title: Path to bariatric nurse certification: the practice analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In 2005, the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) nursing membership embarked on a journey to develop a specialty certification program for nurses caring for morbidly obese and bariatric surgical patients. In keeping with the certification industry best practices, a practice analysis study was conducted to create an empirically sound foundation for the new nursing specialty certification examination.
  
  
  METHODS
  Task force meetings, subject-matter expert interviews, and an external review process were implemented to create a definition of the specialty in terms of 4 domains of practice, 45 nursing tasks, and 54 knowledge areas. The definition encompassed the work of bariatric nurse coordinators, bariatric program directors, and floor nurses caring for morbidly obese and bariatric surgical patients. A survey was administered to 1084 nurses practicing in the specialty to validate the domains, tasks, and knowledge.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Some differences in the time spent in each of the domains and tasks were noted for the survey respondents in the different job roles. Nevertheless, the respondents for all job roles rated the domains and tasks moderately or highly important in optimizing the outcomes for morbidly obese and bariatric surgery patients. In addition, most respondents agreed that the 54 knowledge areas were acquired during the first 2 years of practice in the specialty.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The survey results validated a specialized body of nursing knowledge rooted in the tasks that define professional practice. The results are being used to guide the development of a certification program for nurses practicing in the specialty and to provide guidance for education and training initiatives.
authors.affiliation: Citizen's Medical Center, Victoria, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Nanette K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.forename: Jamie J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Carr
authors.forename: Janelle
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Erickson
authors.forename: William F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Gourash
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Muenzen
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Smolenak
authors.forename: Christine G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Tea
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Thomas
mesh_terms: D050110:Bariatric Surgery / Q000193:education / Q000451:nursing*; D002568:Certification / Q000379:methods*; D004506:Education, Nursing / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D009720:Nurse Clinicians / Q000193:education* / Q000592:standards; D009722:Nurse Practitioners / Q000193:education* / Q000592:standards; D009765:Obesity / Q000451:nursing* / Q000601:surgery; D014481:United States