Students will:
- Evaluate progress on certification plans
Report your progress on the Certification Plan completed in Week 1 and submitted in Week 4.
- What have you done to prepare for your certification?
- Have you completed the scheduled tasks assigned on your timeline? If not, what are your plans to stay on schedule?
Running head: JOURNAL ENTRY 1
JOURNAL ENTRY: CERTIFICATION PLAN 5
Certification Plan
Lydia Otoo
March 24, 2021
Walden Unoversity
Journal Entry: Certification Plan
Practice Environment
In most states in the country, nursing practitioners require certain certification before starting operations and medical care activities. In Maryland, my home state, psychiatric practitioners require a license to confirm their certification and registration. Nurses are also expected to complete essential coursework that involves practitioner roles and responsibilities learning (Niebuhr & Biel, 2007). These nursing practitioners should also pass examinations in the nursing category, including the Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Board test. The State of Maryland also requires that nurses possess the potential to deliver mental assessments, examinations, and treatment recommendations significantly. Several limitations can be associated with the PMHNP practice environment in Maryland. First, individuals wishing to take up clinical activities in the state must be registered based on state requirements. Secondly, the practitioners require optimal clinical experience under supervision for over five hundred hours. The nursing education programs usually stands for the required experience and is usually presented in the individual’s academic certifications (Gladfelter, 2006). Competency-based evaluations are also a core consideration in the Maryland medical field. These requirements are essential for nursing practitioners and their practice in the State of Maryland.
Maryland vs California
The practice settings in the State of California are different from Maryland’s practice settings. First, the Board of Nursing and Board of Medicine regulates the PMHNP practice environment in California while the Board of Nursing controls Maryland’s environment. Secondly, California operates on a restricted practice under the control frameworks. On the other hand, the requirements in California are stricter compared to the requirements in Maryland. Significantly, the core difference between California and Maryland practice environments regarding regulatory boards.
Professional and Clinical Issues
New PMHNPs need to consider several professional and clinical issues to ensure they understand the requirements and expectations of a state regarding relocation, credentialing, licensure, and certification. An important clinical issue that PMHNPs should explore entails passing the competency-founded assessment provided by the state. Nursing knowledge is a crucial factor for most states, and passing the competency test is a significant way for a new PMHNP to display their experience and knowledge (Cary, 2001). Secondly, passing the evaluation provides the PMHNP with an opportunity to be credentialed because it requires professional competency, which the medical board requires. Additionally, the American Council of Education should also approve the knowledge level of the nursing practitioner. Thus, these clinical issues must be considered by new PMHNPs for a successful process in the medical field.
National Certification Exam Checklist
Nursing practitioners are required to fulfill certain requirements when it comes to the national certification exam. National certification exam preparation requires individuals to adhere to the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners’ presented guidelines. To begin with, nursing practitioners must attend and gain credentials from a recognized higher learning institution (Harrison, 2014). For example, the individuals must register for relevant courses, attend all lectures, and perform well in school. Secondly, nursing practitioners must finish their relevant courses in the established hours and not less than the recommended minimum hours, particularly in supervised care delivery. Additionally, an independent nursing agency identified by the Department of Education in the US must approve the education program. Another crucial element in the certification checklist includes possessing a nursing license obtained via registration.
References
Cary, A. H. (2001). Certified registered nurses: Results of the study of the certified workforce. The American journal of nursing, 101(1), 44-52.
Gladfelter, J. (2006). Nursing certification: Why it matters. Plastic Surgical Nursing, 26(4), 208-210.
Harrison, M. (2014). Reducing barriers to nursing certification: an analysis of perceptions and impact of PNCB’s no pass, no pay program. Journal of pediatric nursing, 29(3), 212-219.
Niebuhr, B., & Biel, M. (2007). The value of specialty nursing certification. Nursing outlook, 55(4), 176-181.