The Benefits of Certification

"Among all nurses, those who reported being certified in a specialty made $9,200 more annually than nurses who weren't certified."
- The Nursing2006 Salary Survey

Certification is an objective, measurable way of determining a nurse's competency that attests to the achievement of specialty knowledge beyond basic nursing preparation. Here are just a few ways this important credential benefits you:

• Increased compensation
• Enhanced career mobility
• Undergraduate credit at Excelsior College*
• The right to use the trademarked credential CPN® (Certified Pediatric Nurse)
• Elevation of the professional practice standards for pediatric nursing practice
• Recognition of your special knowledge by employers, consumers, and colleagues
• Provision of national certification credentials to state licensing bodies and employers
• A free subscription to ADVANCE for Nurses

*Your CPN® certification is worth three baccalaureate nursing degree credits at Excelsior College, a leader in distance education. Excelsior's School of Nursing received the 2006 Best School Award by the American Assembly for Men in Nursing (AAMN) and was ranked ninth nationally by Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education for the number of Hispanics receiving nursing degrees. Our CPN® Exam has been recognized for academic credit by Excelsior's School of Nursing since 1998. Visit Excelsior's School of Nursing webpage for more details. To receive Excelsior degree credit, please save and complete our CPN Verification Form.

For more about how certification makes a difference click here to read why one nurse decided to become certified in her own words or see the following resources:

• Certified Pediatric Nurses' Perceptions of Job Satisfaction. Wyatt, J., and Harrison, M. Pediatric Nursing. July/August 2010.
• Pediatric Nurses Value Certification. Pediatric Nursing Certification Board, January 2007.
• American Board of Nursing Specialties (ABNS) Value of Certification Survey Executive Summary. American Board of Nursing Specialties, May 2006.
• Certified Registered Nurses: Results of the Study of the Certified Workforce. Cary, A.H. American Journal of Nursing. 101(1):44-52, January 2001.
• Differences in Perceptions of Empowerment Among Nationally Certified and Noncertified Nurses. Piazza, Irene M., et al. Journal of Nursing Administration. 36(5):277-283, May 2006.
• NAPNAP Position Paper on Certification. National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, June 2006.
• Specialty Certification: More Than A Title. Stromborg, M.F., Niebuhr, B.N., et al. Nursing Management. 36(5):36-46, May 2005.
• The Value of Specialty Nursing Certification. Biel, M., and Niebuhr, B.N. Nursing Outlook. 55 (4):176-181, July-August 2007.