VALUE AND BENEFITS OF CERTIFICATION

Certification for Ground Transport Nurses
Certification, in general, is a mechanism in which the public and employers are able to identify practitioners who have met certain standards in their particular nursing specialty. Because of this, there are certifications in obstetrics, oncology, surgical nursing, critical care, emergency nursing, etc. The CTRN^™ (Certified Transport Registered Nurse) certification is the certification specific to critical care ground transport nursing and measures the attainment of a defined body of nursing knowledge pertinent to that particular specialty. A role delineation study is conducted approximately every five years to assure the examination reflects current transport nursing practice. The CTRN^™ exam is based on ground transport nursing practice in the United States.

The Value of Certification
For the ground transport nurse, certification provides

• Personal satisfaction through increased confidence and personal growth
• Validation of ground transport nursing expertise
• Career advancement opportunities
• Monetary differentials
• Job opportunities

For the institution, employing certified nurses

• Assures the general public that the nurse is competent and current. This is becoming a relevant issue since the Pew Commission, representing the general public, is asking for nurses to validate their competency.
• Can be used as a marketing tool, i.e., Our transport program is staffed by certified transport nurses.
• Can result in employing nurses that are high achievers, have a high patient satisfaction rating, and are more effective communicators with other health care providers.
• Can result in a decrease in hospital insurance premium costs.