National Certification Exam Candidates

The Relentless School Nurse: National Certification Exam NCSN, How I Decided to Take the Test and Why?

Personal and professional goals sometimes supersede financial gain or salary bumps.  That is often my answer when colleagues ask me why I decided to sit for the NCSN exam. I am state certified through the New Jersey Department of Education, so it's a reasonable question.  Goals, personal, professional or a combination of both, were my deciding factor.  Nurses LOVE credentials, our alphabet soup of accomplishments really means something.  Simply stated, I wanted to be able to proudly write "NCSN" after my name.

Few of us like to take tests; it could be PTSD from nursing school and our boards.  There seems to be extreme reactions around the NCSN testing experience, but I am here to share that it is not only doable, it is actually satisfying. Once the test ended, I felt a sense of accomplishment. I did not know the test results for some time, so it was not about instant gratification. My sense of accomplishment came from completing the test, feeling challenged, and satisfied that I did my best, regardless of the outcome.

I was private about my decision to sit for the test, and admittedly it was probably out of a sense of embarrassment in case I did not pass.  Now, reflecting on the experience in its totality, I think I could have benefited from sharing my plans.  Eileen Gavin, a dear, trusted school nurse colleague and I embarked on the journey together.  We did not study together, but checked in about practice test questions and shared encouraging messages.

I am happy to report that I can now write NCSN after my name and so can Eileen! My test results came via email this past Friday evening. I was relieved to see the results but felt especially proud that I reached an important goal.  My new goal is to encourage School Nurses who are thinking about sitting for the test.

The Relentless School Nurse: National Certification Exam NCSN, How I Decided to Take the Test and Why?

Personal and professional goals sometimes supersede financial gain or salary bumps.  That is often my answer when colleagues ask me why I decided to sit for the NCSN exam. I am state certified through the New Jersey Department of Education, so it's a reasonable question.  Goals, personal, professional or a combination of both, were my deciding factor.  Nurses LOVE credentials, our alphabet soup of accomplishments really means something.  Simply stated, I wanted to be able to proudly write "NCSN" after my name.

Few of us like to take tests; it could be PTSD from nursing school and our boards.  There seems to be extreme reactions around the NCSN testing experience, but I am here to share that it is not only doable, it is actually satisfying. Once the test ended, I felt a sense of accomplishment. I did not know the test results for some time, so it was not about instant gratification. My sense of accomplishment came from completing the test, feeling challenged, and satisfied that I did my best, regardless of the outcome.

I was private about my decision to sit for the test, and admittedly it was probably out of a sense of embarrassment in case I did not pass.  Now, reflecting on the experience in its totality, I think I could have benefited from sharing my plans.  Eileen Gavin, a dear, trusted school nurse colleague and I embarked on the journey together.  We did not study together, but checked in about practice test questions and shared encouraging messages.

I am happy to report that I can now write NCSN after my name and so can Eileen! My test results came via email this past Friday evening. I was relieved to see the results but felt especially proud that I reached an important goal.  My new goal is to encourage School Nurses who are thinking about sitting for the test.

The Relentless School Nurse: National Certification Exam NCSN, How I Decided to Take the Test and Why?

Personal and professional goals sometimes supersede financial gain or salary bumps.  That is often my answer when colleagues ask me why I decided to sit for the NCSN exam. I am state certified through the New Jersey Department of Education, so it's a reasonable question.  Goals, personal, professional or a combination of both, were my deciding factor.  Nurses LOVE credentials, our alphabet soup of accomplishments really means something.  Simply stated, I wanted to be able to proudly write "NCSN" after my name.

Few of us like to take tests; it could be PTSD from nursing school and our boards.  There seems to be extreme reactions around the NCSN testing experience, but I am here to share that it is not only doable, it is actually satisfying. Once the test ended, I felt a sense of accomplishment. I did not know the test results for some time, so it was not about instant gratification. My sense of accomplishment came from completing the test, feeling challenged, and satisfied that I did my best, regardless of the outcome.

I was private about my decision to sit for the test, and admittedly it was probably out of a sense of embarrassment in case I did not pass.  Now, reflecting on the experience in its totality, I think I could have benefited from sharing my plans.  Eileen Gavin, a dear, trusted school nurse colleague and I embarked on the journey together.  We did not study together, but checked in about practice test questions and shared encouraging messages.

I am happy to report that I can now write NCSN after my name and so can Eileen! My test results came via email this past Friday evening. I was relieved to see the results but felt especially proud that I reached an important goal.  My new goal is to encourage School Nurses who are thinking about sitting for the test.