Epstein Diala, Lavin Patricia Maria, Withall Jennifer, Wong Diana
NYU Langone Orthopedic Hospital, PACU, New York, NY.
J Perianesth Nurs. 2025 Apr;40(2):260-264. doi: 10.1016/j.jopan.2024.05.004. Epub 2024 Aug 7.
The number of postanesthesia care unit (PACU) registered nurses (RNs) with a specialty nursing certification at an orthopedic hospital in an academic health system was below the organizational benchmark. A clinical nurse-led process was developed to increase the percentage of PACU RNs with a specialty certification. This article will describe the strategies and interventions identified to support, reward, and recognize nurses who obtain or maintain their specialty certifications.
A performance improvement project using the Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle.
A gap analysis identified barriers preventing PACU nurses from obtaining specialty certifications in an orthopedic acute care American Nurses Credentialing Center Magnet-designated hospital. An anonymous web-based survey was distributed to 18 nurses who, although eligible, were not certified. The survey assessed common barriers to certification (eg, cost of the examination, comfort level with the testing process, level of access to review courses and study materials, expense to maintain credentials, personal interest in certification, and awareness of qualification information to take the exam). The project team included PACU nurse leaders, certified clinical nurses, nursing professional development specialists, and other interdisciplinary team members (eg, content experts from different departments).
Eighteen RNs completed the anonymous survey. The leading barrier was the expense of the certification exam (73%), while 66% of respondents reported discomfort with the test-taking process. Additionally, 61% of nurses reported that more access to review courses and study materials is needed, 44% responded that the expense of maintaining credentials is a barrier, 39% responded that the additional compensation pay for a specialty certification was considered to be insufficient, 39% agreed there is a lack of information on eligibility criteria, and 6% responded that they have no interest or desire to become certified. The survey results informed implementation strategies to increase certification rates, including initiating peer-to-peer exam groups and ongoing collaboration with nurse leaders on reward and recognition strategies. The removal of known barriers to obtaining specialty certification significantly increased certification rates in the PACU. Over the project period, the percentage of PACU-certified nurses increased to 60%, exceeding the project goal of 51%.
Peer-to-peer education and collaboration with nursing leadership and other interdisciplinary team members helped increase PACU's certification rates in this orthopedic specialty hospital. The informational and recognition strategies were impactful, resulting in additional nurses interested in becoming certified. Newly certified nurses are now motivating others to seek certification. Based on this well-established support system, the PACU certification rate is anticipated to continue to rise.
在一个学术医疗系统中的一家骨科医院，麻醉后护理单元（PACU）拥有专业护理认证的注册护士（RN）数量低于组织基准。开展了一项由临床护士主导的工作流程，以提高拥有专业认证的PACU注册护士的比例。本文将描述为支持、奖励和认可获得或维持专业认证的护士而确定的策略和干预措施。
一项使用计划-执行-研究-行动循环的绩效改进项目。
进行差距分析，以确定在一家美国护士资格认证中心指定的骨科急症护理磁铁医院中，阻碍PACU护士获得专业认证的障碍。向18名虽符合条件但未获得认证的护士发放了一份基于网络的匿名调查问卷。该调查评估了认证的常见障碍（例如，考试费用、对考试过程的舒适度、获取复习课程和学习材料的难易程度、维持证书的费用、对认证的个人兴趣以及参加考试的资格信息知晓度）。项目团队包括PACU护士领导、认证临床护士、护理专业发展专家以及其他跨学科团队成员（例如，来自不同部门的内容专家）。
18名注册护士完成了匿名调查。主要障碍是认证考试费用（73%），而66%的受访者表示对考试过程感到不适。此外，61%的护士表示需要更多获取复习课程和学习材料的途径，44%的受访者表示维持证书的费用是一个障碍，39%的受访者认为专业认证的额外薪酬不足，39%的受访者同意缺乏资格标准信息，6%的受访者表示他们对获得认证没有兴趣或愿望。调查结果为提高认证率的实施策略提供了依据，包括启动同行考试小组以及与护士领导就奖励和认可策略进行持续合作。消除已知的获得专业认证的障碍显著提高了PACU的认证率。在项目期间，PACU认证护士的比例增至60%，超过了51%的项目目标。
同行教育以及与护理领导层和其他跨学科团队成员的合作有助于提高这家骨科专科医院PACU的认证率。信息和认可策略很有成效，使更多护士有兴趣获得认证。新获得认证的护士现在正在激励其他人寻求认证。基于这个完善的支持系统，预计PACU的认证率将继续上升。
