The IHI CPPS™ Scholarship Program for Nurses:
Advancing Equity in Safety Certification
Supported by Medtronic
Program Overview
Through the generous support of Medtronic, in recognition of the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife, sixty scholarships for Black nurses, Indigenous nurses, and nurses of color were made available for the Certified Professional in Patient SafetyTM (CPPS) credentialing program. The majority of the scholarship spots were filled in 2020 and the remaining seventeen will be filled this year. Each scholarship will include access to the online CPPS review course, the CPPS practice exam, and the CPPS credentialing exam. The CPPS program establishes core standards for the field of patient safety, benchmarks requirements necessary for health care professionals, and sets an expected proficiency level. This credential is awarded through a thorough examination covering five patient safety domains. To date, more than 3,000 professionals have earned the CPPS credential, representing all 50 US states and 20 countries. The majority of certificants are nurses or have a nursing background.
IHI and Medtronic recognize the essential role that certified nurses play in advancing practice and organizational excellence. We established this scholarship program to eliminate a key barrier — lack of organizational funding — that prevents deserving nurses from becoming certified and advancing their career and practice in safety.
This second call for applications opens August 1 and closes on September 30 at 11:59 PM ET. All scholarship decisions will be communicated by November 1. Scholarship recipients will have through April 30, 2022 to sit for the CPPS certification exam.
What is CPPS Certification?
The CPPS is earned by professionals who have demonstrated a high level of proficiency in the core standards of patient safety. This credential is awarded through a thorough examination covering five patient safety domains:
- Culture
- Leadership
- Patient Safety Risks and Solutions
- Measuring and Improving Performance
- Systems Thinking and Design / Human Factors
Who Should Apply?
Black nurses, Indigenous nurses, and nurses of color for whom patient safety is an integral component of their current or future professional responsibilities are encouraged to apply. Applicants must also possess academic and professional experience at one of the following levels:
- Baccalaureate degree or higher, plus three years of experience (includes time spent in clinical rotations and residency programs) in a health care setting or with a provider of services to the health care industry
OR
- Associate degree or equivalent plus five years of experience (includes time
spent in clinical rotations) in a health care setting or with a provider of services to the health care industry
More information on the CPPS credentialing program is available at www.ihi.org/cpps.
How to Apply
Applicants will be expected to complete an application and submit all materials including:
- Contact and organizational application form (Section I)
- Resume or curriculum vitae (Section II)
- Personal statement (Section III)
- Letter of organizational support (Section IV)
- At least one letter of reference (Section V)
Selection Criteria
- Prior training and experience and/or demonstrated interest in developing and implementing patient safety initiatives
- Statement of the applicant’s personal and/or career goals and how the CPPS certification will support them and their organization
- Professional reference from a peer or supervisor with personal knowledge of an applicant’s leadership abilities and knowledge of the applicants grasp of the fundamentals of patient safety
- Letter of support from a supervisor or representative of organization’s leadership demonstrating commitment to the applicant’s career development and growth
- An organizational and personal commitment to workforce and patient equity
- Applicant is a Black nurse, Indigenous nurse, or nurse of color
- Demonstration of organizational and/or personal need
Scholarship
Scholarships will be awarded through a thorough application and review process. The application will include a personal statement as well as a letter of organizational or leadership support. A panel of expert reviewers that includes key thought leaders from nursing as well as those who have been on the forefront of advancing care and equity. This scholarship will be open to black nurses and nurses of color across the continuum of care.
Scholarship includes:
- Access to the Online CPPS Review Course
- Access to the CPPS Practice Exam
- One-time opportunity to sit for the CPPS credentialing exam
Submission Deadline
September 30, 2021 at 11:59 PM ET
Scholarship decisions will be communicated to all applicants on or before November 1, 2021. Scholarship recipients will have through April 30, 2022 to complete the program.