In the US, there are many different health care specialties, such as Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Obstetrics/Gynecology, Pediatrics, Radiology, Orthopedic Surgery, Radiologic Technology, Dentistry, General Surgery, Cardiology, Ophthalmology and many others. But there are three distinct categories of health care professionals:
As a Certified Manger, you will have to meet certain licensing requirements in order to practice. This is not as difficult as it seems. The National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN) and National Commission for Health Information (NCHI) exams are the two requirements of most employers require. Once you pass these exams, you will need to take a national certification exam. Passing these exams will grant you the ability to work as a Certified Manager’s Nurse.
As a Clinical Nurse Specialist, you will also need to have passed the NCLEX-PN and be registered with an accrediting agency. A number of organizations and associations are accredited by NCHI or NCCA. Once you have passed the NCLEX-PN and have registered with an accrediting agency, you will need to enroll in a certification program. Once you complete your course, you will need to pass a national examination to become a Registered Nurse.
If you already have a medical practitioner on your list of practitioners, you can ask them for referrals. Many doctors will happily refer a practitioner to another, especially if they see them often. Ask them to give you names of practitioners that they see often or at least recommend.
Next, find out who you have been seeing for your care and how long they have been on the job. Has it been years since you last saw them? Sometimes, there may be some inconsistencies in their treatment that you have not been made aware of. This could be the time to get help to make sure everything is in order.
Visit your provider’s board of directors to find out how they can help with your care and whether or not they have any recommendations from previous patients who are satisfied. Find out what type of certification they have obtained, as well as how much experience they have. For example, some CNA programs are shorter than others, so you might want to consider getting a certificate first. In addition, how well they answer your phone calls is very important as it will help keep you on the line when you need it.
After you find out what your care provider’s board of directors consists of, you can ask them about programs and organizations that they are members of or work closely with. For example, do they belong to any organizations that focus on your area of expertise, such as the American Association of Managed Care Institutions or the American Academy of Nursing? You can also look online for organizations that will help you find a certification in your area. You will also find that most states have a website, where you can find information on your state’s accredited programs and organizations.
In order to become a certified managed care professional, you will need to pass the national exam. If you have an associate’s degree and plan to become a nurse, you will need to have at least two years of nursing experience before you can start your career as a registered nurse.
A CNA, on the other hand, must have more education and training in order to become a registered nurse. If you have a bachelor’s degree, you will need to earn a master’s degree in order to become a registered nurse before being able to become a CNA.
Make sure you check into all of these things, as a registered nurse will provide you with more freedom and control over your care. than ever before.