It is my pleasure to bring you this message on behalf of the Certification Board of Commissioners.

As we enter the month of August, academic nurse educators are focused on the upcoming academic year and preparing courses for the fall semester. It is an exciting and evolving time in nursing education. Many of us are exploring the world of artificial intelligence (AI), working to educate both ourselves and our students on its benefits, applications, and limitations—while also rethinking how we assess learning in this new era.

In that context, it’s fitting that this year’s NLN Education Summit will focus on “Unraveling the Mysteries of AI.” The Summit will take place September 17–19 in Orlando, Florida. For more details, visit the NLN website. If you’re planning to attend, please join us at the Certification Reception on September 17 at 7 p.m. I hope to see you there!

Work is also progressing on the development of a new certification exam for academic nurse educators teaching in Practical Nursing (PN) or Vocational Nursing (VN) programs. We anticipate launching this new certification in 2026, so stay tuned to future issues of the NLN Certification Sentinel for updates.

You may be wondering: What does the Certification Committee do? The committee’s primary responsibility is to oversee the development of the certification exams, including item writing and test development. These activities take place annually, and we are currently seeking volunteers to serve as item writers. This is a great way to contribute to the profession and engage with the NLN community. If you’re interested, please submit your CV to Larry Simmons, senior director of credentialing.

Finally, a quick reminder: If you are due to renew your certification this year, the deadline is October 1. Be sure to log your renewal activities in your certification profile, which is user-friendly and easy to navigate. To streamline the process, gather and organize your renewal documentation ahead of time so it’s readily available when entering your information.

Thank you for your continued commitment to excellence in nursing education. Warm regards,

I hope everyone had a great summer and now it is back-to-work time for many nurse educators. It has been busy summer for the Certification Program.

We continue to work on the development of the Practical/Vocational nurse educator certification. We still are in great need of test item writers as the exam details progress. If you are a PN/VN nurse educator and are interested in becoming an item writer, please contact me at the NLN.

We are busy planning for the NLN Education Summit in Orlando, September 17-19. At the Certification Reception, we will award the Peg E. Daw NLN Certification Star Awards for certification excellence. This year, three awards will be presented: one individual award, one program award, and one lifetime dedication to certification award.

Please come to the reception if you are attending the Summit and see who wins!  The reception is in the host hotel, the Hyatt Regency, and will be on September 17 at 7 p.m. We are also celebrating the 20th anniversary of the start of the certification program. It is hard to believe that is has been 20 years!

This is also the year of my retirement. I will retire from the NLN Certification Program officially on December 31.

My 13 years as director have been wonderful years as I had the honor of guiding the program into new areas. I led the change to international testing and the development of the CNEcl, CNEn, and the CNEpv. When I took over the program, there were about 3,000 certificants. I am leaving the program with the number of certificants since inception of the program now standing at 16,000.

I am very proud of the program and the work with the Board of Commissioners throughout the years. This fall is my last Summit and my last meeting of the Board of Commissioners. There are so many people to thank.

Best regards and stay healthy.

Dr. Larry Simmons
Senior Director of Credentialing