The position of the Washington State Nurses Association’s (WSNA) position paper on continuing competence in nursing is that assurance of nursing competency must be a collaborative process that includes regulatory agencies, individual nurses, employers, educators, professional organizations, credentialing and certification agencies. Another WSNA position is that individual nurses are responsible for the maintenance of their own continuing competency, and that it is imperative that nurses from all specialties be actively involved in decisions about professional competence resolution within their own practice areas. Finally, the purpose of the WSNA’s position paper is to explain the position of the WSNA as it relates to the concept of continuing…show more content… First, over the last nineteen years as an emergency room registered nurse (ERRN), I’ve had many mandatory and optional continuing competence opportunities. For example, to work as an ERRN, basic life support (BLS), advanced cardiac life support (ACLS), and pediatric advance life support (PALS) are mandatory certifications needed to work in the ER. However, trauma nursing core course (TNCC) and certification in emergency nursing (CEN) are optional certifications to work in the ER. Second, I’ve worked with some nurses that would only meet the minimal requirements and would never go beyond what’s required to work in the ER. For example, some nurses would absolutely refuse to try to get emergency nursing certification because certification was not required and certification did not increase hourly pay. Third, does meeting the minimal standards make a nurse less competent than a nurse that exceeds the competency requirements? In fact, the participation in continuing competency does…show more content… In my nursing career, I’ve made sure that my competencies were up to date and relevant to emergency nursing. In addition, as an ERRN, I’ve constantly looked for any seminar, any lecture, or any quality emergency educational experience that would enhance my nursing practice. Furthermore, it is imperative that nurses do everything possible to practice current, evidence-base, safe nursing, and, that entails practicing continuing competence. Moreover, I chose this position paper to analyze because I’ve always promoted continuing competence for registered nurses. For example, in every ER where I’ve worked, it was my goal to get as many ERRN’s interested in obtaining their CEN certification. Also, I remember a particular time in Las Vegas when I had tried to get another ERRN to obtain his PALS certification, he declined because we worked in the adult ER and PALS was not required. However, when coveted ER contracts were offered at another Las Vegas ER, that treated pediatric and adult patients, I was hired and he did not get one of the coveted positions because PALS was required for the position. He subsequently told me that I was correct when I told him to stay on top of his competencies and identify needs for additional knowledge, skills, and personal growth.