OB RN Certification
Obstetric registered nurses, or OB RNs, are medical professionals who provide care to women who are pregnant or in labor. Nurses in the field can pursue voluntary certification
Other People Are Reading
-
Title
-
The certification for OB RNs is known as the Registered Nurse Credential in Inpatient Obstetrics and is typically abbreviated RNC-OB. Recipients of the certification may place the initials RNC-OB after their name for professional purposes if they choose.
Administration
-
The National Certification Corporation (NCC) has been responsible for OB RN certification since 1974. Through 2007, the NCC had awarded 35,185 RNC-OB certifications, according to its official website.
-
Licensure
-
To apply for certification, OB RNs must have current registered nurse licensing from their respective states. Nurses receive this license by earning a two-year associate degree, three-year hospital training program certificate or a four-year bachelor's degree in nursing and then passing a written examination.
Experience
-
In addition to RN licensing, nurses wishing to pursue the OB RN certification must have 24 months of experience working in the field of obstetrics in either the U.S. or Canada, explains the NCC. During that two-year time frame, nurses must have worked at least 2,000 hours.
Examination
-
Those who meet the licensing and experience requirements for OB RN certification can register to take either a written examination or a computer-based test. Both tests are held at locations nationwide, though the written examination is offered only once per year, as opposed to the computer exam, which is given several times throughout the year.
-
References
- Photo Credit Comstock/Comstock/Getty Images
