Certification is a process to validate, based upon predetermined standards, a professional’s knowledge for safe and effective practice in a specialty or defined subspecialty. The National Certification Corporation (NCC) believes that what makes a credentialed health care provider different is the willingness of the individual to be accountable for his/her knowledge and to take the risk of undergoing a third-party review of their knowledge. Professionals who hold an NCC specialty or subspecialty certification make a difference in the lives of their patients. They are unique professionals who have committed to lifelong learning, patient advocacy, and professional practice.
Over 228,000 health care professionals have been certified in Neonatal, Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Women’s Health through the National Certification Corporation, demonstrating an ongoing commitment to practice. Core certifications for the registered nurse (RNC) validate to patients, families, peers, employers, and the public, the RN’s specialty knowledge of nursing care of the hospitalized patient. Core certifications for the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse validate readiness to provide core knowledge-based care to critically ill neonates (NNP-BC®) or women with needs in the Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Primary Care areas (WHNP-BC®). Subspecialty certifications (C-EFM(R), C-NPT, C-NNIC, C-ONQS, C-ELBW, C-RHI, and C-OBE) validate the special knowledge and experience required in these focused areas of specialty practice.