The Nation's First Patient Safety Credential: The Certified Patient Safety Officer (CPSO) Celebrates Fifth-Year Anniversary

HELENA, Ala., June 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Board for Certification of Safety Managers, a not-for-profit professional credentialing organization, is pleased to announce the five-year anniversary of the Certified Patient Safety Officer (CPSO) credential. The CPSO credential, launched in 2006, holds the distinction of being the nation's "first professional" certification in the emerging and growing discipline of the patient safety credential.  

The Board believes that the CPSO credential fills a vital need for a "practical but professional" certification in patient safety. The CPSO credential would be appropriate for any healthcare professional leading or coordinating patient safety innovation. The CPSO designation would also be appropriate for individuals serving as consultants or advocates in patient safety. The CPSO program does not wish to compete with the excellent credentials available in areas of healthcare risk management or healthcare quality. However, CPSO professionals can play a strong role in promoting patient safety as a "distinct" discipline within healthcare organizations. They can also promote patient safety as a key subsystem of an organization's total safety system. Patient safety must always be considered as organizational function and not "just" another written program.

The CPSO exam addresses five broad knowledge areas or competencies: (1) Patient Safety Fundamentals and Information, (2) Patient Safety Processes, Tools, and Methodologies, (3) Patient Safety Risks and Best Practices, (4) Patient Safety Related Organizations and Standards, and (5) Patient Safety Related Research and Innovation. Over the years, the challenging CPSO exam has proven to be a very reliable instrument to determine a candidate's competency for certification in the area of patient safety. To be designated as a CPSO Exam Candidate, an applicant must document a total of eight (8) years of education and experience combined. An applicant must document two years of relevant experience in a patient safety related position. Each applicant must provide two Reference Evaluations from persons aware of their qualifications and fitness for certification.  

To celebrate the CPSO program's five-year anniversary, the Board will waive the CPSO Application Fee for those applying for CPSO certification during the period of July 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011. However, each applicant approved as a "CPSO Candidate" must pay the current Exam Fee before the test can be administered. For additional information or to discuss other certification opportunities in healthcare safety or emergency management, contact James Tweedy, Executive Director at [email protected]. The International Board has issued almost 8,000 safety-related credentials since 1976. More than 3,500 of those credentials have been in the areas of healthcare safety, healthcare emergency management, and patient safety.

Contact: James T. Tweedy, M.S., CHSP, CPSO, CHEP
Executive Director, Int'l Board for Certification of Safety Managers (AKA: BCHCM)
173 Tucker Road, Suite 202, P.O. Box 515, Helena, Alabama 35080
General Website Information: http://www.chcm-chsp.org
Email requests and questions: [email protected]
Phone: 205-664-8412 or Fax: 205-663-9541

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SOURCE International Board for Certification of Safety Managers