Interview Spotlight: The Value of Certification for Faculty & Students

We spoke with Brenna Morse, a member of the ABSNC Board and Professor of Nursing at the MGH Institute of Health Professions, about the importance of certification for nursing students beginning their professional journey, experienced nurses preparing to establish themselves within a specialty practice area, as well as nursing faculty.

Q: How does certification complement a student's formal nursing education?

A: Nursing school will prepare students to enter practice as generalists. As nurses gain experience and start to identify practice areas they may want to specialize in, and that they are most drawn to, certification can be a great tool for focusing their professional growth and supporting advancement. Certification can give shape to continuing education opportunities they pursue, help deepen their expertise in a specialty, and can signal to employers or leaders that the nurse is motivated and investing in the specialty.

For students enrolled in advanced practice programs, the certification is required and tied to licensure, while supporting validation of their readiness for advanced practice.

Q: What advantages can certification provide when seeking employment or career advancement opportunities?

A: Certification can convey something that a resume alone may not be able to. Having the special mark of distinction that certification offers demonstrates that the candidate is passionate about the area of practice, and that they have taken a deliberate step to advance their career. In some cases, nurses may not see a wage bump or clinical leveling with certification, and in those cases, it represents that the nurse didn’t do this because they had to, but because they wanted to demonstrate expert competence in the specialty.

Q: How can certification help faculty stay current with evolving best practices and standards of care?

A: Faculty careers can benefit from the way certification naturally focuses ongoing learning and continuing education around a specific area of practice. Certification also signals to employers, funders, and academic colleagues that the faculty’s knowledge in the specific area has been externally validated and not simply assumed from years of experience. There is a part of the faculty certification role that I find particularly meaningful for preparing students for standardized exams. I obtained my four certifications while teaching pre-licensure students and preparing them for the NCLEX. In that role, I coached students on test-taking strategies, how to manage their study time, and what to prioritize, whilst doing all those things myself. I had firsthand experience of sitting with the worries, the prep, and the stakes of a standardized exam that gave me unique empathy and credibility in those conversations. Faculty may find value in going through the standardized exam process following initial licensure so they can say to their students that they have not only been there but have been there recently!

Q: What advice would you give students or faculty who are unsure whether certification is worth pursuing?

A: Certification is an outstanding way to demonstrate external validation of expertise from an independent credentialing body, but it is also an investment of time and money which is not something to gloss over. Candidates should be honest with themselves about a few things. They should consider whether they will be working in the specialty or be doing work relevant to the specialty for the next few years. If the answer is yes, then the return on investment personally and professionally is worth it. If someone is in a period of transition or still exploring what setting or population they would like to work with, it may make sense to wait on sitting for an exam. 

Many of the certifications accredited by ABSNC have crossover between populations and settings, so for many, even if the nurse’s role shifts over time they may be applying expertise from that certification in a new area. For example, a nurse certified in pain management who later transitions to school nursing will certainly see children in pain and would carry that expertise over.

Ideally, the candidate will have a passion for the practice area, a plan to stay in that field, or both! When a candidate is intrinsically motivated, certification becomes a natural expression of their commitment to excellence rather than a box to check.

Q: What is one message you would like to share about the value of certification? 

A: Certification is a meaningful personal and professional accomplishment. Beyond what it says about the nurse as a clinician and professional, it can open doors in the candidate’s career. New professional networks, new career conversations, and new opportunities that may not have found their way to the candidate otherwise. Nurses should not underestimate what certification can do for where they are headed, whether achieving certification becomes a line on their resume, letters on their email signature, or the confidence of knowing they made it through a rigorous process to demonstrate excellence.

Certification is more than a professional achievement, it reflects a commitment to excellence, accountability, and lifelong learning. Brenna highlighted both the challenges and rewards of pursuing certification, demonstrating how it can benefit nurses at every stage of their careers while ultimately contributing to improved patient outcomes. To learn about ABSNC and our mission, visit: https://absnc.org/