How To Prepare For Your National Healthcare Disaster Certification

There are few fields as high stakes as nursing. When a person's life is on the line, the nurses surrounding them can make all the difference. Of course, many nurses face this kind of demanding work daily. When a disaster strikes, though, healthcare professionals can be quickly overwhelmed by the influx of emergency care needed. Those trained in disaster mitigation, preparedness, and response are especially valuable in such circumstances. For this reason, the National Healthcare Disaster Certification was developed.

What is the National Healthcare Disaster Certification?

Created by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, or ANCC, the National Healthcare Disaster Certification is designed to gauge a person's professional readiness for a disaster cycle. It helps to ensure that first responders, healthcare professionals and emergency staff have the training and knowledge necessary to act in times of pressure. The first interprofessional certification created to test the application of emergency-based skills and strategies in a disaster situation.

In order to sit for this exam, candidates must first be certified physicians, registered nurses, Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN), emergency medical technicians, paramedics or other healthcare professional. They must have experience handling emergencies, be it in a disaster exercise or in real-world situations. Certification from FEMA for the completion of their four emergency management courses is also required.

Why Get Certified?

The National Healthcare Disaster Certification is a great way to prove that you're ready for whatever might come through the door. It shows that you've got the advanced knowledge, experience skill level necessary to handle emergency situations. Both employers and the public at large will rest assured knowing that you've mastered the theories and practice behind emergency management.

The certification requires candidates to stay abreast with the latest skills, strategies, and tools necessary in emergencies. The recertification process aims to prepare candidates for a lifetime of learning. Because emergency preparedness training evolves so quickly, it's important for those certified to stay on top of the changes in the field. This commitment to maintaining one's knowledge of disaster healthcare can help you stand out from other job applicants.

First Steps

If you're interested in getting your National Healthcare Disaster Certification, make sure you're indeed eligible for the exam. To sign up for the exam, you'll need at least three years of disaster experience within the last decade. Registered nurses, APRN, doctors, EMTs and other healthcare professionals are all generally eligible to take the exam, so long as they are certified in their field

You'll also need documentation of your participation in an emergency that required an emergency operations plan in the last 24 months. Completion of a full-scale disaster exercise also satisfies this requirement. Finally, you must have completed four FEMA emergency management courses, including Introduction to Incident Command System, National Incident Management System, and National Response Framework classes.

Preparing for the Exam

After you've determined your eligibility, sign up for the National Healthcare Disaster Certification on the American Nurses Association website. Next comes test prep. While you might be tempted to go into the exam with just your experience to work from, it's a good idea to study and take practice tests. Because the exam is pass or fail, there's little margin for error, and you can only retake the test once every 60 days – and only three times annually. You won't want to shell out for the expensive retake fees, either!

Instead, take control of your success with Exam Edge's practice tests. Our resources allow you to sit for a practice version of the NHDC exam, giving you insight into the kinds of questions you'll face, the pacing of the test and the areas to which you need to pay closer attention. Because you can pause our tests at any time, you can practice at your own speed and create thorough study guides to reflect any subject area with which you're struggling.

Even better, our results come back instantly, giving you in-depth explanations for correct answers to help inform your studying. Buy a bundle of exams to ensure all of your bases are covered. With enough practice, you'll walk into the real test confident in your ability to ace the exam!

Start Your Free Sample Test Now

Exam Edge offers free sample practice tests to all users interested in preparing for the National Healthcare Disaster Certification. Because our exams are available online, 24 hours a day, you can begin your test prep anytime you'd like. Take advantage of our free sample to get a taste of just how helpful Exam Edge can be for your studies. While you might not be able to predict the disasters that lie ahead, with the right amount of preparation, you'll be ready for anything! Get instant access to practice tests on our site and begin your studying today!