difference between licensure and certification in nursing

Here’s the rundown: ADN: an associate degree with a nursing concentration. The requirements for licensure define what is necessary for individuals to be able to practice the profession of nursing safely and ensure that each person meets those minimal requirements. Achieving certification usually involves at least 75 hours of training and successful completion of a competency exam. Define and discuss the differences between licensure, certification, and accreditation as they relate to health care facilities. The Joint Commission is one example of an external entity that accredits hospitals. Organizations such as hospitals or healthcare institutions can be certified by external/reviewing entities. You also need a registration for the vehicle, and liability insurance. The term certification is sometimes used synonymously with the term accreditation. Some nurses have assumed that by taking an APRN certification examination, they are entitled to practice as an APRN. NONE of the Allied Health programs grant or lead to licensure. Before a discussion of regulation can take place, it is important to understand the progress to date surrounding the Consensus Model and the Nursing Model Act and Rules for APRN licensure (NCSBN, 2011). With a focus in nursing, this degree prepares nurses to conduct research and become professors in universities. With regard to advancing your education or profession, there is essentially no difference between BSN and BAN. The DNP may eventually be the required degree for nurses who want to enter advanced practice specialties. The Regulation of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses, U.S. NCLEX Application and Exam Requirements for Foreign/ International RNs and LPNs, NCLEX-RN Case Study: Women’s Health Nursing, Accessing Your State’s Nurse Practice Act and Administrative Rules, NCLEX Strategies: How to Answer Tricky Questions, NCLEX in Canada: Comprehensive Guide on Applications and Requirements, Fluid and Electrolytes Questions in NCLEX, Fundamentals of Nursing Questions with Rationale, Legal Aspects of Nursing: Ethical and Legal Considerations in Intensive Care. Some states have additional requirements. Reach out to our friendly support for all your questions. However, the two terms have very different meanings. Licensing can also be thought of as mandatory certification. Differences Between Licensure and Certification. Required fields are marked *. Healthcare consumers and nurses are becoming increasingly aware of the benefits of certification to help ensure safe and high-quality nursing care services. industry (Microsoft certification, Novell certification, as examples). A license is a state’s grant of legal authority to practice a profession within a designated scope of practice. , #1 in Nursing Careers Requirements for licensure can vary from state to state but usually include successful completion of an approved nursing education program and the NCLEX-RN. MAN: a master of arts with a nursing focus. Licensure for Allied Health programs is NOT available in Washington State. Consensus Model for Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Regulation: Licensure, Accreditation, Certification, and Education. All of these require a dissertation, and take about two or three years to complete. the NCLEX was replaced with computer testing in what year? Unlike licensure, an individual does not need to be certified to engage in a given occupation. BAN: a bachelor of arts with a nursing concentration. Certification is usually required with licensing as an NP, but new graduate NPs should check with their state's board of nursing for specific licensing requirements. Certification, like accreditation, is a voluntary process. In the past, there was no national licensure examination. In addition, licensure provides title protection for the roles and functions that RNs perform, and it gives authority to take disciplinary action against a licensee if he or she violates the nurse practice act and governing laws, thus ensuring that the public health, safety, and welfare are protected. Other entities provide voluntary accrediting services for community-based facilities. The terminology is determined by the licensing state—Texas and California, for instance, use LVN whereas most other states use LPN. There are three levels of occupational therapy careers in the United States: occupational therapist, occupational therapy assistant and occupational therapy aide. First time RN licensing is referred to as license by examination; candidates take the board exam after they have completed their registered nursing educational requirements. In general, doctors, nurses or other healthcare career professions earn a license from a state or federal government. Many states’ nurse practice acts also contain language that provides protection for the title of “registered nurse” to persons who hold a valid license and prevents other persons from using the title or credentials. Medical licensure and Board Certification mean very different things for physicians practicing in the United States and the patients for whom they care. If an applicant successfully meets all these requirements, then a state nursing board or licensure body may grant the applicant a nursing license. From the 1930s through the 1950s, nurse licensure laws were enacted to help define the practice of nursing and to prevent unlicensed individuals from practicing nursing. 3, Manuscript 1. In 1955, the ANA issued a model definition of nursing that affirmed that not all nursing duties required physician supervision and that some duties were independent nursing functions. Organizations, like individuals, also can be certified. The FNP certification is a little different than a post-graduate certificate. Another type of organizational recognition that has particular meaning for nurses is “magnet status.” Magnet status is an award given by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, an affiliate of the ANA, to hospitals that satisfy specific criteria based on the strength and quality of nursing in that facility. The RN Licensing Process All states license registered nurses, and in all states, they are referred to by the same title: Registered Nurse or RN. With a focus in nursing, this degree prepares nurses to conduct research … However, the use of APRN certification examinations as a basis for licensure has caused confuse among APRNs and APRN stakeholders regarding the difference between certification and licensure. Nursing Certification Certification is a form of credentialing that demonstrates attainment of increased knowledge but does not address a legal scope of practice like licensure does. For instance, the distinction between RN licensure examinations and RN certification examinations is clear. Although some very specific forms of certification carry a legal status, most certifications only imply a specialized skill or knowledge set associated with specific professional status. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. During the 1900s nurse practice acts consisted mainly of lists of the names of trained nurses. Before we explore those differences, there are a few points to highlight: Generally speaking, the objective evaluation is accomplished through an examination (NCLEX-RN; NCLEX-PN) that must be passed before the individual can practice. For licensure or certification by the Board of Nursing, all criminal offenses are screened and reviewed prior to licensure or certification. Some states have a single license and some have a tiered system, and the names of licenses, as well as requirements, vary from state to state. This degree prepares you to take the RN licensure exam and work as an RN. DNP: doctor of nursing practice. What’s the difference between board certification and being certified in a specialty? Depending upon your license or certification, your scope of practice will differ. Clinical Experience. The difference between licensure and certification seems very distinct in many healthcare roles. Less commonly offered in colleges and universities, a BAN curriculum focuses more on liberal arts or humanities. Examining the current certification process for APRNs provides a unique opportunity for understanding nursing certification in general, because it mirrors the previous development of nursing licensure. Simply stated, RN is an acronym for Registered Nurse, a certification earned to work as a Registered Nurse in a healthcare setting. A magnet hospital is an organization or facility that exhibits nursing excellence through patient outcomes, communication, and delivery of care. For employment background screening, the employer uses a specified list of disqualifying offenses pursuant to Chapter 435 and Section 408.809, Florida Statute. Historically, large numbers of professional and specialty groups have offered certification exams. Before practicing as an RN, candidates must apply to a board of nursing and submit evidence that they have completed requirements. Certification is a form of credentialing that demonstrates attainment of increased knowledge but does not address a legal scope of practice like licensure does. View Nurse Practitioner Degree Programs, Home | Program Directory | Articles | Methodology | Privacy Policy | School Program Listings. • Certification is voluntary. That meant there was no consistency between states’ nurse licensure exams. This might include an association of nurses or … Specialty certification provides positive benefits for patients, families, nurses, and employers. However, licensure and certification are two different terms that carry different meanings both professionally and legally. The HIV/AIDS Nursing Certification Board must then approve the application. The work involves patient care under the supervision of nurses or doctors. View MSN Programs. Certification distinguishes mastery of skills and knowledge that go beyond the scope of nursing licensure. The two processes seem to be very similar, so it can be difficult to understand the differences. RN: Registered Nurse.
difference between licensure and certification in nursing 2021