The practice of nursing professional development (NPD) and academic nursing education has many similarities; yet, the settings, focus, and products are different. Accordingly, each specialty has a certification examination. The NPD examination has been administered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center since 1992. The Certified Nurse Educator examination is being introduced this fall by the National League for Nursing. The table below provides a comparison of the 2 exams.
The Certified Nurse Educator Certification Program was not developed to compete with the NPD examination in any way but to distinguish academic nursing education as a specialty area of practice and an advanced practice role within professional nursing.
For further information about the Certified Nurse Educator examination, go to http://www.nln.org.FacultyCertification/index.htm.
For further information about the NPD examination, go to http://www.nursecredentialing.org.
Section Description
Editor's Note
Beginning with this issue of theJournal for Nurses in Staff Development, the National Nursing Staff Development Organization (NNSDO) initiates the NNSDO Society Pages of JNSD. A society can be defined as a body of persons associated for a common purpose. The NNSDO advances the specialty practice of staff development for the enhancement of health-care outcomes. Staff development as a specialty of nursing practice is defined by standards, based on research, and critical to quality patient and organizational outcomes. NNSDO is committed to providing research and resources that enhance our practice locally, in each of our organizations. As we integrate staff development best practice in achieving our organizations' goals, we truly enhance health-care outcomes. As we focus on priorities, we enhance collaboration and provide valuable expertise in our organizations. This section will feature information written by staff development leaders on professional issues in nursing and health care as they affect staff development practice. We will share how the specialty organization, that is, NNSDO, has responded or plans to respond to the issue and give information on how individual staff development educators might be affected. As secretary of NNSDO, I serve as Editor of the NNSDO Section. Please feel free to submit articles, suggestions, and questions to me at [email protected] or [email protected].