How To Keep Track of Your Nursing Credentials

The more experienced and varied your nursing career becomes, the harder it seems to be to keep track of all of your important licensing and credential documentation. And don’t even get me started on trying to keep track of expiration date! If you are like me, you’ve tried everything from 3-inch thick binders to cumbersome spreadsheets. Thankfully, mobile app developers have taken the initiative to create tools that make it easy to manage credentials, due dates, and other important records. Here are a few tools that will allow you to keep your focus on saving lives and not paperwork.

Nurse Backpack – If you have been a travel nurse long enough, there was probably a time where you kept all of your important documents in an actual backpack or maybe a box and carried it around with you in the trunk of your car. Now, there is a slick mobile app, called Nurse Backpack that stores all of your important licensing and nursing certifications in the cloud. I don’t know which cloud it is, but look to the sky, and you will probably see it! In seriousness, Nurse Backpack allows you to manage everything important to your career in one place. Imagine being able to upload all of your documents with your phone, easily share them with your recruiter or hiring manager, and even receive a notification on anything with an expiration or due date. Nurse Backpack is available for Android or iPhone.

CertAlert+ – Another mobile app that takes the hassle out of keeping track of your credential information is CertAlert+. Users can take and store photos of licenses and certifications, set up alerts for expiration dates, export licensing information to your email for easy distribution, and seamless access to online certification and recertification courses. CertAlert+ is also available for both Android and iPhone.

Add Reminders – While not a standalone app like the previous two we covered, Add Reminders is a quick and easy “Add-on” that can be used with Google Spreadsheets. You can create a Google sheet listing all of your credential and license information with a column containing renewal due dates. Then, download the free Add Reminders feature. Once finished, you will see the Add Reminders button on your spreadsheet with an easy to use “setup” to control when and how you receive reminders about the important dates. For an easy, step-by-step tutorial, please visit here.

Countdown+ – If you are looking for a simple tool to keep track of your renewal dates and other important date-related information, you may want to try Countdown+. This mobile app contains a fresh and fun interface that allows you to customize how different events are displayed and generates auto reminders as the date approaches to keep you ahead of the game. You will still have to keep your hardcopy documents in a safe, accessible place, but never again have to worry that you will miss an expiration date! Countdown+ is available for Android and iPhone.

How do you maintain your expiration/renewal dates for important nursing documentation?Have you ever missed out on a plum travel assignment because you didn’t have an active credential? Share your tips and ideas in the comment section below or visit us at our Facebook Page.