CRM (or CRA)//Nuclear Information and Records Specialist (NS)

About the Nuclear Information and Records Specialist (CRM/NS or CRA/NS)

The Institute of Certified Records Managers (ICRM) and the Nuclear Information and Records Management Association (NIRMA) established a formal relationship in 1990 to develop and evaluate an advanced module to the Certified Records Manager (CRM) certification. The concept was to develop an industry specific examination module, the nuclear energy industry in this case. The ICRM evaluated the request and determined that an advanced certification was appropriate and was established around the high rigor requirements of the nuclear industry (governmental and commercial). In 2018, this specialty designation was made available to Certified Records Analysts (CRA) in addition to Certified Records Managers (CRM).

NIRMA’s Professional Certification Committee (PCC) which is a part of the Professional Development Business Unit (PDBU) develops and maintains the NS Post-Certification Specialty Designation examination content. ICRM administers the testing through online proctoring. NIRMA’s PCC oversees the examination outline management, examination question development, and question management. Each member of the PCC is a CRM or CRA in good standing and has achieved the Nuclear Specialist designation.

The CRM/NS (or CRA/NS) designation is one of two post-certification specialty designations sanctioned by the ICRM. The other specialty designation is the CRM/Federal Specialist. From the early determination and the establishment of the advanced module, more than 30 CRMs and CRAs have achieved the post certification specialty designation of NS with 6 currently active. The current roster of individuals holding CRA/NS or CRM/NS certifications may be found here. These individuals are entitled to use the designator CRM/NS or CRA/NS as a professional indication of advanced certification.

Acronyms

For a CRM/NS Acronym List, click here.

Key Terms

Key terms are available as an additional exam preparation study aid.  To use, click here to download the file.  

Application

Any NIRMA member who is a CRM or CRA in good standing may apply to sit for the NS examination. NIRMA’s Administrator of PDBU PCC reviews the candidate application to assure appropriate four years of experience in the nuclear field has been achieved and provides approved NS candidates with a study guide for the examination. The ICRM administers the 100 question NS examination through online proctoring in the same manner as CRA and CRM testing. CRM or CRA candidates who wish to apply for the NS examination must first complete ICRM certification and maintain membership in NIRMA.

To learn more about applying for the Nuclear Information and Records Specialist designation, click here.

Certificates for CRM/NS or CRA/NS

Certificates to recognize the NS specialty designation are issued under the signatures of the ICRM and NIRMA presidents. For recipients who attend NIRMA’s annual symposium, a professionally framed certificate is presented during the annual business meeting. Individuals holding CRM/NS or CRA/NS designations become members of NIRMA’s PCC. There are certification maintenance requirements to maintain the NS designation just as there are to maintain CRM and CRA certification. Serving on the PCC and assisting with test writing qualifies for maintenance credits. Failure to maintain both ICRM certification and NIRMA membership results in the loss of the Nuclear Specialist certification. CRM/NS and CRA/NS who are decertified may no longer utilize the designation.

Preparation Workshops

Please click here: https://www.icrm.org/CRA-CRM-workshops to find out the latest information on ICRM-led Exam Prep Workshops or those held in collaboration with strategic partners (ARMA regions and chapter, industry-specific associations and RIM organizations).

Contacts

For more information, please contact:

Denise L Pickett, CRM/NS/FED, IGP
Administrator, PDBU Professional Certification Committee (PCC)
Parkland Health
Phone: 1-803-270-0996 (Cell)
E-mail: denise.pickett@phhs.org

Jessica Jones, CRM 
Director, Professional Development Business Unit
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
E-mail: jljones22@tva.gov