[November 19, 2014]

Dr. Karen Plaus Receives Credentialing Industry Leadership Award from Institute for Credentialing Excellence

The Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE) presented The Credentialing Industry Leadership Award to Dr. Karen Plaus, chief executive officer of the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA) on November 13, 2014 at the ICE Exchange in San Antonio, Texas. ICE is the leading non-profit organization dedicated to providing educational, networking and advocacy resources for the credentialing community. The Credentialing Industry Leadership Award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated innovative leadership in the field of credentialing and/or licensure by developing, implementing, and researching programs or practices.

"I am humbled and honored to be the recipient of this year's ICE leadership award. Throughout my career in credentialing, ICE and the colleagues with whom I have been associated, have played a significant role in my accomplishments. Our passion for advancing continuing competency and the promotion of public safety is exemplified in our credentialing programs. I would like to thank those individuals who nominated me and the ICE Board, for this honor," said Dr. Plaus.

Dr. Plaus is currently leading the NBCRNA, the certifying and recertifying body for nurse anesthetists, through a transformation of recertification practices for the field of nurse anesthesia. The NBCRNA introduced the proposed Continued Professional Certification (CPC (News - Alert)) Program in 2011 to modernize the profession's recertification program. The new program will go into effect in 2016.

Dr. Plaus' distinguished career in the field of certification reserch and implementation is notable for many reasons. She currently serves as Secretary/Treasurer for the Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification (ABSNC). Dr. Plaus has been a member of the ICE Research Committee since 2011, and has served as Chair for several task forces related to recertification and continuing competence. Previously, as a Commissioner for the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) from 1996-2002, Dr. Plaus led the task force that researched and wrote new NCCA standards on recertification. As Chairman of the NCCA (2001-2002), she oversaw the successful implementation of those new standards.

Dr. Plaus has held numerous leadership roles in the profession of nurse anesthesia. As Chair of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) Council on Certification (1992-1995) and Council on Recertification (2005-2006), Dr. Plaus was involved in overseeing the accreditation and certification processes for nurse anesthetists. In 2007, the Council on Certification of Nurse Anesthetists (CCNA) and the Council on Recertification of Nurse Anesthetists (COR) incorporated as NBCRNA, and Dr. Plaus became the executive director. Her interest in contributing to certification research led to the participation of the NBCRNA in a program of research into continuing competence and benchmarking.

Dr. Plaus' teaching career began as a clinical and classroom instructor at Wayne State University School of Anesthesia. She served as the Associate Program Director (1993-1997) for the Henry Ford Hospital University of Detroit/Mercy Program of Nurse Anesthesia and later joined the William Beaumont Hospital/Oakland University as Assistant Director of Education Anesthesia & PACU (1997-1998) and then as the Director for the Graduate Program of Nurse Anesthesia and Perioperative Services Education and Research (1998-2006). During her academic career, Dr. Plaus was the recipient of the John F. Garde Award for Teaching Excellence (1981 and 1991), the Helen Lamb Award Outstanding Educator Award-AANA (2002), and the Dannemiller Memorial CRNA Award Educator of the Year (2003).

About the National Board for the Certification and Recertification of Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA)

The National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA) is a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to promoting patient safety by enhancing provider quality in the field of nurse anesthesia. We accomplish our mission through the development and implementation of credentialing programs that support lifelong learning among nurse anesthetists.

About the Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE)

The Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE) advances credentialing through education, standards, research, and advocacy to ensure competence across professions and occupations. ICE's accrediting body, the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), evaluates certification organizations for compliance with the NCCA Standards for the Accreditation of Certification Programs. ICE is accredited by the American National Standards Institute as a Standards Developer.

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