The Breast Navigator Certification Program is a certification that has been developed by a peer review team of the National Consortium of Breast Centers (NCBC). The purpose of this certification is to set standards of achievement in the professional's role; enhance patient safety, quality of care and delivery of services; and recognize professionals who advance beyond basic knowledge in a field of specialty.
NCBC Navigators understand the importance of knowing their patient to best assess their needs and identify barriers. A 3-tier approach to gathering information from the past, present and future is essential to standardized care. Once barriers and strengths are identified provide the patient medical and emotional care. Items included are related to your scope of practice, referral to other navigators in the fields of identified needs, and assistance to transfer care as needed. Empower the patient by letting them know that there is a team of people ready to support and assist them. This is the See me, Attend my needs, Light my way approach to navigation.
NCBC Navigator Certification now offers complementary but unique identifiers for the full spectrum of Navigation!
BHCN = Breast Health Clinical Navigator (All Licensed healthcare professionals (i.e., nurses, technologists) – this test was previously the CN-BN, CN-BI, CN-BP, and CN-BC)
CN-BM = Certified Navigator Breast Management (Social Workers and Managers of Navigators)
CN-BA = Certified Navigator Breast Advocate (Volunteer/Lay Navigators)
It is hoped that individuals who wish to be certified are currently navigating breast patients as part of their job, and are familiar with many, if not all, aspects of navigation for a breast care/cancer patient. Although experience is not a condition of certification eligibility, the beta testing results to date have revealed that experience has a direct correlation to the level of success of taking the certification examination.