CPHON

Nursing Specialty Certification! WHY?

Nursing Specialty Certification! WHY?

|by Mohamad Younes, RN, BSN, CPHON®

 

My name is Mohamad Younes & I am from Lebanon.

It was back in 2010 when I first heard of specialty certification. After I graduated from nursing school, I worked in critical care. After a couple of years I joined a new job at a Children Cancer Center of Lebanon at a big MAGNET facility, the American University of Beirut Medical Center.

During my orientation program, the educator of the pediatric hematology oncology department spoke a little bit about the specialty certification process, and what does it mean to be certified!

From her one-hour presentation, only two things stuck in my mind.

 

First, she said that certified nurses are equipped with the highest knowledge to care for their patients, and they are definitely a reference to all the nurses on the unit.

Second, she is the one and only nurse who has the pediatric hematology oncology nurse certification in Lebanon, and that blew my mind. At that time, there were only around 700 CPHONs worldwide.

Bear in mind I have zero hours of experience in pediatric Hematology Oncology but the first thing my mind start analyzing was, how can I get there? How can I be a Certified Pediatric Hematology Oncology Nurse? Instantly I had my goals laid out, I wanted to be a CPHON after I get my 1000 hours in oncology, and I want to be the second CPHON in Lebanon.

If you know anything about me, you would know that I have a passion to help others, I like to be a resource in my profession, a leader, an advocate for my patients, and selfishly I like to have attention around me.

 

Long story short, I was introduced to the ONCC & the ONS website, there I started learning more and more about oncology in general and pediatric Hematology Oncology in specific.

 

Before I had the chance to get my 1000 hours in oncology, I moved to Saudi Arabia to another big MAGNET facility, King Faisal Specialty Hospital & Research Center. I attended my first monthly unit meeting, the education coordinator of our department was presenting the certification application process and the value a specialty certification brings to the nurse, to the patient, and to the employer.

 

That meeting burst that fire again inside of me and I felt the urge to get my hours in oncology and get the chance to sit for the CPHON exam.

All the nurses on the unit showed interest to apply for the exam, but when it came down to it, only my clinical instructor and I applied that November of 2011. In a way, I was happy about it, because the attention will be distributed on two people only. On the other hand, I was not happy because there wasn’t a group-study in place to help each other breakdown the blueprint of the exam, and to encourage and motivate each other through out this challenge.

My clinical instructor and I had high self-esteem and underestimated the test and sure enough, we FAILED IT. I came out from the test devastated, not only because I failed to accomplish my goals, but also because I knew that I don’t have what it takes, I don’t have the knowledge to be the best advocate for my patients population.

For the following year, CPHON became an obsession. I broke down the blueprint of the exam right after I failed it; I wrote down a plan and a study strategy over three months as well. The following year no one applied to the test but me, I think the reason being is that everyone thought it’s hard to accomplish since our clinical instructor failed the test, and it’s a waste of money since the hospital will not reimburse you for failed attempts.

Yet, I was determined! Three months out, I started my preparation and kid you not, it was hard, emotional, and frustrating at times, because I was the only one going through that. I knew I was doing the right thing not just for the patients and myself, but also for my colleagues. I wanted to show them that this is attainable and it should be the standard that they must look up to.

Woohoo!

I attained my goal and got my CPHON in November of 2012, I was the 4th CPHON in Lebanon and there was around 1000 CPHONs around the world.

Certified Pediatric Hematology Oncology Nurse CPHON® 2012

Certified Pediatric Hematology Oncology Nurse CPHON® 2012

 

Nursing Specialty Certification! WHY?

My certification gave me a lot of confidence in my nursing practice. I felt I am able to pick up things in my practice that I couldn’t pick up before. Meaning, I had more knowledge to be proactive, work on signs and symptom management, oncology emergencies, long-term side effects, psychology of my patient’s and their family and much more. Not only my certification gave my patients more confidence in me, but also the multi-disciplinary team built more faith and trust in my practice.

My certification got me to places I never thought I would be able to go to. I won the International Nurse Scholarship award by APHON in 2013, and that was my first time to visit the United States.

APHON International Nurse Scholarship (1)

Email announcing me as the APHON International Nurse Scholarship Winner

 

APHON International Nurse Scholarship

Mohamad Younes (left), APHON Secretary Christina Baggolt

I got a promotion at my workplace, and I was sponsored to the 2013 Magnet Conference in Orlando.

Magnet Conference 2013

Magnet Conference 2013

 

 I was also accepted as a member in the editorial board of the ONCC Certification News Newsletter. I was never declined for a job position I apply to ever since I got my certification, because every employer I applied for valued specialty certification.

ONCC Certification News Newsletter

I got re-certified in 2016; the recertification application process was smooth, clear, and refreshed my knowledge.

Recertification | Certified Pediatric Hematology Oncology Nurse CPHON® 2016

Recertification | Certified Pediatric Hematology Oncology Nurse CPHON® 2016

It just came to my attention that there are only 88 CPHON/CPONs outside the United States of America (49 being from Canada), if you do the math, then there are only 39 of them distributed to the rest of the world. I believe back in Lebanon, we have at least six or seven CPHONs, but I bet that you might be the first in your country.

That really encourages me to do more to advocates for Pediatric Hematology Oncology nurses to pursue their certification because trust me, it will not only change the path of your career, it will change your whole world. Getting your certification is totally worth the effort, the money, and the time you invest in it.

I hate to use NIKE’s Slogan, but…

JUST DO IT!

 

 

If you are interested in my 10 Tips that I have used in my 3-month study-strategy to attain my CPHON status. Click the link below

My 10 Tips to Pass CPHON

 

Submit a comment down below, share your thoughts

|by Mohamad Younes, RN, BSN, CPHON®

 

RN Had NO IDEA! - He Had FAMILY At The Cancer Center

     RN Had NO IDEA! – He Had FAMILY At The Cancer Center

|by Mohamad Younes, RN, BSN, CPHON®

 

 

Two of my RN colleagues (Ali & Alison) in the Oncology Triage Team, stepped to my cubicle. Surprise!
We are having a baby shower party for you down at the lounge area at noon for you and Dr. Mantha.
I was like WOW! What? … Say that again?

Let me give you a bit of a background story about our culture and me. So I come from Lebanon, and we don’t do baby showers over there. Our tradition – after the new baby is born – we decorate our home, we bring chocolate, juice, dessert to be served for the people who will visit. We also design and order little souvenirs for family and friends to take home after they come visit us and see the baby.

So going back to Ali & Alison, I was like! Can I call my wife and ask her to come; I mean she is the one who is going to have the baby… they were like, heck yeah!

Picked up the phone, ring … ring … ring … It was 11:15, C’mon Amani – Pick up!

Me: Hey honey, my team here at the Cancer Center are throwing me and Dr. Mantha a baby shower party in 45 minutes, do you think you can come!
Me thinking (she is going to kill me, bearing in mind that my eldest “Jude” was febrile that morning and didn’t send him to school, so she is supposed to come with both my boys)
Amani: What’s a baby shower!
Me: With my little knowledge of baby showers that I have from following up on my transition specialist’s (Dennis) baby shower pictures on Facebook. I tried to explain to her the purpose and the idea behind baby showers.
Amani: Okay babe that is great! I will be there by 12:00.
Me: Oh okay, text me when you get here.

Noon Sharp.

Amani texted me, she is at the South Clinic entrance. There she was, with the boys. We all went down to the lounge area and oh man – looking through the glass window of the lounge door – the room was stacked with people.

RN Had NO IDEA! - He Had FAMILY At The Cancer Center

We stepped in and my GOD, the welcoming was phenomenal. My little one “Noah” was so shy from the attention, he was behind me grabbing my legs and sticking his face in my butt. Jude and Noah had no idea what they are walking into. Nurses, Doctors, patient care representatives, I mean everyone was there.
My wife was like – speaking in Arabic – wow Moe that’s quite a gathering. I could sense that she was blown away, we sat on a couple of free chairs, I grabbed a couple of plates and put some fruits and dessert for the boys. I had some beef, Homos paste and beans, which were delicious. Amani got some chocolate cake, ice cream, and fruits. There was a wide variety of sugary stuff, which I made sure I tasted all of them.

Lol the IRONY, I was reading an email earlier that morning, it was a reminder to consider donating blood because it has been 8 weeks from my last donation. Part of the email was explaining the benefits of donating blood, it says: “You dump 650 calories with one donation and can skip the gym”. So I guess we evened out by the end of the party.

The people at our table were so nice; they were talking to us and getting to know us. Everyone was friendly and kind; my wife loved the engagement with the team.

RN Had NO IDEA! - He Had FAMILY At The Cancer Center

Half an hour into the party Sybil – my teammate in Triage – approached us and asked me: “Do you want to open the gifts here or at home? I was like nah, we will open it here. My thinking was that there is ONE gift. Sybil started handing me gift bags, bag after bag, six, seven, eight bags, and the bags are still coming, fifteen, sixteen, still coming. Twenty-one gift bags and boxes were given to us by an amazing team, the Carle Cancer Center Team.

My wife was out of words; she was even unable to express in Arabic. Honestly, that was unexpected. The hospitality, the kindness, and the thoughtfulness of the colleagues around us were unforeseen.

RN Had NO IDEA! - He Had FAMILY At The Cancer Center

Amani was telling me few weeks back, poor this new baby, she won’t be having any gifts because there is no family and friends to visit and celebrate her arrival to this world. I guess now she knows we have plenty of family and friends out here.

Yes, yesterday I felt my family around me. I guess I’m part of a family that I didn’t know exists – The Big Family of the Carle Cancer Center.

A huge Thank You to everyone who contributed to this party. A big Thank You to the Oncology Triage Team who managed to pull this off without me even noticing. A big thank you to Jane my Triage Teammate who coordinated the whole thing. A Big Thank You to my Nurse Manager, all the Doctors, all the Nurse Practitioners, all the Patient Care Reps, Clinical Educator, IT, Environmental Services, literally everyone… GOD blesses your heart.

Amani, the boys, and I left the lounge carrying all these gift bags and boxes. Walking down the hallway from the Cancer Center to the South Clinic, we were drawing attention, we were glowing. We felt special yesterday, we really did.

Ever since we arrived to the United States 5 month ago, I have not seen Amani any happier. On top of the baby shower, she also had her Ultrasound on that day, she saw the baby sucking on her hand for full 3 minutes and the boys were standing there looking and the black and white ultrasound monitor with their eyes glazing with joy.

RN Had NO IDEA! - He Had FAMILY At The Cancer Center

When I woke up that morning getting ready to work, 9/27 was another working day, but ended up to be the Best Day in a really long time. Amani spent the rest of that evening looking at the very nice creative gift cards, holding up the baby cloth which are the cutest ever, and taking pictures of every single item that we got.

Late that night Amani was like, Moe… (pause) … Moe… (pause) … Babe … (pause) … did you sleep already!
Of course, I was pretending to be dead because it was a long day and I had to wake up early for work the next day.
Moe… (pause) … Babe … (pause) … then she slapped me on the back of my head, I was like Emmmmmmm What! (moaning)
Amani: “I like your colleagues … (pause) … you have a great team in the Cancer Center”
Me: “I know, I’ve been telling you that for 3 months now”
She said: “I know, but hearing it is one thing, living it is another”

I smiled and slept on that thought…

 

 

 

 

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|by Mohamad Younes, RN, BSN, CPHON®

 

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