USF Nursing Educators Receive Certification for Nurse Educators

Three USF College of Nursing faculty recently earned their Certification for Nurse Educators (CNE).

Sandra Czerwinski, MS, ARMP, CNE, instructor, Kathi Katz, PhD, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, CNE, assistant professor, and Brenda Gilmore, DNP, CNE, assistant professor passed the test to obtain their CNE. The certification requires nursing educators to meet strict eligibility criteria and successfully complete a rigorous exam developed and administered by the National League for Nursing. The credential is valid for five years.

Czerwinski, who has worked as a nurse administrator at USF for nine years, said the certification is an acknowledgment of one’s level of teaching expertise. She hoped to obtain the CNE before retirement. “For me, it was a professional goal,” she said. “The test was difficult, but my experience here [at the USF College of Nursing] was really helpful.”

Together, Czerwinski and Dr. Katz studied for about two years, opting to take practice tests together to prepare for the three-hour exam. The study partners even arranged to take their exams on the same day. Dr. Gilmore also began to prepare for her exam about two years prior to her test date.

The test covers areas such as learning and development skills, evaluation strategies, curriculum design, and leadership.

For Dr. Gilmore, obtaining this certification has supplied her, as well as Czerwinski and Dr. Katz, a multitude of tools to use within the classroom.

“There are three courses you have to take in order to earn the nurse educator certificate before you can take the CNE exam if you don’t have extensive teaching experience,” said Dr. Gilmore. “I have been a nurse and an APRN for many years and I have taken a multitude of certification exams. This was by far was the most challenging test for me.”

Story by Nicholas Orlando, USF College of Nursing