How do nurses get colleagues excited about taking the CPN® Exam? It's all about believing in something... Belief in the validation that certification brings and having an employer that believes in its staff. But Bonnie's story makes it clear that it's also about one nurse believing in the potential of many.

Bonnie, what gets you excited about encouraging your colleagues to aim for PNCB certification?

Kosair Children's Hospital is a great hospital with many outstanding pediatric nurses. Encouraging our nurses to step up and get their certification is very exciting to me. I love being in a position to encourage our nurses to be the best they can be, and certification validates our commitment to nursing excellence.

To actively motivate others to strive for certification, you must feel strongly about the rewards of being a Certified Pediatric Nurse. How has earning this distinction made a difference in your life?

Earning my CPN® certification has given me a great deal of pride and confidence in my nursing practice. I believe it has also given me more creditability in my role as clinical educator, as well as enhanced my ability to be a role model for our nursing staff.

Kosair does an amazing job in supporting certification, and this is the kind of environment the PNCB hopes all employers cultivate. What role has your hospital played in supporting certification?

Kosair Children's Hospital is very supportive of certification. For example, the hospital pays certification exam fees, rewards nurses through our NCAP program (clinical ladder) for certification, hosts annual luncheons to recognize certified nurses and displays our names on the "Wall of Fame" in the hospital lobby.

Although we would hope all eligible pediatric nurses would seek CPN® certification, we realize that's not the case. Nurses may be nervous about testing, or perhaps they aren't aware of the many benefits of certification. What challenges have you encountered when encouraging others to seek certification, and how did you handle these issues?

Our biggest challenge is that some nurses are afraid of failing, and moreover, afraid of co-workers knowing they failed. We tried to address this by offering as much support as possible and by helping our nurses feel they were well prepared. We offered study materials as well as classes in test-taking skills to help nurses feel more confident going into the exam. I also think having 24 nurses take the exam together helped, as there is always comfort in numbers.

What tips can you share with others interested in promoting PNCB certification to colleagues?

I started out by going around to the nursing units, talking about the CPN® Exam and letting nurses know I was planning to take it. As I identified nurses with an interest, I made a list and tried to cultivate enthusiasm in the group by regularly communicating with them regarding test dates, how to sign up for the exam, study materials, study groups, and so forth. I tried to be available to them to provide plenty of support and encouragement. When I started, my goal was to have at least five nurses take the exam so we could offer it on-site. You can imagine how excited I was watching that list grow to over twenty nurses for our first On-site Exam!

We were excited to learn about this as well! Bonnie's efforts speak volumes about what can happen when one person helps others to believe in their abilities... and what can happen in an environment that nurtures its staff. It also speaks to the nature of nursing itself. Caring about the success of your colleagues can manifest itself in many ways, from collaborating on routine tasks during your shift to encouraging them to pursue major milestones like becoming a Certified Pediatric Nurse. Thank you so much, Bonnie, for sharing your passion for CPN® certification with others and for being a role model to pediatric nurses throughout the country. We truly appreciate your being an advocate of PNCB certification!

We'd also like to thank Jill Berger, Kosair's Director of Education and Research, for bringing Bonnie's achievement to our attention. Do you know a colleague who actively promotes PNCB certification to others? We'd love for you to share these stories with us at feedback@pncb.org so we can acknowledge their accomplishments!

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