Developing the Continued Professional Certification Program for Nurse Anesthetists

Recertification assures the public that a certificant remains competent throughout his or her career and has knowledge and skills beyond those needed at entry into the profession. Health professions address the concept of recertification using many different approaches. In 2008, the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists, or NBCRNA, initiated a recertification redesign, and, in 2016, it launched the continued professional certification program. The initiative included a benchmarking study of the recertification programs of other health and medical professionals and an analysis of the literature to identify credentialing best practices and trends. Surveys and other communications in coordination with the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists solicited input of nurse anesthetists. This article reviews the key findings, trends, and influences for the continued professional certification program and the process the NBCRNA used to create and implement a recertification redesign to support lifelong learning and the expanding role of nurse anesthetists.