Motivators and Barriers to Obtaining Cardiac Vascular Certification Among Acute Care Nurses

Cardiovascular diseases are highly prevalent in the United States. Nurses play a crucial role in supporting patients with these conditions and should seek verification of advanced cardiac knowledge through certification.

This descriptive survey was conducted in a large academic hospital in the northeastern United States. Participants included RNs who had obtained or were eligible for cardiac-vascular certification. Surveys were distributed via work email between October 2022 and February 2023.

Among 63 participants, 31 were certified and 32 were not certified. Certified nurses had higher agreement with Perceived Value of Certification Tool statements, with a mean score of 31.3 versus 27.8 for non-certified nurses. Common barriers to certification included "other" (40.6%), testing discomfort (31.3%), and the pandemic (31.3%).

Nurses reported positive perceptions of cardiac-vascular certification. Certified nurses indicated that certification demonstrated competence, confidence, accomplishment, and commitment. Hospitals and professional organizations should encourage certification and address barriers to obtaining it. Further research is needed to understand motivations and barriers. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2025;56(6):225-230.].