Study: Specialty nurse certification linked to better patient outcomes

Specialty RN certification is linked to safer patient care, with more exposure to specialty-certified RNs reducing preventable complications, according to a study published in Nursing Outlook. The study examined associations between the proportion of specialty-certified RN care and outcomes, linking electronic health record data from 42,078 patients to 2,683 nurses caring for them across four hospitals in South Carolina. Patients receiving care from a higher proportion of specialty-certified RNs had lower odds of in-hospital mortality, pressure ulcers, urinary catheter-associated bacteriuria and central line-associated bloodstream bacteremia. The authors call for healthcare organizations to align certification with clinical advancement pathways, provide financial and organizational support for certification and foster practice environments permitting nurses to apply specialty expertise in patient care. (Nursing Outlook article, 6/8/26)