1. PERCEIVED IMPORTANCE OF SPECIALTY CERTIFICATION AMONG ORTHOPEDIC REGISTERED NURSES
Ronald Eugene Destura Osea RN, MSN, ONC
All authors go here, with full names and degree/professional designations
BACKGROUND
RESULTS
TABLES/FIGURES
METHODS
CONCLUSION
• Nurses holding specialty certification is associated with improved
patient outcomes; effect on mortality and failure to rescue in
general surgery patients (Kendall-Gallagher, 2011)
• Evidence indicates that specialty certification or higher degree has
a direct effect on improving the quality of patient care and results
in shorter hospital stay, satisfied customers, and decreased
readmission (Sanfort & Best, 2013, Hughes, 2013, Kendall-
Gallagher, et al, 2011)
• Secondary gains are low staff turnover and highly satisfied
consumers (Sanfort, 2013)
• To encourage nurses to seek specialty certification, healthcare
systems can actively eliminate biases and anxieties in pursuing
specialty certifications
The objectives of this unit based project are to:
1. Number of nurses are holding or are planning to take specialty
certification exams
2. Measure awareness of specialty certification and its importance
3. Identify the barriers for specialty certification
4. Identify motivators for nurses to take specialty certification
5. Provide staff education on orthopedics specialty certification
6. Measure the effect of staff education
7. Provide an avenue to create a comprehensive program for nurses
wishing to take orthopedic specialty certification examination.
REFERENCES
A descriptive quantitative design using paper & electronic survey
methodology to gather data from nurses.
The setting: Orthopedic Units of the Vanderbilt University Medical
Center (VUMC- specifically 6RW/10S).
• An IRB approval from VUMC
• A pre-intervention survey was sent to 50 RN respondents.
• Intervention: A 10-minute educational presentation “An Orthopedic
RN Journey Towards Specialty Certification”
• Post intervention survey was sent to the respondents to measure
the effectiveness of the education presentation.
There will be a follow-up survey after 6 months.
Boyle, K., et al. (2014). The relationship between direct-care RN specialty certification and surgical patient outcomes. AORN Journal. 100(5), 18
Kendall-Gallagher, D., et al. (2011). Nurse specialty certification, inpatient mortality and failure to rescue. Journal of Nursing Scholarship. 43(2), 188-
194
Johnson, J.B. (2012). Orthopedic nurse certification: It’s value in patient care. Orthopedic Nursing Journal. 31(6),
321.doi:10.1097/NOR.0b013e31827744e0
Davis, J. (2010). Roots, change, and growth at ONCB. Orthopedic Nursing Journal. 29(5), 289.doi:10.1097/NOR.0b013e3181f66451
Hughes,M.H. (2013).New happenings with ONCB. Orthopedic Nursing. 32(6), 297.doi:10.1097/NOR.0000000000000016
Kendall-Gallagher, Deborah, PhD, JD, MS, RN;Aiken, Linda H, PhD, RN, FAAN;Sloane, Douglas M, PhD;.(2011) Nurse Specialty Certification, Inpatient
Mortality, and Failure to Rescue. Journal of Nursing Scholarship; Jun 2011; 43, 2; ProQuest Central. pg. 188
Roberts, D. & Hughes, M. (2013). Implications of the role delineation study for certification: What do orthopedic nurses do? 32(4), 198-
205.doi:10.1097/NOR.0b013e31829a4db9
Sanfort, C.A.,& Best, J.T. (2013).Creating an “I can do attitude” toward orthopedic nurse certification. Orthopedic Nursing. 32(4),193-
197.doi:10.1097/NOR.0b013e31829a4d8d
• Staff education increased the perception among orthopedic
nurses about the importance of specialty certification.
0.00%
10.00%
20.00%
30.00%
40.00%
50.00%
60.00%
70.00%
Reasons Nurses Would Take a Certification Exam
Pre
Post
• BSN & Diploma nurses more likely to take certification exam (p<.001)
• Nurses with fewer years experience more motivated by increase
in salary from certification (p<.003)
• Higher number of nurses felt job promotion was not a factor (p<.004)
• Among younger RNs, job promotion is a factor (p<.003)
• Younger nurses are encouraged by increase in salary (p<.004)
• Younger nurses more likely to take exam at least once (p<.004 )
PRE n(%) POST n(%)
AGE 20-30
31-40
41-50
51-60
61+
19 (51.4)
4 (10.8)
10 (27.0)
3 (8.1)
1 (2.7)
21 (50.0)
4 (9.5)
9 (21.4)
5 (11.9)
3 (7.1)
EDUCATION DIPLOMA
BSN
MSN
DOCTORATE
4 (10.8)
32 (86.5)
1 (2.7)
0 (0.0)
4 (9.5)
35 (83.3)
2 (4.8)
1 (2.4)
YRS NRSG EXPERIENCE 0-10
11-20
21-30
31-40
24 (64.9)
5 (13.5)
7 (18.9)
1 (2.7)
27 (64.3)
6 (14.3)
5 (11.9)
4 (9.5)
GENDER MALE
FEMALE
5 (13.5)
32 (86.5)
5 (11.9)
37 (88.1)
MARITAL STATUS SINGLE
MARRIED
COMMITTED
PREFER NOT TO ANSWER
21 (56.8)
12 (32.4)
3 (8.1)
1 (2.7)
25 (59.5)
12 (28.6)
4 (9.5)
1 (2.4)
DEPENDENTS YES
NO
11 (29.7)
26 (70.3)
8 (19.0)
34 (81.0)
SPECIALTY
CERTIFICATION
YES
NO
WHAT IS SPECIALTY
CERTIFICATION?
1 (2.7)
35 (94.6)
1 (2.7)
3 (7.1)
39 (92.9)
0 (0.0)
ORTHO CERTIFIED YES
NO
1 (2.7)
36 (97.3)
2 (4.8)
40 (95.2)
IMPORTANT FOR RN
TO HAVE
CERTIFICATION
YES
NO
MAYBE
18 (48.6)
5 (13.5)
14 (37.8)
22 (52.4)
1 (2.4)
19 (45.2)
WILLING TO TAKE ONC
TEST
YES
NO
MAYBE
I AM CERTIFIED IN ORTHO
26 (70.3)
3 (8.1)
7 (18.9)
1 (2.7)
10 (23.8)
10 (23.8)
22 (52.4)
0 (0.0)
DEMOGRAPHICS