CRITICAL CARE FELLOWSHIP
FCCM - Fellow of the American College of Critical Care Medicine is the distinguished honor of the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) through the American College of Critical Care Medicine (ACCM). FCCM recognizes practitioners that have made significant and lasting contributions to the multidisciplinary field of critical care. The college is made up of experts in pharmacy, nursing, respiratory therapy, medicine, research, education and other related professions.
Master CCM - Master Critical Care Medicine is an honor bestowed upon top contributors within the field of critical care medicine. To be nominated for the Master CCM a practitioner must meet the following criteria: 1) FCCM for five or more years; 2) Achieve national and international professional prominence through personal character, leadership, eminence in clinical practice, outstanding contributions to research and education in critical care medicine, or years of exemplary service to the Society of Critical Care Medicine, the American College of Critical Care Medicine, and the field of critical care medicine in its broadest sense (SCCM, 2011).
CRITICAL CARE NURSING CREDENTIALS
The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) through the AACN Certification Corporation offers critical care credentialing by exam. Programs are available for registered and advanced practice nurses with multiple patient population and sub-specialty foci. AACN credentials most closely approximate board certification.
CCRN - Certification for Critical Care Nurses is a credential by examination available for the adult, pediatric, and neonatal populations. The CCRN exam contains 150 questions with a maximum test time of 3 hours. The exam is based on the AACN Synergy Model for Patient Care and contains questions on Clinical Judgment (80%) and Professional Caring and Ethical Practice (20%). For the detailed CCRN Test Plan - Blueprint please consult the Certification Exam Handbook.
Initial eligibility requirements include: 1) A current unencumbered licensure as an RN or APRN in the United States. 2) 1,750 hours in direct bedside care of acutely or critically ill patients during the previous two years. 875 of those hours must be in the most recent year preceding application. Eligible hours must coincide with patient population (adult, pediatric or neonatal) to which you will be testing.
The CCRN certification period is 3 years at which time the following re-certification criteria must be met: 1) A current unencumbered licensure as an RN or APRN in the United States. 2) CCRN certification: 3) 432 hours in direct bedside care of acutely or critically ill patients during the previous three years. 144 of those hours must be in the most recent year preceding re-certification. You may renew by 1 of 2 of the following options: 1) Retake the exam; 2) Renewal by 100 Synergy CERPs (60 category A, 10 each category B and C; and 20 of your choice.
Additional CCRN programs include the CCRN-E - Tele-ICU Certification; and the sub-specialty certifications: CMC - Certification Cardiac Medicine and CSC - Certification Cardiac Surgery.
ACNPC - Certification for Acute Care Nurse Practitioners is a critical care credential by examination for acute care nurse practitioners. The exam consists of 175 questions (150 are scored and 25 are not scored pretest questions).
Initial eligibility requirements by exam include: 1) Current unencumbered licensure as an RN or APRN in the United States; 2) Completion of a graduate advanced practice education program accredited by the Commission on the Collegiate of Nursing Education (CCNE) or the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC), and that meets AACN nursing accreditation guidelines.
Initial eligibility requirements by endorsement include: 1) Current unencumbered licensure as an RN or APRN in the United States; 2) Current ACNP certification from another nationally accredited organization; 3) 2,000 clinical hours as an adult ACNP within the United States in the previous 5 years, 400 of which must be in the year prior to applying; 4) 150 hours of CE completed in the 5 years preceding application.
The ACNPC certification period is 5 years. Renewal requirements include: 1) 150 hours of CE with a minimum of 100 CE in the area of Acute Care; 2) 2,000 clinical hours as an ACNP during the previous 5 year certification period, 400 of which must be in the year prior to the scheduled renewal date.
CCNS - Critical Care Nurse Specialists is a critical care credential by examination for clinical nurse specialists and is available for the adult, pediatric and neonatal populations. The exam is 175 questions (155 are scored and 20 are not scored pretest questions). Exam content covers questions regarding professional caring and ethical practice (78%) and clinical judgment (22%). For detailed exam information and adult, pediatric and neonatal exam blueprints please refer to the CCNS Handbook.
Initial eligibility requirements include: 1) Current unencumbered licensure as an RN or APRN in the United States; 2) Completion of a graduate advanced practice education program that meets AACN nursing accreditation guidelines. For detailed eligibility information please consult the CCNS Handbook.
CCNS certification is valid for a period of 4 years. To re-certify on must meet all initial eligibility requirements and 1) Retake and pass the CCNS certification exam; or 2) Complete 60 Category A CEs with a minimum of 15 CE within the population of focus.
ACNP-BC - Acute Care Nurse Practitioner - Board Certified is an adult advanced practice critical care credential by exam offered by the American Nurses Association (ANA) through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). The exam consists of 175 questions (150 scored and 25 not scored pretest). The domains tested are: 1)Nurse Practitioner/Patient Relationship; Assessment and Diagnosis; Clinical Management; Health Care Delivery; and Professional Responsibility. For a detailed breakdown please consult the ACNP-BC Content Outline.
Initial eligibility requirements include: 1) Current state or territory RN license in the United States or the international equivalent; 2) Masters, post masters or doctorate from an ACNP program accredited by the Commission on the Collegiate of Nursing Education (CCNE) or the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC). Additionally, A minimum of 500 faculty supervised clinical hours must be included in your acute care nurse practitioner program. The ACNP graduate program must include course work in: advanced health assessment; advanced pharmacology; advanced pathophysiology; and content in health promotion and disease prevention, and differential diagnosis and disease management (ANCC).
Certifications must be renewed every 5 years. For additional information please consult the ACNP-BC Application.
ADULT CRITICAL CARE COURSES
ECCO - Essentials of Critical Care Orientation is a beginning critical care course offered by the AACN. ECCO is an interactive online course that utilizes a modular format and systems approach to cover anatomy and physiology, diagnostic testing, and clinical presentation and management of the most common disorders within each body system. ECCO is lengthy and provides 69 hours of continuing education. At this time individual end user license agreements are not available. This course must be offered and accessed through an employer or educational institution.
AICU - Adult Resident ICU Course is a challenging beginning adult critical care course for critical care medical residents. Much of the information is at the cellular level and includes 36 online modules. This program is free from the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM). For more general RICU information visit the Resident ICU Course.
FCCS - Fundamental Critical Care Support is a two-day course offered by The Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) that focuses on management of adult patients during the first 24 hours of critical illness. The traditional course offers 17 didactic lectures and 9 case study based practical skills stations. This course includes both a pre-test and post-test. A self-directed online version is available for purchase and includes the didactic portion only.
MCCBRC - Multiprofessional Critical Care Board Review Course is a conference based board review course offered annually by the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM). This is a comprehensive critical care review is designed to prepare critical care fellows for their initial certification and to re-certify the critical care attending. For details regarding the 2011 offering consult the MCCBRC Brochure.
A self-directed online version is also available for purchase.
PEDIATRIC CRITICAL CARE COURSES
EPCCO - Essentials of Pediatric Critical Care Orientation is a beginning pediatric critical care course offered by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) in partnership with the Child Health Corporation of America (CHCA). EPCCO is an interactive online course that utilizes a modular systems approach. Each module covers anatomy and physiology, diagnostic testing, and clinical presentation and management of the most common disorders within each body system. EPCCO is lengthy and provides 40 hours of continuing education. At this time individual end user license agreements are not available. This course must be offered and accessed through an employer or educational institution. General information can be found in the EPCCO Brochure
PICU - Pediatric Resident ICU Course is a challenging beginning pediatric critical care course for critical care medical residents. Much of the information is at the cellular level and includes 41 online modules. This program is free from the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM). For more general RICU information visit the Resident ICU Course.
PFCCS - Pediatric Fundamental Critical Care Support is a two-day course offered by The Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) that focuses on management of pediatric patients during the first 24 hours of critical illness. The traditional course offers didactic lectures and 5 case study based practical skills stations. This course includes both a pre-test and post-test. A self-directed online version will be available for purchase in Spring the of 2012 and includes the didactic portion only.
NEONATAL CRITICAL CARE COURSE
STABLE - The STABLE Program is a neonatal education program that focuses on the post-resuscitation and pre-transport stabilization of critically ill infants. STABLE is a acronym/mnemonic for Sugar, Temperature, Airway, Blood pressure, Lab work, and Emotional support.
CRITICAL CARE TRAUMA CERTIFICATION
ATCN - Advanced Trauma Care for Nurses is an advanced trauma course for registered nurses offered by the Society of Trauma Nurses (STN). ATCN focuses on the management of the multiple trauma patient and is taught in conjunction with the American College of Surgeons' (ACS) physician level course ATLS - Advanced Trauma Life Support. Registered Nurses audit the didactic portion of the ATLS curriculum and participate in nurse specific ATCN practical skills and testing stations including: Initial Assessment and Management; Airway and Ventilatory Management; Pediatric Trauma; Hemorrhagic Shock; Musculoskeletal & Spinal Trauma; and Head Trauma.