Relationship Between Nurse Certification and Clinical Patient Outcomes

BACKGROUND: Certification of nurses has been identified as a strategy to improve health care quality. However, the impact nursing certification has on clinical patient outcomes remains unclear. PURPOSE: The purpose was to examine the relationship between nursing certification and clinical outcomes. METHODS: A systematic review of the literature was conducted through the search of relevant bibliographic databases (CINAHL Plus, PubMed, Medline, and Cochrane Collaboration). RESULTS: Nursing certification was found to have a significant inverse relationship to patient falls and health care-associated infections. Significant correlations were not established in outcomes such as pressure injuries and mortality. CONCLUSIONS: The validation of knowledge through nursing certification has an impact on specific outcomes such as patients falls and health care-associated infections.