Certification

By MaryBeth Kurland, MPA, CAE, ICE-CCP

CEO, Commission for Case Manager Certification

Originally published in AllNurses.com

As case managers, you are at the forefront of providing essential services and support to your clients, helping them navigate complex healthcare systems and achieve their health and wellness goals. The work of a case manager is critical, and it's essential that certification reflects the latest practices and standards in the field.

I love this time of year when the heat-weary summer sky transitions to the crisp, clear blue of fall. Fall is also one of two times a year we get to hear from the many CCMs who are renewing their credential. It's a great time to re-engage and communicate about the changes that happen over the five years between renewal periods.

While sorting through papers a few months ago, I found my original Certified Case Manager - certificate. It's dated 1993, the first year CCMC fielded the exam. About 12,000 professional case managers stepped up to take the exam in its inaugural year. 

It's a beautiful thing when a career and a passion come together. Recently, I discovered my original Certified Case Manager certificate, now 25 years old. I am going to frame it along with my current CCM as a visual binding of a career with an on-going passion.

For me, board certification was a milestone, an impetus to continue to learn and develop professionally. As a Commission volunteer, supporting certification became my passion as a means to help shape the future of case management. Today, that passion fuels me as the Commission's first chief industry relations officer.

Get ready. Get set. Go for it: Paying forward the value of certification

CCMs believe in themselves, their certification and their colleagues. 

Something happened last month that drove this home for me. A newly minted CCM approached our booth at the New World Symposium. She wanted to do more than just say hello. "I have all these great test prep materials. Is there a way to share? How can I give them to someone who's preparing for the exam?"

Thinking About Certification? Develop Your Strategy to Prepare for the Exam

Sometimes, knowing how to prepare to take an exam can be just as important as the material tested!

Congratulations!  You have been approved to test for the CCM(R) exam. Now what?  Taking the CCM Certification exam can be a nerve-racking experience. Between study materials, coursework, the cost of the exam itself - and the fact that careers may depend on performance, taking the CCM exam can be stressful and anxiety-producing.