Pediatric Nursing Certification Board
Pediatric Nursing Certification Board recognizes All Hours in the Residency toward CPN Exam...
Pediatric Nursing Certification Board now recognizes all hours obtained in the Versant RN Residency in Pediatrics towards the clinical practice requirement for CPN exam eligibility.
The Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB) and Versant are pleased to announce a nationwide partnership designed to strengthen nursing care to children and families. For over a decade, Versant has administered a comprehensive RN Residency in Pediatrics to national acclaim. For more than 35 years, the PNCB has been recognized as the national leader in pediatric nursing certification. “Together these renowned organizations have created a historic partnership to link the clinical hours RNs earn through the Versant RN Residency in Pediatrics to the exam eligibility requirements for the PNCB’s Certified Pediatric Nurse (CPN®) certification program,” according to Jan Wyatt, PhD, CRNP, FAANP, Chief Executive Officer of the PNCB.
Versant's respected RN Residency in Pediatrics is a structured, evidence-based RN Residency that prepares new graduate nurses to provide safe, confident, and competent pediatric nursing care. The focus of the residency is to facilitate the transition from student to professional nurse through the accelerated acquisition of knowledge and expertise in clinical skills, critical thinking, and professional role assimilation. Versant RN Residency goals are accomplished through an application-driven curriculum, guided clinical experience with team precepting, looping, dedicated mentoring, and debriefing/self-care.
The RN Residency’s unique immersion approach leads to increased confidence, competence, and organizational commitment among RN residents and results in the increased retention of excellent nurses. Evidence of such outcomes emerges from Versant’s 10-year longitudinal national database, containing data from over 7,000 RN Residency graduates.
The PNCB's Certified Pediatric Nurse (CPN®) exam is the gold standard in competency assessment for this specialized role. More than 95% of all nationally certified pediatric nurses hold certification with the PNCB, and all PNCB programs are recognized by every employer and state board of nursing in the nation. In addition, the PNCB’s programs have met the rigorous national accreditation standards of the National Commission for Certifying Agencies. The PNCB's exams are endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Society of Pediatric Nurses, the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, and the Association of Faculties of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners.
In 2008, the PNCB completed its Pediatric Nursing Role Delineation Study, which was drawn from the largest survey ever completed of practicing pediatric nurses. Analysis of this crucial survey of 2,800 respondents assisted the PNCB in updating the content outline of the CPN exam. Following comprehensive review of the Versant curriculum, the PNCB determined that the Versant RN Residency in Pediatrics was congruent with the CPN exam content outline. As a result, the PNCB will recognize all hours obtained in the Versant RN Residency in Pediatrics towards the clinical practice requirement for CPN exam eligibility.
Certification represents validation of knowledge and expertise in specialty content areas. Research confirms that certified nurses experience higher job satisfaction and greater confidence in their clinical skills and their ability to detect early signs and symptoms of clinical complications. “Both Versant and the PNCB recognize certification as a desired outcome that will strengthen healthcare delivery to children and families. We are very pleased to partner with the PNCB and to support and encourage Versant’s RN Residency graduates in obtaining their CPN certification,” said Charlie Krozek, MN, RN, FAAN, Co-Managing Director of Versant.