Empowering Nurses to Increase Certification Rates in a Postanesthesia Care Unit: A Collaborative Team Approach.

Purpose: The number of postanesthesia care unit (PACU) registered nurses (RNs) with a specialty nursing certification at an orthopedic hospital in an academic health system was below the organizational benchmark. A clinical nurse-led process was developed to increase the percentage of PACU RNs with a specialty certification. This article will describe the strategies and interventions identified to support, reward, and recognize nurses who obtain or maintain their specialty certifications.