Earn Your Certified Surgical Services Manager Credential

Earn your Certified Surgical Services Manager (CSSM) Credential, through CCI, and show that you have achieved a standard of excellence for your profession. The CSSM certification program is for perioperative leaders interested in improving and validating their managerial knowledge and skills to advance the performance of their surgical services department.

Application and Candidate Handbook

  1. Meet eligibility requirements, listed below
  2. Complete online application and pay fee
  3. Pass the CSSM exam

To be eligible to apply for the CSSM exam, candidates must meet the following requirements at the time of application. Candidates do NOT need to be CNOR certified. Perioperative Management Coursework Requirement (within the past 2 years):

 

  Minimum Academic Degree Employment Management Coursework
CNOR Certified RN BA/BS Minimum of 2 years and 2,400 hours of surgical services management experience 30 contact hours of domain specific content
Non-CNOR Certified RN BA/BS Minimum of 4 years and 4,800 hours of surgical services management experience 50 contact hours of domain specific content

 

Management Coursework

Candidates must have completed a minimum of 30 continuing education contact hours depending on CNOR certification status in the two years prior to application. Coursework must be in one or more of the subject areas/domains covered on the CSSM exam, including:

  • Strategic Management
  • Operational Management
  • Financial Management
  • Leadership
  • Professionalism
  • Communication & Relationship Management
  • Human Resource Management

Sources for surgical services management coursework include CCI's Fundamentals of OR Management. 

 

CSSM is for professionals who work in the surgical services department in a managerial role. Professionals with the following titles are all eligible to take the exam: director, assistant director, manager, assistant manager, supervisor, coordinator, team leader, service line leader, charge nurse. This is not an all exclusive list of eligible titles.

Required Reference:

  • AORN Guidelines for Perioperative Practice

Highly Recommended:

  • Alexander's Care of the Patient in Surgery, Jane Rothrock, 15th edition, Mosby, Elsevier, 2015.
  • Berry and Kohn's Operating Room Technique, Mancymarie Phippips, 12th edition, Mosby Elsevier, 2013.
  • Economics and Financial Management for Nurses and Nurse Leaders, Susan J. Penner, 2nd edition, Springer Publishing Company, 2013.
  • Financial Management for Nurse Managers and Executives, Steven A. Finkler, Christine T. Kovner, Cheryl B. Jones, 3rd edition, 2007.
  • Operating Room Leadership and Management, Alan Kay, Charles Fox and Richard Urman, Cambridge University Press, 2012.

CCI Resources

The CSSM credential is valid for 3 years.  Your credential will expire on December 31st of the third year. The CSSM credential has a shorter time frame than the CNOR, CRNFA and CNS-CP credentials reflecting the fast pace of change in the surgical services arena.

CCI needs a minimum number of candidates to take the inaugural CSSM exam. Learn more about deadlines and fees from CCI's website.

Candidates will take the exam at a Prometric testing center. Prometric is a professional testing service agency with over 300 locations nationwide. Once your CSSM application is processed and approved, CCI will email you instructions on how to schedule a testing appointment convenient for you.