From the Editor
We’re hearing the word “change” a lot during this election year . . . and some changes are certainly afoot in the perioperative community. Check out what’s different regarding CRNFA certification as of August 1, 2008, below.
Whether you have completed the RNFA program and are not a CRNFA, or you are thinking of becoming a RNFA, listen up! This news comes from Mary O’Neale, RN, MN, CNOR, and Director of Credentialing and Education for the Competency and Credentialing Institute.
The CCI Board of Directors has approved a change in eligibility requirements for the CRNFA certification program. Effective August 1, 2008, a bachelor’s degree in any field, along with the completion of the existing CRNFA eligibility requirements, will be accepted in order to sit for the CRNFA exam. Prior to this date, a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN), or in its absence a master’s degree in nursing (MSN), was required. All other CRNFA exam requirements, including the requirement of a CNOR or APRN credential, 2,000 RNFA practice hours and completion of an accepted RNFA program, remain unchanged.
Expanding the bachelor’s degree requirement to include non-nursing bachelor’s degrees reflects the characteristics of a changing nursing workforce. Many nursing students are entering a second career and have bachelor’s degrees in fields such as business, the sciences or education. This change will maintain the existing standards and value of the credential while allowing other baccalaureate-prepared nurses to pursue a career as a CRNFA.
This change is in response to input received from CRNFA experts who recently convened to review the CRNFA job analysis and exam blueprint. During their meeting, they unanimously agreed to recommend this change to the CCI Board of Directors. The Board met earlier this month to review and discuss this recommendation, and acted to approve the change immediately thereafter.
If you have any questions about this change, or wish to apply for the CRNFA exam, please visit the institute’s website at www.cc-institute.org or call 888-257-2667. The next exam application deadline is August 31, 2008, which would enable a qualified applicant to test at any available time in October, November or December.