Thanks to generous philanthropic support, Sibley Memorial Hospital covers the costs of nursing certification courses, including course materials and testing fees, after the participant passes their certification exam. When nurses complete a course and pass the exam, they also are eligible for a financial bonus.

Allison Steinberg, M.S.N., M.P.H., O.C.N., director of excellence in nursing practice and education, says that the nursing education team also makes these certification courses available onsite when possible, so nurses can easily attend. Offering in-hospital learning can greatly increase participation. For example, when the medical-surgical nursing certification course was held at the hospital in 2021, eight nurses from a single unit signed up, completed the course and all passed their certification exams. In early 2022, an oncology certification course was added and the team plans to grow these offerings in the near future.

Steinberg adds, “We are committed to giving nurses the tools they need to continuously improve their knowledge and integrate best practice into the care they provide by making these opportunities available and giving nurses protected time to take advantage of them.”