Abstract
A degree in Bariatric Nursing is offered at several universities, including Pennsylvania State University, the University of Carolina, and the University of Washington, among others. The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery is the main body that offers Certification in Bariatric Nursing. Some educational institutions, such as the Nebraska Methodist College offer certification in bariatric nursing, as well. Bariatric nurses have a variety of employment sources, including public and private health facilities.
Introduction
Bariatric Nursing is a special type of nursing where the nurse offers health care services to persons with extreme obesity (Liberty University, 2015). Bariatric Nursing is gaining popularity throughout the United States as more nurses want to specialize in this field. This has been attributed to the high numbers of obese patients that opt for bariatric surgery to manage and regulate obesity. This paper aims to give examples of the institutions that offer degree courses in bariatric surgery and the types of certification, as well as the organizations that provide the accreditations to bariatric nurses.
Importance of Bariatric certification
It is arguably clear that certification in any field is important and has its own merits. Likewise, certification in the bariatric profession has its merits as given by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery – ASMBS (2015). A hospital whose nurses are certified as bariatric nurses gains public confidence that it has the capacity and the expertise to handle morbid obesity and other types of obesity. The premium costs that are associated with hospital insurance are reduced once the nurses in that hospital become certified in, for example, bariatric nurse certification (American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, 2015). Certified bariatric nurses have modern skills and knowledge to deal with obesity as refresher training that accompanies certifications is offered from time to time. In addition, hospitals whose bariatric nurses are certified can acquire other accreditation easily such as ANCC Magnet Recognition.
According to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (2015), certification of bariatric nurses is not only beneficial to hospitals but also to nurses and patients as well. Certified bariatric nurses can advance their nursing careers. During certification, nurses are given a platform to gain more knowledge, especially on the new trends in obesity. The exams that they have to take make them more aggressive in reading a wide variety of educational materials and in effect they become more knowledgeable in their field. Therefore, certified bariatric nurses can command a higher salary than their peers who are not yet certified. Also, they are assured of job security as such nurses are always in high demand, and the majority of hospitals would not wish to lose such caliber of nurses (American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, 2015). This kind of certification gives motivation to nurses and in effect they can apply their skills, knowledge, and experience in a competent manner. This, in turn, adds to job satisfaction for the bariatric nurses.
Patients benefit from this type of certification as they are more confident in certified bariatric nurses attending to them than they would be to a non-certified bariatric nurse (American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, 2015). This is attributed to the fact that certified bariatric nurses are internationally recognized and have proven beyond reasonable doubt that they are knowledgeable and qualified within their field. It has been reported that patients being attended by a certified bariatric nurse tend to achieve their goals more than obese patients that are attended by non-certified bariatric nurses. This is because patients attended by a certified nurse become more satisfied with the service offered to them, and this contributes to quick and better recovery. One can thus argue that the public view a hospital with certified bariatric nurses as being more credible in managing obesity than other hospitals whose nurses lack bariatric certification.
Qualified bariatric nurses have many sources of employment. For instance, they can be employed in public health facilities. Both the federal and the state governments have realized the importance of addressing obesity holistically. They have decided to employ more professionals in health facilities who can offer health care services to persons with extreme obesity (Liberty University, 2015). In addition, a qualified nurse can be employed in private health facilities. This is attributed to the fact most high-class obese patients prefer to seek health care in private health facilities for convenience purposes (Liberty University, 2015).
Sources of University Degrees for Bariatric Nurses
Each state in the US has at least two institutions where an interested individual can acquire a bachelor’s degree in nursing specializing in bariatric nursing. For example, in the state of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania State University offers a bachelor’s degree course in Nursing. This is a 4-year course that will equip the student with the skills needed to become a qualified nurse (The Pennsylvania State University, 2015). In fact, this institution offers an online mode of learning, especially to those willing to upgrade from being a Registered Nurse- RN to degree graduate nurse – BS. However, those opting to specialize in bariatric nursing would have to attend practical demonstrations at the institution where they get to know the exact procedures of bariatric operations and how to manage a bariatric operated patient (Pennsylvania State University, 2015).
Other renowned institutions that offer exemplary skills and education in the nursing field include Indiana University in Indianapolis, the University of California at San Francisco, University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Iowa in Iowa City. There is also the University of Carolina and the University of Washington in Chapel Hill and Seattle respectively. These are among the best universities in the US that are renowned for producing excellent nurses. It is no wonder that bariatric nursing is offered in all these universities. Like in the Pennsylvania State University, this course will normally take four academic years where the student will be taken through the coursework, as well as practical explanations of the same (American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, 2015). Liberty University is another institution that offers a degree course in Nursing (Liberty University, 2015). In fact, Liberty University offers nursing courses up to the masters’ level.
It is, therefore, possible to study bariatric nursing at Liberty University even to higher levels (Liberty University, 2015). Before any institution roll out a nursing course, then it has to meet all the requirements that are laid out either by the federal government or by the state government (Nebraska Methodist College, 2015). The accrediting body must accredit, such institutions within that State in which it wishes to operate. All these measures are put in place to ensure that the students that enroll in such institutions are assured of getting the best education and skills that they will use while attending to patients in various hospitals across the US.
Sources for Professional Certificates and Certification in Bariatric Nursing
There are several institutions where one can get certified in bariatric nursing. The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery – ASMBS is the main body that is entrusted with giving certification to bariatric nurses. According to Moir and Archer (2009), ASMBS is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education – ACCME. This means that this body has the necessary expertise and skills to give certification to deserving bariatric nurses. According to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (2015), there are online programs where nurses that are willing to get certification registers themselves which are then followed by provision of reading materials. A majority of nurses that have been through the ASMBS system have expressed satisfaction with the manner in which their certification process was carried out (American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, 2015). One of the main reasons why the body is preferred by many nurses willing to be certified in the bariatric section is the ability to find reading materials at any time that the registered nurse wishes to get reading resources. Another reason why ASBMS is the preferred body in certifying bariatric nurses is its credibility and a high level of professionalism that is exhibited. For example, only registered nurses are allowed to register for Certification of Bariatric Nurse – CBN. This implies that non-registered nurses cannot be registered as Certified Bariatric Nurse. This is different from those certification bodies that are established only for the purpose of getting an income. Such agencies would allow any nurse, whether registered or not to take up the certification course for the bariatric nurse. This in turn drags the advancement in the nursing profession as quake nurses are ushered in through such bodies.
Apart from the ASMBS, there are some educational institutions that offer certification in bariatric nursing. One such institution is the Nebraska Methodist College. This college not only gives certification to successful bariatric nurses, but it also provides the necessary training to those nurses who would wish to get such certification (Nebraska Methodist College, 2015). In other words, it gives a useful training platform to willing nurses on how they can prepare themselves for this certification (Nebraska Methodist College, 2015). Their training program is so comprehensive that the nurses engaged in it acquire the necessary skills required for the preparation of certification in the bariatric nurse. The cost of the course at this college is affordable to qualified and willing candidates. In some cases, this college offers up to 100% discount to selected candidates (Nebraska Methodist College, 2015). This is a good example of how a learning institution should be supportive of the progress being made in the nursing profession. It is argued that all institutions that are offering advanced nursing courses such as Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) should provide a course in bariatric nursing. This should include the provision where successful nurses can acquire certification in the same field. Such a move would undoubtedly support the efforts being made to fight obesity and other weight-related ailments (University of Florida, 2015).
Conclusion
Bariatric Nursing is a profession that is gaining popularity at a very high rate. The number of obese people throughout the US keeps on increasing and thus the need to have bariatric professionals who can offer specialized medical attention to such patients. Certification for bariatric nurses is necessary as it brings with it added merits to the hospitals where the nurses are working, certified nursing, as well as patients. Hospitals with bariatric nurses that are certified get the approval from the public that they are capable of addressing obesity professionally. Bariatric Nurses who are certified can advance their profession. Such nurses can command a significant salary than their unregistered bariatric nurses. Patients visiting hospitals with certified nurses are more confident that they will get high-quality services, which increases their hope of getting better. There is a majority of institutions that offer degree courses in bariatric nurses. Such institutions include the Pennsylvania State University among others. The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery is a certification body that gives certifications to registered nurses who are willing to get certified.
References
American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. (2015. Why is certification of a bariatric nurse Important? Web.
Liberty University. (2015). Master of Science in Nursing. Web.
Muir, M., & ArcherÂ-Heese, G. (2009). Essentials of a bariatric patient handling program. OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 14(1), 1-9.
Nebraska Methodist College. (2015). Bariatric nursing certification review course. Web.
Pennsylvania State University. (2015). Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Web.
University of Florida. (2015). Bariatric Surgery: UF Health Weight Loss Surgery Center-Shands Hospital. Web.