During the first quarter of this year, the Rehabilitation Nursing Certification Board (RNCB) announced the RNCB Advocacy Award. The purpose of the award is to recognize healthcare organizations that advocate for certification for rehabilitation nurses, providing support to and recognition of certified staff.
RNCB Chair Jennifer Binder, CRRN FNP-BC, says of the new award, "The Board knows the important role employers have in promoting certification and wants to recognize facilities that take the extra step to promote specialty nursing certification and encourage their nursing staff to pursue certification. The CRRN Certification Advocacy Award is one way we can recognize facilities for their efforts to promote rehabilitation nursing and specialty certification."
Facilities or organizations providing patient care that employ rehabilitation nurses are eligible to apply for the award. A unit or a division of an organization is also eligible to apply. Organizations include but are not limited to the following settings: in- and outpatient rehabilitation units, long-term acute care hospitals, home health agencies, skilled nursing facilities, subacute facilities, teaching hospitals, Department of VA and government, and health systems.
Applicants must demonstrate support or recognition in at least two of the following four categories.
- Culture – demonstrate that certification is an expectation and part of the unit/organizational culture.
- Initial Certification – show support for nurses to obtain initial certification.
- Ongoing Certification – provide support for nurses to maintain certification.
- Recognition – recognize staff as they obtain certification.
Completed applications with supporting documentation should be submitted to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by August 1, 2019. Winners of the award will be recognized at ARN REACH 2019 in Columbus, OH, November 6-9.