The Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse (CMSRN®) is the gold-standard certification demonstrating credibility in nursing expertise for the medical-surgical specialty and beyond. The Monitor’s CMSRN Certification Spotlight series highlights medical-surgical nurses who have achieved CMSRN certification, understand its value to the profession, and hope to inspire others to embark on their own journey to certification. In this Q&A, Carlo A. Piraino Jr., DNP, RN, CMSRN, NE-BC, FACHE, emphasizes the importance of medical-surgical nursing as the foundation of nursing care and CMSRN certification as a validation of knowledge and professionalism.
What is the value of the CMSRN certification?
The value is in the broad knowledge that an RN has in the foundation of nursing care. Medical-surgical nursing is the basis for all care delivered throughout a hospital. Whether that is in the emergency room or labor and delivery, medical-surgical nursing is an important foundation. Certification is the means of validation that an RN has a baseline of knowledge from which to grow.
What does it mean to you personally to be CMSRN certified?
Early in my career, it was a way to motivate and encourage my staff. It was a way to show my supervisors and CNO that I have a certain level of knowledge and understanding of nursing care. Today, it is all that, plus the personal responsibility to not only maintain the credentials but also build upon that knowledge and continue learning.
How did you learn about the CMSRN certification?
I was a member of AMSN back then, so I remember reading about the upcoming certification and the timelines associated with it.
What made you decide to pursue and achieve certification?
It was a challenge that I made to my staff, and how could I challenge them to achieve it, if I did not at least attempt it myself?
Why do you continue to recertify?
I think it is important for all certified nurses who continue to work to maintain their certifications. It is a reminder to keep learning and to set an example for newer RNs. If I do not value it, why would they?
“Certification is the means of validation that an RN has a baseline of knowledge from which to grow.”
What do you do to encourage your team to be CMSRN certified?
When I meet with my staff, I encourage certification as a means of validating knowledge and showing their professionalism. It is a means of encouraging continued learning.
What advice would you give to medical-surgical nurses who have not yet achieved their CMSRN to encourage them to pursue certification?
I approach staff with the question “Where do you want to be in five years?” If it is obtaining promotions, then this is a way to validate your knowledge and expertise. If they are motivated by money, then I remind them that facilities [sometimes] pay for certifications and often provide bonus money in an indirect way, such as in the form of raises related to annual contributions, awards, and certifications. I look for a person’s motivation and work off that while voicing the fact that passing the CMSRN exam shows they have achieved a basis of knowledge many others have not.
Is there anything you would like to add about the process that you think medical-surgical nurses should know before embarking on their journey to CMSRN certification?
I think RNs in general should spend the first one to two years working as medical-surgical nurses. It exposes them to a wide range of illnesses, diseases, and surgical procedures so that they can then decide if they want to specialize in a specific area or remain a generalist. After two years, regardless of their decision, obtaining CMSRN certification is a way to show that broad range of knowledge.
To learn more about CMSRN certification and start your certification journey, visit the MSNCB website.
Content published on the Medical-Surgical Monitor represents the views, thoughts, and opinions of the authors and may not necessarily reflect the views, thoughts, and opinions of the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses.