Support and recognition help a service line surpass its goal.

In addition to validating a nurse’s specialty knowledge, skills, and abilities, certification also demonstrates a commitment to lifelong learning. Nurses, organizations, and patients benefit from a professional’s commitment to achieving and maintaining specialty certifications.

According to Halm and Whitehead and colleagues, nurses with a specialty certification describe the achievement as a personal success that supports their professional development. Organizations have found that nurses with specialty certification report higher job satisfaction and lower turnover. In addition, Coelho, Halm, and Whitehead and colleagues note an association between certification and a focus on quality and safety, resulting in improvements in nurse-sensitive indicators and lower rates of complications. As a result, the American Nurses Credentialling Center (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program® continues to acknowledge the empowerment of professional board certification.

The two most recent versions of the Magnet Application Manual (2019 and 2023) provide organizations pursuing Magnet designation with the opportunity to set goals aimed at increasing the percentage of eligible nurses with professional specialty board certifications. Organizations can establish targets to increase the number of nurses with specialty certifications or sustain 51% or more eligible nurses with specialty certifications.

Set a goal, achieve a goal

Hackensack University Medical Center (HUMC) recently obtained its seventh Magnet designation. HUMC aligns with Magnet’s established target to increase and maintain the specialty board certification percentage of eligible RNs to 51% or more. In 2020, data calculations of the medical–surgical service line resulted in a baseline of 32.5%, which prompted HUMC to increase certification.

To encourage and support nurses in their efforts to obtain specialty certification, the nursing leadership team developed a process aimed at more nurse involvement in professional development, a better understanding of the need for and benefits of certification, and the creation of a simple process for completing specialty certification registration on the ANCC website. The process begins by educating nurses within the service line about the ANCC Success Pays® program, which allows organizations to pay for a specialty certification exam after the nurse successfully passes. The program moves the financial responsibility from the individual to the organization. At HUMC, nurses request the Success Pays® code from the professional development department. During the medical–surgical review course, nurses receive information about the registration steps and available resources. The course emphasizes testing techniques and reviews general medical–surgical content as well as reinforcing how to schedule and prepare for the certification exam.

The medical–surgical service line set the goal of increasing specialty board certification by 1% annually. Leadership focused on improving communication, supporting nurses through certification, providing resources and guidance, and empowering board certification and professional development. By December 2021, the service line percentage had increased to 53.0% from the 32.5% baseline. This significant improvement occurred in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and high nurse turnover. The increase has continued over the past few years with the certification rate increasing to 54.7% by 2022, 59.1% by 2023, and 65.7% in December of 2024. (See Increasing certification rates.)

Celebrating and incentivizing

As a Magnet organization aligned with sustaining a culture of nursing excellence, HUMC celebrates specialty certification achievement. The organization recognizes certifications via email announcements and presents formal awards. In addition, the nurses receive certification badges, recognition through unit posters, and annual financial incentives as long as they maintain their specialty certification.

The organization’s clinical ladder program also acknowledges nursing professional development and certification. The organization’s highest level, Clinical Level IV, requires nurse certification for advancement. At all clinical ladder levels, the professional development activities used to obtain certification and achieve one or more specialty certifications can be included in the clinical ladder application process.

In addition to unit-level and service-level recognitions, each March, nursing leaders and selected nursing councils celebrate Certified Nurses Day. This celebration includes displaying banners, hosting various activities, distributing a certified nurse token of appreciation, using unit-based rounding to recognize certified nurses, and providing resource materials for those interested in obtaining certification.

Support and recognition

HUMC’s celebrations and organizational-level recognition processes have increased interest and motivated nurses across all service lines to plan their career advancement by obtaining specialty board certifications. Leader and peer support, along with organization recognition, demonstrate HUMC’s commitment to professional development and a culture of nursing excellence.

The authors work at Hackensack Meridian Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack, New Jersey. Serpouhi Vartivarian is a nurse coordinator, medical–surgical specialist. Bridget Wertz is Co-Magnet Program Director.

References

American Nurses Credentialing Center. 2023 Magnet Application Manual updates and FAQs. nursingworld.org/organizational-programs/magnet/magnet-manual-updates-and-faqs

American Nurses Credentialing Center. Magnet recognition program: 2023 Magnet application manual updates and FAQs: Structural empowerment. nursingworld.org/organizational-programs/magnet/magnet-manual-updates-and-faqs/2023-magnet-manual-updates-and-faqs/

Coelho P. Relationship between nurse certification and clinical patient outcomes: A systematic literature review. J Nurs Care Qual. 2020;35(1):E1-5. doi:10.1097/NCQ.0000000000000397

Halm MA. Specialty certification: A path to improving outcomes. Am J Crit Care. 2021;30(2):156-60. doi:10.4037/ajcc2021569

Whitehead L, Ghosh M, Walker DK, Bloxsome D, Vafeas C, Wilkinson A. The relationship between specialty nurse certification and patient, nurse, and organizational outcomes: A systematic review. Int J Nurs Stud. 2019;93:1-11. doi:10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2019.02.001

American Nurse Journal. 2025; 20(9). Doi: 10.51256/ANJ092540