NBCHPN(R) Announces the First Winner of the CHPNA of the Year Award
The National Board for Certification of Hospice and Palliative Nurses (NBCHPN(R)) announces that Connie Brennan, CHPNA, Home Health Aide at the Hospice of Central Iowa, was awarded the 2004 CHPNA of the Year Award in Las Vegas, NV, on Tuesday, March 23, 2004. This is the first such award by NBCHPN(R). Within her organization, Connie leads a well-focused weekly interdisciplinary team meeting, has been instrumental in the creation of a Patient and Family Care Standards Manual, mentors new home health aides, and assists with orientation of new employees of varied disciplines, while continuing to provide excellent compassionate personal care to her patients. Connie truly personifies excellence in clinical practice as an end-of-life nursing assistant. She achieved the credential, Certified Hospice and Palliative Nursing Assistant, in September 2003.
First National Hospice and Palliative Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse Examination to Be Administered
NBCHPN(R) seeks to promote the highest standards of excellence for hospice and palliative care. To this end, it initiated the certification process in 1994. Certification indicates that the individual has demonstrated, through testing, the certifying knowledge in hospice and palliative nursing.
In 2003, work was initiated on development of a hospice and palliative certification examination for licensed practical/vocational nurses. The first national examination will be held on September 18, 2004. Applications must be received by Applied Measurement Professionals (AMP) by August 1, 2004. If you are interested in this examination, please visit the NBCHPN(R) Web site at http://www.nbchpn.org to download the Candidate Handbook and application or call the testing company, AMP, at 888-519-9901 to request a candidate handbook.
2005 Call for Nominations
The NBCHPN(R) is soliciting nominations for the Board of Directors. Positions available include two CHPNs, one CHPNA, and one nurse certified in a nursing specialty other than hospice/palliative care and experienced in the overall concepts and process of nursing certification. Positions are also available on the Registered Nurse Examination Development Committee (RN-EDC), Licensed Practical/Vocational Nursing Examination Development Committee (LP/VN EDC) Nursing Assistant Examination Development Committee (NA-EDC), and the Advanced Practice Palliative Care Content Expert Panel (APN CEP). Great care is taken to select candidates from both hospice and palliative care backgrounds with expertise in clinical practice, education, management, and research and representing various geographic areas of the country. The EDC and APN CEP groups must have strong clinical backgrounds and are considered the content experts for their respective examinations.
If you or someone you know is interested in serving on these committees or the board, please indicate such by forwarding a letter of interest to the NBCHPN(R) National Office at Penn Center West One, Suite 229, Pittsburgh, PA 15276 by August 16, 2004. Once a letter of interest is received, an application packet with a September 15, 2004, submission deadline will be forwarded to you for completion.
Certification Recognition Lunch
On January 24, 2004, NBCHPN(R) hosted its third annual Certification Recognition Event with a lunch at the AAHPM/HPNA Annual Assembly in Phoenix, AZ, inviting all certified nurses in attendance to the luncheon. The program included:
* Highlights of the NBCHPN(R)'s 10 years presented by Jeanne Martinez, NBCHPN(R) President.
* CHPN of the Year was awarded to Patricia Martino, RN, CHPN(R).
* Featured speaker and first President of NBCHN, Brenda Yeadon Clarkson, with her presentation on "Coming of Age."
* A drawing for three certification scholarships to Catherine Maestas, Diana Taylor, and Sherry Wisner.
NBCHPN(R) Recognizes Employers Who Support Certification
The National Board for Certification of Hospice and Palliative Nurses (NBCHPN(R)) employer recognition began with the Certification Recognition program in 2002 and, currently, 120 agencies have been acknowledged. A full listing is available on the NBCHPN(R) Web site at http://www.nbchpn.org.
Self-reported information shared with the National Office staff has revealed a range of support and recognition that local agencies provide nurses and nursing assistants. From recognition in a newsletter to a pinning ceremony to engraving the certificants' names on a perpetual plaque, agencies have demonstrated that specialty certification is meaningful to them!!
To add your agency to the listing, please contact Deena Butcher at the National Office by e-mail at [email protected] or by phone at 412-787-1057.
Written Examination Information for RNs, LP/VNs, and NAs
Examination Date
September 18, 2004
March 19, 2005
Application Deadline*
August 1, 2004
February 1, 2005
*Adherence to deadline dates will be strictly enforced by our testing company, Applied Measurement Professionals, Inc., as per our request.
A candidate handbook and application can be obtained by downloading it from our Web site at http://www.nbchpn.org or by contacting the testing company:
Applied Measurement Professionals
8310 Nieman Rd
Lenexa, KS 66214
888-519-9901
NBCHPN(R) Written Examination Fee Information for RNs, LP/VNs, NAs
RN Examination Registration Fees
Initial certification
HPNA Member: $245
Nonmember: $345
Renewal of RN Certification
HPNA Member: $210
Nonmember: $310
LP/VN Examination Fees
HPNA Member: $170
Nonmember: $245
NA Examination Registration Fees
HPNA Member: $95
Nonmember: $145