Empower Adolescents Through Your Expert Knowledge
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Now more than ever, adolescence is a critical time in a child’s development. ACTivate, the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board’s (PNCB) new competency building certificate program, is an engaging, expert-designed program that provides deep, meaningful learning to help you increase your confidence and competence as a resource for adolescents. ACTivate consists of two separate programs – Core Concepts in Adolescence and Essential Knowledge in Adolescent Health & Well-Being – that deepen your knowledge of areas that affect adolescents on a daily basis, such as growth and development, social and global factors, behavioral and mental health, sexual health and more.
Wherever and However You Support Adolescents - We Can Help
ACTivate offers a unique microcredential or certificate opportunity to develop or expand your expertise to help youth lead healthier lives! Whether you are a health care team member or interact with adolescents in communities or schools, ACTivate can take your level of comfort and expertise to the next level wherever and however you support adolescents. Some of these settings could include:
Pediatrics
Family Practice
Behavioral & Mental Health
Women’s Health
Emergency Care
Schools, Clubs & Sports
Social Work & Community Services
Public Safety
Two Pathways to Elevate your Adolescent Care Skills
ACTivate consists of online, self-paced courses that strengthen the adolescent-specific knowledge and communication skills you may already possess. Specialized support from adults in their world helps adolescents thrive and become healthier, more resilient adults in the future.
CORE CONCEPTS IN ADOLESCENCE
Start your journey in ACTivating your commitment to adolescent well-being by growing your foundational knowledge of CORE CONCEPTS IN ADOLESCENCE. Through in-depth courses, engaging video, virtual reality, and actual insights from teens and global experts, you will learn how adolescents grow and develop as well as the social and global challenges they face. A special focus on effective communication with this age group will boost your comfort level and expertise supporting this unique age group.
MODULES IN THIS COURSE:
- Foundational Concepts in Typical Adolescent Growth & Development
- Social Factors that Impact Health & Well-Being
- Effective Communication with Adolescents
- Global Voices: Experts Discuss Issues in Adolescent Health
ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE IN ADOLESCENT HEALTH & WELL-BEING
Building off of core concepts in adolescent care, ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE IN ADOLESCENT HEALTH & WELL-BEING delivers next-level content to expand your expertise to help youth lead healthier lives. This program is open to all members of the health care team and anyone engaged in supporting this age group.
This program is open to all.
MODULES IN THIS COURSE:
- Seven Building Blocks for Adolescent Wellness
- Behavioral & Mental Health
- Sexual Health
- Safety, Risk & Injury Prevention
Your Journey to Adolescent Care Excellence
Both of these pathways offer meaningful ways to differentiate yourself professionally. Here is what to expect after you apply for one of our ACTivate certificate programs:
COMPLETE YOUR COURSES
Within 90 days of enrollment, complete the four courses and open-book assessments
EARN YOUR CERTIFICATE:
Upon completion you’ll receive
- A certificate of completion
- Contact hours of continuing nursing education
EARN MICROCREDENTIAL (OPTIONAL):
Within 90 days of earning your certificate, sign up for your microcredential exam. Within seven days of signing up, complete your closed-book online exam in one sitting. Upon passing, you’ll receive a microcredential pass email that includes:
- Access to digital badge
- Tips on how to market your achievement
- How to renew your microcredential (after 2 years)
Thank You to Our Subject Matter Experts!
- Brenda Cassidy, RN, DNP, CPNP-PC
- Anne Derouin, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC, PMHS, CNE, FAANP
- Amanda Dietz, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, PMHS
- Jean Fletcher, MSN, CPNP-PC, PMHS
- Mary Gallagher, DNP, MPH, CPNP-PC
- Charity Gates, MSN, APRN, CPN, CPNP-PC
- Jennifer R. Goodwin, MSN, APRN, CPNP-PC
- Alexis Myers, MSN, RN, CPNP-PC, PMHS
- Kayla Percy, MSN, MPH, CPNP-PC
- Angela Bono Reed, RN, MS, CPNP-PC, AE-C
- Bianca Salvetti, DNP, CNS, CPNP-PC
- Lynne Sekarski MSN, RN, CPN
- Kathleen P. Wilson PhD, APRN, CPNP-PC, FNP-BC, BC-ADM, FAANP, FNAP, DipACLM
Frequently Asked Questions
How will ACTivate benefit me?
PNCB’s ACTivate keeps the focus on the adolescent age range and transforms high-quality content through state-of-the-art technology. You will experience in-depth educational courses at your own pace to accommodate your busy schedule. After earning the certificates of completion, you can choose to advance further to test for the corresponding, renewable microcredentials and digital badges. ACTivate represents a fresh way to show employers, colleagues, and others that you are committed to helping adolescents thrive and that you have gained knowledge to support that commitment.
What is a certificate program? What is a microcredential? How is a certificate program different from board certification?
Certificate programs offer bite-sized learning at your own pace. You’ll grow your knowledge about a specific topic by accessing education, then pass assessments to confirm what you learned.
A microcredential is earned by passing an assessment, in which you demonstrate knowledge in a specific skill or specific area of practice. The focus is targeted and narrow in scope.
With board certification, candidates meet eligibility criteria and bring knowledge to an examination. Upon passing the test for a rigorous body of knowledge, a credential is earned and corresponding letters can be added behind your name.
How can I get my employer to support me?
Microcredentials and certificate programs are a fast-growing method to demonstrate knowledge and mastery of a specific topic and field. Our programs are immersive, effective confidence-builders that ultimately make a difference for adolescents. Enrolling in ACTivate shows your employer that you are committed to delivering the best support to adolescents you encounter in your role. As part of your plan to enhance your knowledge and skills, download and personalize this justification letter to seek your employer’s financial backing.
Eligibility
Do I have to meet certainly eligibility criteria to enroll?
No, there are no eligibility requirements to enroll in ACTivate. Whether you are a health care team member or interact with adolescents in communities or schools, if your work supports the care and well-being of adolescents, ACTivate may be the right learning opportunity for you.
I am not a nurse, but my work involves adolescents. Is ACTivate right for me?
ACTivate offers education that will help everyone who interacts with adolescents to develop or expand their expertise to help youth lead healthier lives! No matter how you interact with adolescents, ACTivate can take your level of comfort and expertise to the next level wherever and however you support adolescents.
I’m a student in the community, school, or a health care-related field. Can I take this program?
Absolutely! Not only will you receive the same educational experience that your future peers do, the certificates, microcredentials, and digital badges will help your resume and employment applications shine.
I do not work in a health-related field. Can I take this program?
Yes! The first certificate program, Essential Knowledge in Adolescent Health & Well-Being, is education that will help everyone who interacts with adolescents. Sports coaches, teachers, school counselors, club leaders, juvenile justice team members, and many others will benefit from this education.
Can someone outside of the United States take this program?
Yes! We welcome all international advocates for adolescent health and well-being to participate! The course is offered in English.
Costs
What are the costs for the certificate program and microcredential?
The ACTivate certificate program costs are:
- $250 for the bundled course purchase
- $50 for the 7-day course extension
- $100 for the microcredential assessment
- $100 for the retest of the microcredential assessment
Do you offer group rates, packages, or discounts?
For information about available group rates, packages, and discounts, please contact: activate@pncb.org.
Is there an additional fee for the digital badge?
There is no additional fee for the digital badge. It is included in the cost of the microcredential assessment.
General
Will ACTivate let me put letters behind my name?
The ACTivate Certificate programs do not award credentials. A certificate and microcredential including a digital badge may be earned.
What do the digital badges look like?
How long is the microcredential assessment?
The timed microcredential assessment is 90 minutes.
How long do I have to complete the certificate program?
Once you apply, you will have 90 days to complete the certificate program.
Can I purchase an extension for the certificate program?
One 7-day extension can be purchased during the 90-day period and will be added to the end of the period. Extensions cannot be purchased after the 90-day period has ended.
Will I Earn Continuing Education Credits?
After you successfully finish a program, you receive nursing contact hours and a certificate of completion. The contact hours are accredited by the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP). If your field is outside of nursing, please check with your certification or licensing body to see if these credits are accepted for your field.
Can I use these Continuing Education Credits for my PNCB recertification?
After you successfully finish a certificate program, you may use the continuing education credits for your PNCB recertification by self-reporting these CEs in your ReCErt Tracker.
Definitions
What is an ACTIvate Program? A program contains courses or learning components that are grouped together to form a certificate program.
What is a course? A course is a component of a certificate program.
What is a self-check question? Questions included throughout the course to encourage learning and are not graded.
Do the courses include quizzes? Yes, quizzes are knowledge checks at the end of each course. A 70% or higher passing score must be obtained for each course in order to move on to the next course.
What is an eHandbook? References and helpful links, tailored to the course content. It includes content of the slides.
What is an eWorkbook? Offers questions for self-reflection, it is not included in all courses and completion of the resource is not a requirement for certificate program completion.
