Assignment type:
Discussion post: Certification in healthcare.
Instructions
Licensure, certification, and accreditation of healthcare agencies to ensure quality is a function of states, nonprofit organizations, and private entities, such as the Joint Commission. The agencies develop professional standards of care that promote healthcare quality. In this discussion, you will contrast differences between licensure, certification, and accreditation and the impact on healthcare organizations. Topic Topic B: Certification In your initial post: Describe your assigned term. Identify an organization which provides the services. In your description, include details on the history and mission of the organization. Elaborate on the purpose and areas of focus of the agency, e.g., providers, hospitals, laboratories, managed care organizations, etc. Describe the impact of the measures/standards/guidelines of the agency is used to evaluate the effectiveness and/or efficiency of a healthcare organization. Respond to the two additional topics you were not assigned. In each response, analyze the difference between your assigned topic and your classmate’s topic. For example, if your initial post is on licensure, then your two response (follow up posts) would be on certification and accreditation. Reply to classmates by: Asking questions about the information in their post. Responding to the usefulness of your classmates’ post material to Human Service practice. Providing additional analysis of how the topic evaluates/assesses the quality of healthcare services. Offering one additional primary/secondary reference (cited) that provides support for the material that is addressed by your classmate. (A different reference must be used for each reply to classmate. The reference must be cited using APA format.) The textbook CANNOT be used as a reference for your reply posts. Directions In response to each topic or prompt provided by the Instructor please do the following: Provide a thoughtful and complete initial response that is a minimum of 400 words, by Wednesday at 11:59 PM of the module week. In your responses, reference either material in the book or an external source to support your point. Don’t forget to cite your source. Provide a minimum of 300 words response to two or more classmates that directly addresses your thoughts on their post. Please ensure that each response includes proper grammar and punctuation and is respectful in tone. Grading This assignment will be graded using the Discussion Board Rubric. It is worth 50 points. Use the information in the rubric
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Certification in Healthcare
Certification, licensure, and accreditation play important roles in regulating healthcare organizations and ensuring quality of care. While these terms are often used interchangeably, they refer to distinct processes that promote standards in the industry. This paper will contrast certification with licensure and accreditation, focusing on certification. It will discuss the role of a major certifying body, the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), and how its certification impacts healthcare organizations.
Certification refers to a voluntary process whereby a non-governmental organization grants credentials to individuals who have met certain predetermined qualifications (ANA, 2023). It is intended to recognize specialized knowledge, skills, and experience in a particular area of practice. In contrast, licensure is a mandatory process established by state governments to grant legal permission to practice (ANA, 2023). Accreditation evaluates entire healthcare facilities or educational programs based on established standards (Joint Commission, 2022).
The ANCC is an independent subsidiary of the American Nurses Association (ANA) that provides nurse certification (ANCC, 2023). Founded in 1976, the ANCC’s mission is to develop certification programs that validate nurses’ specialized knowledge and promote excellence in nursing practice (ANCC, 2023). It currently offers over 30 specialty certifications for nurses in areas such as critical care, emergency nursing, and nursing administration (ANCC, 2023).
To become certified through the ANCC, nurses must meet stringent eligibility requirements, which usually include a minimum number of clinical practice hours and continuing education in their specialty (ANCC, 2023). Nurses then take a rigorous certification examination that evaluates their mastery of the specialty content (ANCC, 2023). Maintaining certification requires ongoing professional development through continuing nursing education.
Certification benefits both individual nurses and healthcare organizations. For nurses, it demonstrates commitment to excellence and lifelong learning (ANA, 2023). Specialty certification is associated with higher levels of nursing competence, job satisfaction, and retention (Kendall-Gallagher & Blegen, 2009). For employers, ANCC certification helps ensure nurses have specialized knowledge and skills to provide quality patient care (ANA, 2023). Some facilities even require or preferentially hire nurses with specialty credentials (Kendall-Gallagher & Blegen, 2009). Certification status may also impact reimbursement rates from insurers (ANA, 2023).
In summary, while licensure establishes basic competency for practice, certification recognizes expertise in focused nursing specialties. The ANCC plays a key role in developing rigorous certification standards and programs that promote excellence across various areas of nursing practice. By validating specialized knowledge and commitment to ongoing development, ANCC certification benefits both individual nurses and the healthcare organizations that employ them.
Kendall-Gallagher, D., & Blegen, M. A. (2009). Competence and certification of registered nurses and safety of patients in intensive care units. American journal of critical care: an official publication, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, 18(2), 106–116. https://doi.org/10.4037/ajcc2009431
American Nurses Association. (2023). Licensure, certification and accreditation. https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/workforce/what-is-nursing/licensure-certification-accreditation/
American Nurses Credentialing Center. (2023). About ANCC. https://www.nursingworld.org/ancc/about-ancc/
The Joint Commission. (2022). About the Joint Commission. https://www.jointcommission.org/about-us/about-the-joint-commission-main/
