Dear Donna,
I am a RN case manager. I am ready for certification, but I am confused as there are many different certifications available. I am most interested in CCM certification versus board certified. It appears some people have both and others have one or the other. What should I do?
Confused About Case Management Certification
Dear Confused About Case Management Certification,
I can understand your confusion with all the case management certifications available. Many of them are specific to a sub-specialty such as worker's compensation or disability management. Adding to the confusion is that more than one entity offers certification. You can get dizzy just sorting through them. The certified case manager credential is probably the most common and widely recognized in the industry because it is applicable to multiple practice settings and has been around longer than other certifications. Board certification in case management, or RN-BC, is a similar credential offered by another accreditation entity. One is not better than the other. An RN-BC is only for RNs. A CCM is open to anyone who qualifies, including non-nurses. That's probably why some nurses opt to get both, but it is not generally necessary. Some nurses like to collect certifications even though they don't need them all. So don't let others' multiple credentials or the fact so many options exist throw you. Get your CCM or RN-BC for now. Either will serve you well. Best wishes,
Donna
Prepare for the Case Management (CCM/RN-BC) exam with the Case Management Certification Review Course.
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