FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Welcome to the FAQs section for the Nursing Management Certified Specialist Certification program. This area is provided to you as a source of information that may be more clarified, related to questions you may have in regards to our certification program. Information regarding recertification, as well as information about our online continuing education courses, is also provided. We highly recommend that you first thoroughly review all of the information on our website, under the main page for this specialty Nursing Certification. Access main page.
If after reviewing all of the provided information and this FAQs section, any other questions may be addressed by completing our request for information form online here. Thank you for your interest in our Nursing Management Specialist certification and education program.
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WHAT IS CERTIFICATION?
Answer: certification is a voluntary process, which is provided by a well organized organization, that through its qualified advisory boards, develops comprehensive and quality standards for the practice of a type of specialty. The developed standards address high quality requirements for the practice of a certain specialty. The defined standards speak to educational and/or practice requirements, any required prerequisites, and the need to adhere to a defined code of ethics for the practice specialty. Certification is a voluntary process. It is different than any type of licensing. Certification is one means by which professionals may be publicly recognized as achieving a high level of education, knowledge base and practice skills for a certain healthcare related specialty. Certification also assists employer organizations and clients in their assessment of appropriate qualifications for candidates seeking positions in organizations and/or involved in private practices. It is commonly held, today, that certification by a very well organized professional organization, is fast becoming a “gold standard” for specialty practices. Certification testifies and provides a verification of defined educational requirements, adherence to a solid code of ethics, and in many instances prerequisites of practice experience for the practice of professional nursing management.
WHAT ARE THE CRITERIA/STANDARDS I WILL NEED TO MEET TO ACHIEVE CERTIFICATION?
Answer: The educational criteria and standards are well and clearly defined within our website. Please access our main page to preview these requirements. Access here.
MAY I APPLY FOR AND BE CONFERRED CERTIFICATION IF I HAVE BEEN PRACTICING IN THE AREA OF NURSING MANAGEMENT WITH OUT THEY NEED TO MEET THE EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS?
Answer: No. The Board that oversees the development and approval of defined criteria and standards for certification will not consider only practice experience as meeting requirements in full. This decision was made as those who are already in nursing management practices have varied and different experiences related health care management/nursing management and there is no insured uniformity that all who have practiced or are currently practicing have the same knowledge base and skills attainment. The evaluation of one’s past practice experiences in nursing management is highly variable and subjective. As such, the Board has developed objective criteria/standards for the conferral of certification. For these reasons, practice experience without the attainment of education will not be considered as fulfilling criteria and standards for our certification.
OVER THE YEARS, I HAVE COMPLETED MANY SEMINARS AND CONTINUING EDUCATION COURSES RELATED TO NURSING MANAGEMENT AND HEALTH CARE MANAGEMENT. WILL THESE APPLY TOWARD THE EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTIFICATION?
Answer: No, under ordinary circumstances. One would have to verify completion of college level courses directly related to Nursing Management and Health Care Management. The courses would have to be “comparable” to our defined continuing education courses in our curriculum. The content of the courses must be comparable, as well as the hours of instruction. Those who believe they may have already obtained comparable education and study in this specialty may submit a proposal to us, including all verification of course completions, course descriptions, school attended, etc. Each such submission will be evaluated on an individual basis. The AIHCP will only allow a waiver of up to two CE courses in the curriculum for directly comparable completed college level courses; however, those RN’s with an earned MSN in Nursing Administration or an MBA, or MHA may have some additional CE Courses waived toward the certification.
WHAT IS THE MAJOR PRACTICE FOCUS OF A CERTIFIED HEALTH CARE MANAGER?
Answer: a Certified Nursing Management Specialist, as defined by the American Institute of Health Care Professionals, Inc, is a Registered Nurse who has achieved a high level of education, knowledge and skills in the following areas; 1) nursing management, health care management human resources and supplies, 2) conflict resolution, 3) leadership, 4) budgeting and finance in health care, 5) understanding health care delivery systems, 6) team building, 7) performance evaluation, 8) union-labor relations, 9) participative management, 10) insurance reimbursement & managed care, 11) legal ethical issues in health care and nursing management, 12) organizational behavior and psychology, 13) client services, 14) quality improvement, 15) outcomes measurement, 16) goal setting and evaluation, 17) strategic planning, 18) staff training and development, 19) employee motivation, 20) employee discipline, 21) staff scheduling models, 22) employee benefits, 24) effective delegation, 25) highly effective communication skills, 26) meeting management, 27) business writing and presentation, and 28) over all transformational leadership and management skills appropriate for meeting the challenges of today’s nursing and health care environments. The Certified Nursing Management Specialist has a solid foundational knowledge in the theory, process and application of contemporary evidence-based nursing management practice via a comprehensive course of study.
Certified Nursing Management Specialists work with individuals, groups, teams, clients, all health care professionals, executive managers and leaders, as well as outside vendors, suppliers and insurance/managed care providers, and community health related agencies and other community health care organizations, as required and needed. They reach is very broad and their influence and representation of their organization is generally deep within and outside of their organizations. They function as both managers and leaders regardless of their assigned positions. To be successful they must have a comprehensive base of knowledge and skill sets in both nursing, nursing management, and general management and leadership principles as related specifically to nursing and to health care.
Certified Nursing Management Specialists hold positions in health care organizations in first-line nurse management/leadership positions, including; nursing supervisory positions, nursing unit manager positions, assistant nursing supervisory positions and assistant nurse manager positions, they may also be in positions as nursing department directors or nursing department assistant directors. In nursing, they may be in positions as unit charge nurses or in other types of nursing supervisory capacities and positions including unit leaders, practice specialty leaders, unit managers and directors, directors of nursing, assistant directors of nursing, and other related positions.
Please note that our Certification for Certified Nursing Management Specialists is not designed for any type of Executive Level position in nursing management practice. Such positions are beyond the scope of our standards. Those seeking an Executive level certification credential in nursing leadership/management should contact the American Nurses Credentialing Center about their Nurse Executive Certification credentialing program: access
DOES THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS PROVIDE APPROVAL’S FOR EDUCATION PROGRAMS WHOSE GRADUATES WOULD QUALIFY FOR BEING CONFERRED CERTIFICATION?
Answer: Yes. The American Institute of Health Care Professionals, Inc. offers a full continuing education (courses) program that meets the standards for advanced knowledge and skill attainment, to become Certified by the AIHCP as a Certified Nursing Management Specialist. You may preview the CE courses curriculum by accessing this link: click here.
WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR ACHIEVING THIS CERTIFICATION?
Answer: There is a two-phase process. In order to provide clear and sufficient information on the process we have developed a separate page that defines the process. You may access this information on the certification process at this link: click here.
HOW CAN I MAKE APPLICATION?
Answer: Making application is an easy process. We provide on this website a link to a printable application. Those wishing to make application may access this link, print out the application form, completed it, and submit it to our office for review. You may access online applications at this link. Please note that incomplete applications will not be reviewed. All applications that are submitted must be complete and include all required documents and verification as specified for review and consideration of certification conferral. Please note: Applications for the Certification are only accepted after the candidate has successfully completed all of the required CE courses in the program.
ONCE I HAVE ACHIEVED CERTIFICATION, MUST I EVER BE RECERTIFIED?
Answer: Yes. A conferred certification has a period of 4 years. At the end of the four-year period the certification will expire. The American Institute of Health Care Professionals provides a full program for recertification. Detailed information on the criteria to be recertified, after the four-year initial certification period, is provided on our website. Access here.
OUR ORGANIZATION IS SPONSORING A ONE-DAY SEMINAR ON THE TOPIC OF NURSING MANAGEMENT. DOES THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS PROVIDE FOR PROGRAM APPROVALS FOR CE CREDITS?
Answer: Yes. We do offer a full program for the approval of education courses, seminars, and other related learning activities related to the topic of Health Care Management and Leadership. If an application for approval is approved, then the sponsoring organization may declare on its CE certificates that the program has been up reviewed and approved by the American Institute of Health Care Professionals. More information is available on our website, access here.
I AM CURRENTLY CERTIFIED BY THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS AS A CERTIFIED SPECIALIST IN NURSING MANAGEMENT. I KNOW I AM REQUIRED TO ACHIEVE ADDITIONAL EDUCATION IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR RECERTIFICATION IN THE FUTURE. DO YOU OFFER ANY CONTINUING EDUCATION COURSES THAT I MAY TAKE TO MEET MY RECERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS?
Answer: We will soon be offering continuing education courses in Nursing Management which are approved for the required continuing education hours for recertification.
DO YOU HAVE ANY TESTIMONIALS FROM PROFESSIONALS WHO HAVE BECOME CERTIFIED THROUGH YOUR PROGRAMS?
Answer: Yes. We have a testimonials page on our website that you may Access Here. All testimonials provided have been received voluntarily and the original submissions are maintained in our administrative offices.