HPCC Certification Newsletter * October 2016 * Volume 8, Issue 5
Thank you for reading the latest issue of the HPCC Certification Newsletter and for your continued support of certification.
 
Now in a mobile and tablet friendly format!
HPAR Learning Plans Due by December 31       
in Order to Maintain Certification  

The Hospice and Palliative Accrual for Recertification (HPAR) is the only method that can be used for CHPNs and ACHPNs to renew their certification in 2016. This process utilizes points that may be earned through professional development activities including continuing education, professional presentations, academic education, orienting, precepting, and volunteering within healthcare related organizations.
In addition, those renewing must complete the Situation Judgement Exercise (SJE), which is an open-book online exercise that uses clinical scenarios to assess critical reasoning and clinical application of hospice and palliative content. Once the SJE is purchased, the certificant has 30 days to complete the exercise. Based on the individual's performance, HPAR points ranging from 5 to 20 points and are automatically added to a certificant's learning plan within one business day. 

All professional development activities except the SJE are logged by the certificant to the online platform Learning Builder, which is accessed by clicking Member/Certificant at the top left of our website at www.goHPCC.org. You will need to provide two values to login, which may include your HPCC certification number, email, or HPNA member number. After accessing your learning plan, you can enter your professional activities completed during your reporting period. Each individual activity should be added as a separate entry in Learning Builder, especially when adding Continuing Education activities.

The minimum number of points needed for recertification for ACHPNs is 125 points and for CHPNs is 100 points, but these totals include submitting 10 or more HPAR points in the categories of Scholarly Accomplishments and/or Professional Contributions.  ACHPNs must submit these, but if CHPNs choose not to do so, they would need to submit an additional 20 points of Continuing Education activities, and the recertification total would grow to 120 points. Find out more about the process by clicking the HPAR Recertification tab at either advancingexpertcare.org/chpn or  
advancingexpertcare.org/achpn. 
 
The HPCC national office staff is available and happy to answer any questions that you may have regarding your recertification process! You can contact us at 412.787.1057 or by email at hpcc@gohpcc.org.  
NPs Fill Gap by Providing Timely Help in Recording End-of-Life Treatment Wishes
Research published in the latest edition of the Journal of Palliative Medicine 

Not all states allow nurse practitioners to make a patient's treatment wishes part of their medical record, yet a six-year study concludes that they can improve seriously ill patents' access to advance-care planning. Nurse practitioners often serve as the primary care provider or a member of the team caring for patients in the last months of their lives, when they are most likely to seek end-of-life treatment.

The study, led by Oregon Health and Science University in Portland and published in the Journal of Palliative Medicine, found that nearly 25,000 or about 11 percent of the Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) forms submitted between 2010 and 2015 in Oregon were completed by an advance practice registered nurse. Nurse practitioners have been empowered to enter forms in the Oregon POLST Registry since 2001, making the state an ideal test case for their impact.
Celebrate Hospice and Palliative Care Month
  
November is National Hospice and Palliative Care Month, and we would like to honor the millions of nurses, nursing assistants, home care aides, therapists, social workers, and chaplains who make a significant difference for the patients and families they serve. Hospitals, home care agencies, and hospices across the country are reaching out to raise awareness about the highest quality car for people coping with serious illness.
 
Honor yourself or your certified nursing team members with a certification pin. The pins are available for purchase for all certificants in all seven HPCC certifications. Wear your credential with pride! To order. Please visit our website at www.goHPCC.org under "certification" and "resources," or call the national office at 412-787-1057 for further information.
Save The Date
  
HPCC will host its Annual Certification Luncheon at noon on Thursday, February 23, during the Annual Assembly, February 22-25, 2017 in Phoenix, AZ. The program will include a special speaker and the presentation of certification awards. Look for details and registration on our website www.goHPCC.org in December.  
Testing in 2016
December is the last opportunity to test in 2016, so apply early! 

The application period for December 2016 testing continues, and although it is too late to apply by paper, the online application deadline is November 15, 2016. Be sure to download or print the appropriate handbook for the exam you plan to take.  The candidate handbooks are available online at www.goHPCC.org, and contain information on each exam, which includes how to apply, fees, schedules, detailed test content outline of the information covered on the exam, suggested references for study, and much more!

Be sure to view the 2016 certification application fee schedule. Members of the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA) continue to receive substantial exam discounts as a member benefit. Be sure to keep your HPNA membership current to receive this as well as many other benefits. 
Results of the September 2016 Exam

Successful candidates for certification and recertification from the September 2016 testing window include 637 additional certificants.
      • 52 ACHPNs
      • 317 CHPNs
      • 8 CHPPNs
      • 29 CHPLNs
      • 209 CHPNAs
      • 16 CHPCAs
      • 6 CPLCs
As of October 1, 2016, the Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center certifies over 19,000 individuals!  
HPCC Employer Supporter Program
  
The HPCC Employer Supporter Program was initiated in 2001 in order to acknowledge those employers who demonstrate sustained support for the certification of their staff. These employers recognize the value of certified staff in the provision of quality care. Currently, there are 115 employers that have acknowledged their support for certification, with a complete listing of agencies available through the link above.

Agencies are asked to send in a form annually, reporting on the ways they support certification. This information revealed a wide range of the types of support and recognition that the agencies provide to their staff. A majority provide either prepayment or reimbursement of the certification fee for successful candidates, and some provide coverage of lodging and travel expenses associated with the exam.  Many also pay differentials and/or bonuses to credentialed individuals, and nearly all provide continuing education opportunities, including review courses.
 
Different ways that agencies reported recognizing certified staff include: 
  • An annual pinning ceremony.
  • Notes of encouragement sent from supervisors prior to testing.
  • Supervisors sending handwritten notes of congratulations with a certification pin.
  • Special certification days along with a special breakfast.
  • Names and certification dates put on a "wall of excellence" board.
  • Catering a lunch on National Certification Day.
  • Framing certificates for each certificant.
If your agency is interested in joining the HPCC Employer Supporter Program please contact us at hpcc@goHPCC.org or 412-787-1057.
Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association News


Registration Now Open for the Annual Assembly 
Phoenix Convention Center, Phoenix, AZ     February 22-25, 2017
 
Registration is open for The Annual Assembly, presented by the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM) and HPNA.  Plenary sessions for this year include the author of The Shift, Theresa Brown, a conversation on redesigning the end-of-life experience by IDEO Chief Creative Officer Paul Bennett and BJ Miller, MD, and a live performance by The Drum Cafe. 
 
The Annual Assembly is designed for nurses, physicians, and other health care providers interested in acquiring, maintaining, or expanding the skills needed to function effectively in the field of hospice and palliative care. Share research, clinical best practices, and receive practice related guidance to advance the specialty and improve patient care. 
 
For more information and to register, visit the Annual Assembly web site at http://annualassembly.org.  
Give Your Career a Boost: 
Check Out HPNA's New Career Center 
  
HPNA is excited to launch a brand new interactive job board with a focus on hospice and palliative care, the HPNA Career Center.  This new online resource is an easy-to-use and highly targeted resource available for career growth.  

Job seekers can post their resumes for free, view available jobs based on set criteria, save jobs for later review, and create a search agent with email notifications of jobs that match their set criteria. Employers can post jobs online, search for qualified candidates, create an online resume agent to email qualified candidates, and benefit from online reporting that provides job activity statistics. Both have access to the National Healthcare Career Network (NHCN), a network of over 290 top healthcare and professional organizations, giving you more control over your care advancement, and a one stop shop to find targeted and quality candidates.  

Visit the HPNA Career Center by clicking on Careers at the top right of any of our web pages, or visit directly through the link below.
Hospice and Palliative Nurses Foundation News

Take Advantage of our Grants and Scholarships
  
Deadlines for the following grants and scholarships are coming up soon, and we are looking for applicants. These opportunities are designed to help hospice and palliative care nurses receive the education or assistance they may need.  To apply to each or to find out more, follow the link on the title of each grant or scholarship.
  • Systemic Research Review Grant - This is a one-time funding opportunity towards a review of best practices and an identification of key knowledge gaps regarding the value of nursing credentialing and certification. The application deadline for this grant is November 13, 2016. 
  • Judy Lentz Scholarship - This is for registered nurses who are members of the Oncology Nursing Society, and provides a one year HPNA membership and a conference registration to this year's Annual Assembly. Scholarship deadline is January 1, 2017.
  • Annual Assembly Conference Scholarships - There are 10 of these available, and they cover the member registration costs for the Annual Assembly in Phoenix, AZ. Scholarship deadline is January 1, 2017.
  • Certification and Recertification Scholarships -  These are available monthly, and cover the registration costs for either certification or recertification. Deadlines for these are at the end of each month.

Click on the link for a complete list of 2016 Scholarships, Grants, and Awards, or contact us at hpnf@gohpnf.org or at 412.787.9301.  
Help Support Hospice & Palliative Nurses
  
HPNF helps support nurses in hospice and the specialty of palliative care, offering over 100 grants and scholarships for educational opportunities just this year. You can help support HPNF by giving a gift through our many giving options. Visit our website at www.goHPNF.org to find out more, or contact us directly at either 412.787.9301 or by email at info@hpnf.org. 

Thank You For Your Support!
Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center 
412.787.1057 | Email | Website
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