Your Stories: Saint Francis Nurse Educator Brings Certification Prep Class to Colleagues

Perioperative nurses from around the state attended the CNOR certification prep course at Saint Francis.

All nurses with a minimum of two years perioperative nurse experience are eligible for certification. Earning a CNOR certification is a mark of distinction and demonstrates a commitment to upholding the highest standards of patient safety. Nurses pursuing specialty certification choose to dedicate their passion toward their profession. “As a perioperative nurse educator, I am always encouraging my staff to work towards improving their professional development,” said Brian. “Several nurses have reached out to me saying they would love to have a local certification prep course brought to Connecticut.”

CCI is the company that creates the exam and is one of the best resources for exam preparation. Brian reached out to CCI and they agreed to set up a one-day prep course in Connecticut. “The only challenge was that there needed to be at least 15 nurses registered for the course within 30 days of the event,” said Brian, who is a board member of the Association of Peri-Operative Registered Nurses (AORN). “This presented a significant challenge as I only had a few nurses who I knew would be able to attend, with some interested but may not be available for the date or it may be cost-prohibitive.”

With that knowledge, Brian decided it would be best to open up the class to the entire region and state of Connecticut. Utilizing education and leadership contacts through AORN and the Connecticut Hospital Association, he was able to promote the event to perioperative nurses throughout the state, quickly spreading the word that an in-person class was coming.

With Saint Francis as the host location, the class grew in size quicker than imagined. There were 20 registrants by the 30-day mark, with a final attendee total of 25 nurses. The class was facilitated by Brian in CIPCI, and nurses from all over Connecticut were able to complete the prep course.

“It’s incredible to think that all of these nurses, many from our Trinity Health Of New England hospitals, will be sitting for their certification exam soon and joining the ranks of nurses who have achieved their CNOR certification,” said Brian. “Promoting certification is an important part of my job, in providing professional development opportunities to my nurses and staff. I hope to bring another prep course to the region again within the year to get even more staff certified!”

Submitted by Brian K. Burrier, MSN, RN, CNOR-CARD, Perioperative Nursing Professional Development Specialist, Saint Francis Hospital.

Have a story you want to share? Submit your story at TrinityHealthOfNE.org/YourStories