NBCRNA Raises Passing Standard for Examination Given to Enter Nurse Anesthesia Profession

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA) has voted to raise the passing standard for the National Certification Examination for nurse anesthetists. The new standard will go into effect January 1, 2014. All students who take the exam from that date forward will be measured by the new standard.

Advanced practice registered nurses holding graduate or doctorate level degrees in nursing must pass the challenging National Certification Examination to obtain a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist credential. The NBCRNA periodically evaluates the passing standard to ensure it reflects competent performance. The board’s decision recognizes that healthcare in general and the provision of anesthesia services grows ever more complex, requiring practitioners to have greater knowledge and skills. The new standard will provide assurance to the public that entry level nurse anesthetists continue to possess the knowledge to provide safe and effective care.

A panel of certified nurse anesthetists representing a diverse sample of anesthesia providers throughout the United States participated in the standard setting evaluation. The panel followed the same Bookmark Method that was used when the passing standard was last adjusted in 2008 to reach consensus on a recommended passing standard. The NBCRNA Board of Directors then decided to increase the standard based on the panel’s recommendation. More information on the Bookmark Method is available on the NBCRNA website.

Nurse anesthetists have provided anesthesia care in the United States since the Civil War, making them the oldest nursing specialty group in the United States. Over 40,000 nurse anesthetists are licensed to practice, working in surgical suites and obstetrical delivery rooms; critical access hospitals; ambulatory surgical centers; the offices of dentists, podiatrists, ophthalmologists, plastic surgeons, and pain management specialists; and U.S. military, Public Health Services, and Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare facilities. Nurse anesthetists are the primary providers of anesthesia care in rural America.

About the NBCRNA

The National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA) is a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to promoting patient safety by enhancing provider quality in the field of nurse anesthesia. We accomplish our mission through the development and implementation of credentialing programs that support lifelong learning among nurse anesthetists. For more information visit, www.NBCRNA.com.