Certification
The American Board of Perianesthesia Nursing Certification, Inc(ABPANC) was established in 1985 by the American Society of Perianesthesia Nurses(ASPAN) to sponsor the CPAN and CAPA
certification programs. The initials CPAN stand for Certified Post Anesthesia Nurse; CAPA stands for Certified Ambulatory Perianesthesia Nurse. The CAPA and CPAN credentials, granted to qualified nurses by ABPANC, are federally registered certification marks. These programs are designed for registered nurses caring for patients who have experienced sedation, analgesia and anesthesia.
ABPANC and ASPAN are two separate and independent organizations. ABPANC is solely responsible for the administration of the CPAN and CAPA certification programs.
Contact ABPANC
475 Riverside Dr.
6th Floor
New York, NY 10115-0089
Phone (800)6ABPANC
Fax- 212-367-4256
Website- www.cpancapa.org
ABPANC NEWS TO SHARE
Spring 2011
In General
ABPANC Activities at the ASPAN Conference in Seattle - the Emerald City:
At their April 2011 board meeting, the Board retired the ABPANC Leadership Circle award program due to minimal participation over the years.
•Over 800 nurses will be sitting for the Spring 2011 CPAN® and CAPA® examinations – more than ever!
•ABPANC announces the newly elected Board Members, whose terms of office begin July 1, 2011: Deirdre Gage Cronin, BSN, RN, CPAN, CAPA, President- Elect
Rebecca Annette Brancati, RN, CPAN, Director
Laura Williams, MSN, RN, CPAN, Director
Returning Board Members include:
Kathy Paskewitz, RN, CPAN, President
Teresa Emmons, MSN, RN, CPAN, Secretary/Treasurer
Patricia Bouchard, RN, CAPA
Cheryl Coleman, BSN, RN, CPAN
Paulette Corbin, Public Member
Anthony Pridemore, BSN, RN, CPAN
Alisa Shackelford, RN, MBA, MA, BSS, BSN, CCRN, CAPA
Chris Price, MSN, RN, CPAN, CAPA, ASPAN President and Bonnie Niebuhr, MS, RN, CAE, ABPANC Chief Executive Officer both serve as Ex-Officio Members of the ABPANC Board.
Due to the extremely small number of hospitals participating in the Group Discount Program through Vouchers, this program is discontinued, effective immediately. Any vouchers previously purchased and not yet used will be honored.
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•If a CPAN® and/or CAPA® certified nurse is
•ABPANC offers many
Examination-Related Information
•Reminder - In order for an examination candidate to receive a reduced examination fee of $285 he/she must already be a member of ASPAN when applying online. Whatever name is entered on the online examination application MUST EXACTLY MATCH your name in the ASPAN member database. If the candidate’s name does not match his/her name in the ASPAN database, the candidate must contact ASPAN (877-737-9696) to change the name prior to applying online. Also, the name entered on the examination application MUST EXACTLY MATCH the name on the candidate’s government issued photo ID that will be presented at the Prometric testing center. In other words, your name must be exactly the same in three places: Examination Application/ASPAN member database (if a member), and the government issued photo ID.
Lori Ladd, BSN, RN, CPAN of Gainesville, FL was selected as the 2011 ABPANC Item Writer of the Year! ABPANC Coach Program - finding a Coach or becoming a Coach? Contact Zelda Williams at zwilliams@proexam.org for information. Many CPAN® and CAPA® certified nurses are already serving as unofficial coaches. This program can help them in the process, give them recognition and offer contact hours for their efforts. Join the more than 120 ABPANC Coaches now! ABPANC is committed to preserving the environment - being green! All ABPANC documents including the Certification Candidate Handbook, Recertification Handbook and the CertificatioNOW Q&A Brochure are found online at www.cpancapa.org. Please take the time to read these very important documents where all of the policies that affect candidates and certificants are included. interested in writing examination questions (items) for the certification examinations, go to ABPANC’s website and click on the Get Involved section. This is an excellent way to be a part of the process and to earn free contact hours toward your recertification requirements. Most of the work is done on line. CPAN® and CAPA® related products – Visit the ABPANC Store, found under the Resources section of the website. A beautiful plaque is available and can be engraved with the names of the CPAN® and CAPA® certified nurses in your unit. CPAN and CAPA pins are also available for purchase. What better way to let the patients and their families know that they are being cared for by a certified nurse! Examination Registration & Administration - Dates & Deadlines Fall 2011 Registration Window – Online July 11 – September 5 Registration Deadline – Online September 5 by 11:59 p.m. ET Time Period for Scheduling Examination Appt. with Prometric Upon receipt of your ATT letter through November 10 Examination Administration Window October 3 - November 12 Deadline for Cancelling Appt 3 business days before scheduled test date Postmark deadline for requesting Withdrawal, refund, rollover from PES On or before last day of examination administration window
Recertification-Related Information
•ABPANC now sends a renewal notice one year before a certificant’s credential is due to expire. In total, three renewal notices are now sent!
• The process for recertifying changed beginning with those recertifying in the Fall 2009 and is now done
• To access the online Recertification System, go to the ABPANC website and click on the link found on the Home Page, under the Get Recertified heading.
• Key points about the changes in the Recertification program include:
• For all certificants who initially certified in the Fall (October or November), the certification period is from October 1 through 11:59 pm October 31 (3 years later). Contact hours must be accrued during this timeframe. Certification status will expire at 12 midnight on November 1.
• For all certificants who initially certified in the Spring (April or May) the certification period is now April 1 through 11:59 pm April 30 (3 years later). Contact hours must be accrued during this timeframe. Certification status will expire at 12 midnight on May 1.
• Unless certificants successfully recertify, credentials expire at the end of three years, at midnight on May 1 or November 1.
• ABPANC has created a new Online Recertification System. Certificants can log in and track their contact hours in the new electronic filing cabinet, update their contact information, receive emails from ABPANC, and complete the recertification process.
• Certificants can create a user account anytime by visiting the ABPANC website and clicking the Create User Account link found on the Home Page under Get Recertified.
• Certificants can enter their contact hours as they earn them by visiting the ABPANC website and clicking the Electronic Filing Cabinet link found on the Home Page under Get Recertified.
completely online. Those individuals due for recertification must read the Recertification Handbook (available on ABPANC’s website) under the Recertification section. Instructions will be provided in the first renewal notice, sent to certificants in July (for the Fall recertification cycle) and December (for the Spring recertification cycle).THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUING SUPPORT OF CPAN® AND CAPA® CERTIFICATION!
ABPANC
800-6ABPANC
abpanc@proexam.org
www.cpancapa.org
• New online Practice Exams (access on ABPANC’s website under Certification tab) are available for perianesthesia nurses studying for the CPAN® and/or CAPA® certification examinations. Using a new methodology for constructing the Practice Exams, there are virtually an unlimited number of 50 question practice exams available to take! Please read the information on the website about the practice exams. Each practice exam costs $35, however, as a promotional, now through December 31, 2011, buy one practice exam and get another one free! Contact hours may also be earned.