need, including the newly revised third edition of the Core Curriculum for the Hospice and Palliative Nursing Assistant!
Core Curriculum for the Hospice and Palliative Nursing Assistant
This title includes new content on the different levels of hospice care, care settings, dementia, pressure ulcers, and isolation procedures. There are more than 80 questions to test one's knowledge, including case studies with open-ended questions for discussion and multiple-choice questions, 40 additional multiple-choice questions, and answers with explanation for the correct answer and incorrect options. All multiple-choice questions are written in the style of certification exams. It is available in the "Shop" section of the HPNA Web site, http://www.goHPNA.org.
15- TO 30-MINUTE ONLINE NURSING ASSISTANT EDUCATION MODULES-NO COST FOR HPNA MEMBERS
Online e-learning modules with audio and slides include the following:
* Anxiety, Agitation, Delirium, Depression-Across the Palliative Spectrum-Practical Pearls
* Caring for the Patient With AIDS
* Caring for the Patient With Congestive Heart Failure: The Role of the Nursing Assistant
* Changing Symptoms in the Patient With Cancer: The Role of the Nursing Assistant
* Communicating with the Seriously Ill and Dying Patient
* Dementia-Managing Symptoms & Coping with Behaviors
* Grief and Bereavement: The Role of the Nursing Assistant
* How to Care for Asian Patients at the End of Life
* How to Help Families Cope
* Professional Boundaries for the Nursing Assistant
* Skin Care and the Prevention of Skin Breakdown
* What the Nursing Assistant Needs to Know About Medications
* When Chronic Lung Disease Becomes Terminal
SHARE YOUR STORY WITH THE "WHAT I DID TODAY" PROJECT
The time has come for HPNA members to share our stories, experiences, and passion for the specialty of palliative nursing. As a member of HPNA, you are welcome to share how you positively impacted the lives of your patients, their families, and your community. It is the experiences we share that are truly the essence of our specialty.
The care you provide is very intense and personal-it makes a profound impact on those you serve. However, the demands can be extremely high, so we want you to share the rewards of your experiences with your colleagues, so we can all see the true impact "'we" all make together and celebrate our unique contributions.
If you would like to share a story about your work, please e-mail the director of membership, Chad Reilly, at [email protected]. Even a few sentences can have a lasting impact on the professional lives of your colleagues. We look forward to receiving and sharing your stories very soon!
2015 AAHPM/HPNA ANNUAL ASSEMBLY RECORDINGS AVAILABLE
HPNA would like to thank all those who attended the 2015 AAHPM/HPNA Annual Assembly at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. The event was extremely successful, with a record number of nursing, physician, and health care colleagues from across the country. This event enables the entire field to come together to support each other and advance the palliative care field, and HPNA and its members were well represented in every aspect of this dynamic and interactive event.
Couldn't make it to Philadelphia? You can purchase audio recordings from the educational sessions at the following Web site: http://store.rollinrecording.com/aahpm.aspx.
HPNA CHAPTERS: A PLACE TO GROW, NETWORK, AND LEARN
Nearly two decades ago, the original organizers of the first chartered chapter of HPNA came together to plan regular meetings for educational and social purposes. Today, more than 1100 HPNA members participate in a local chapter of HPNA.
A local chapter of HPNA can afford its members numerous benefits through the efforts of a strong and committed Chapter Executive Board. Networking with mentors, peer support, and educational presentations are all common activities. The HPNA Board of Directors also helps to develop local leaders through its annual Leadership Weekend. Nursing team members coming together to grow, network, and learn has always been at the heart of the HPNA mission.
If you feel you have an interest in starting or joining a local chapter of HPNA, please visit http://www.hpna.org for additional information and details.
HPCC DECEMBER TESTING WINDOW IS OPEN
Examination applications for the December 2015 testing window are being accepted. The paper application deadline is October 15, and online applications are accepted until November 15, 2015. To apply online or download the Candidate Handbook, visit our Web site, http://www.goHPCC.org.
HPCC RECERTIFICATION
All HPCC certifications are valid for a 4-year period. If you are due to renew your certification, visit the HPCC Web site at http://www.goHPCC.org. If Hospice and Palliative Accrual for Recertification (HPAR) is an option for recertification, please note that various enhancements of professional development activities have been incorporated into the HPAR process for all certificants that will provide more opportunities for them to demonstrate their continuing competence. All HPAR submissions whether online or paper have a due date of 8 weeks before the date of expiration of certification for the standard fee. Deadlines for 2015 recertifications are quickly approaching, so be sure to review the web site for requirements and fees as soon as possible. NOTE: In 2016, all ACHPN, CHPN and Certified Hospice and Palliative Pediatric Nurse (CHPPN) recertifications will be through HPAR, as testing will no longer be an option for recertification for these credentials.
HPCC ITEM WRITER WORKSHOP
Learn more about item writing by attending the workshop "Secrets of Competency Testing: Writing Items for Hospice and Palliative Certification Exams." With expert assistance from Applied Measurement Professionals of Olathe, Kansas, HPCC offers a unique opportunity for you to make a direct contribution to developing the certification examinations. Individuals who have a strong knowledge base in hospice and palliative care are welcome. Expertise in item writing or test development is not required.
The workshop is offered as a three-part course; the first two parts must be done online, the third and last part is a live webinar. The third session is offered three times throughout the year. The next live webinar for part three is scheduled for Thursday, October 15, from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM ET.
Upon completion of all three courses and the posttest and evaluation, you will receive 3.5 contact hours. Nursing assistants will receive a certificate of participation.
Full details are posted at http://www.goHPCC.org.
HPCC CELEBRATES HOSPICE AND PALLIATIVE CARE MONTH
November is National Hospice and Palliative Care Month. We honor the millions of nurses, home care aides, therapists, and social workers who make a significant difference for the patients and families they serve. Hospitals, home care agencies, and hospices across the country are reaching out to raise awareness about the highest quality care for people coping with serious illness.
CERTIFIED IN PERINATAL LOSS CARE EXAMINATION
The Certified in Perinatal Loss Care examination is our newest program. It is designed for professionals in a health care role that provides care to individuals experiencing perinatal loss. Candidates applying for the Certified in Perinatal Loss Care examination must meet the following requirements:
* Hold a professional degree and appropriate current, unrestrictive license in the United States or its territories as a registered nurse, physician, psychologist, counselor, child life specialist, social worker, or chaplain.
* Have evidence of work in their profession and the area of perinatal loss care and/or bereavement support for a minimum of 2 years within the past 3 years.
HOSPICE AND PALLIATIVE NURSES FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS, GRANTS, AND AWARDS UPDATE
The year 2015 has been an exciting one at Hospice and Palliative Nurses Foundation, with an expanded collection of scholarships, grants, and awards that we have been giving throughout the year. There are more than 100 total additional opportunities for this year only, including for the ACHPN and CHPN Certification Review Courses at the HPNA Clinical Practice Forum, upcoming End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) courses, and a great expansion of scholarships for certification and recertification costs for all HPCC certifications.
As we move into the last quarter of the year, there are four opportunities coming due. We have two scholarships for our upcoming ELNEC Train-the-Trainer core course in Houston, Texas, on October 14 to 15, 2015, with applications due by September one. We are also offering 10 scholarships per month for either HPCC certification or recertification. If you apply and are not one of the monthly awardees, you can reapply for the same award the following month. All due dates are the first of the month for September, October, November, or December. We will have 10 opportunities to attend our AAHPM/HPNA Annual Assembly in Chicago, Illinois, on March 9 to 12, 2016. Lastly, the Judy Lentz Scholarship to Advance Palliative Care in Oncology Nursing is also available. Applications for both of these opportunities are due December 1. Visit our Web site at http://www.gohpnf.org to find out how to apply.
We are able to provide these continuing educational opportunities though your kind and generous donations. Please consider a gift to help us continue to advance expert care, through our annual appeal or another one of our campaigns. Pay tribute to your entire nursing team, a colleague, a family member, or a friend. Just provide the name(s) of your honoree at the time of your donation. Your gift from $50 to $500, or whatever you can, supports nurses in attending these highly acclaimed conferences, earning specialty certification, attaining accredited degrees, and seeking evidence-based research. Visit our Web site to learn more at http://hpnf.advancingexpertcare.org/giving/appeal/. Thank you for your support.
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