The Professional Development Council of Kaiser Permanente Roseville’s Voice of Nursing took deliberate steps to improve nurse national board certification rates, aligning their efforts with the Nursing Strategic Plan. With a 2024 baseline of 16%, the council set a goal to increase the certification rate by 1% in 2025. Certification data was tracked through HealthStream nurse profiles.

To support this goal, the council implemented a multifaceted strategy. In collaboration with the Nursing Professional Development department, onboarding processes were updated to prompt new staff to complete their nurse profiles. Certified nurses were honored during Certified Nurses Day 2025, and flyers were distributed to highlight employee benefits that support certification.

A key highlight was the facilitation of five nurse certification preparatory courses. These were offered through external vendors, regional programs, or locally planned sessions, and actively promoted by council members within each specialty area. The specialties and attendance included: RN-BC/CMSRN (42), CPAN (12), CCRN (8), CPN/Ped-BC (7), and RNC-NIC (6).

While the council recognizes ongoing opportunities to engage nurses in certification, its members have become trusted champions within their units — providing guidance, resources, and encouragement. Through these collaborative efforts and strategic alignment, Kaiser Permanente Roseville achieved an 18% nurse certification rate by September 2025.