Certification Support Ideas for Employers
Encouraging and supporting certification helps you:
- Retain the best and recruit the brightest
- Assure the public
- Meet goals
- Achieve recognition for your organization
- Support lifelong learning
How to Encourage Certification
Offer PNCB's No Pass, No Pay program
Nurses at participating employers do not pay a fee if they are unsuccessful on the CPN exam. Employers are invoiced for passing exams only. Unsuccessful nurses can test a second time in a 12-month contract period with No Pass, No Pay. There are no administrative charges or shortfall penalties. Learn about No Pass, No Pay.
Personalize this No Pass, No Pay justification letter to inform your leadership about this program.
Provide financial incentives
- Reimburse nurses for exam fees or recertification.
- Provide paid time off to take the exam or study.
- Offer salary differentials and/or bonuses to certified nurses.
- Support a review course or reference books.
- Pay partial or full recertification fees. Or use No Pass, No Pay to be invoiced for them.
- Communicate incentives often and through different channels, and during hiring and evaluations.
Find your ambassadors
Know CPNs who go the extra mile to promote certification? Ask them to apply to be a CPN Champion. We help them share information with nurses about getting and staying certified.
Recognize certified nurses frequently
- Start a Wall of Distinction.
- Ask CNOs send a letter of congratulations after passing.
- Featured CPNs in staff and community newsletters.
- Send new CPN press releases to local news.
- Host a reception to honor CPNs during Nurses Week or Pediatric Nurses Week.
More ideas
- Download posters and brochures to distribute.
- Host certification fairs and in-service programs to explain the benefits of certification.
- Incorporate certification information in orientation/residency programs.
- Celebrate Certified Nurses Day on March 19th with our resources.
- Require certification for professional advancement.
- Partner a CPN mentor with nurses seeking certification.
- Organize study groups for exam preparation and arrange space.
- Provide formal review courses and study materials.
- Add credentials to name badges.
- Place CPN information on your intranet or link to www.pncb.org.
How can we help?
To set up a call about ways to start or sustain interest in CPN certification, email info@pncb.org so we can help!
