Position Statements

As healthcare has become more complex, it is increasingly vital to assure the public that healthcare professionals are competent. Individual state professional healthcare licensure measures entry-level competence only; and, in so doing, provides the legal authority for an individual to practice within their area of expertise. It is the minimum professional practice standard.

Certification, on the other hand, is a formal recognition that validates proficiency in knowledge, experience, skills, and clinical judgment within a specific healthcare specialty; and, as such, is reflective of a more stringent professional practice standard. It affirms expertise beyond basic licensure.

The Universal Life Care Planner Certification Board is a separately incorporated entity that facilitates consumer health and safety through credentialing/certification of licensed healthcare professionals. It ensures that an individual’s practice is consistent with established standards of excellence in life care planning.

Similar to consumers knowing to seek out certification status within other licensed professions (e.g., dentists, pharmacists), certification within the field of life care planning (CNLCP®/CHLCP™) has become an important indicator that a healthcare professional not only holds state licensure to practice but is qualified, competent and has met rigorous requirements in the achievement of the Certified Nurse Life Care Planner (CNLCP®) and/or the Certified Health Professional Life Care Planner (CHLCP™) credential.

The policies and procedures adhered to by the Universal Life Care Planner Certification Board to construct and review items and examination forms for the CNLCP® examination and the CHLCP™ portfolio examination are psychometrically sound; and, are consistent with guidelines recommended by the American Educational Research Association, the American Psychological Association, and the National Council on Measurement in Education (AERA, APA, NCME; 2014). They are additionally coincidental with other industry measures such as: Standards for the Accreditation of Certification Programs (National Commission for Certifying Agencies, 2014) and Conformity assessment — General requirements for bodies operating certification of persons (ISO/IEC 17024).