Pam Meredith, RN, NP
The American Nurses Credentialing Center has set aside March 19 as Certified Nurses Day so nurses certified in their specialties can be honored for their accomplishments.
Why March 19? That day happens to be the birthday of Margretta "Gretta" Madden Styles, known as the mother of nurse credentialing.
I recently learned about Certified Nurses Day from Joanne Gucciardo, RN, MSN, NE-BC, director of professional practice at Inova Alexandria Hospital in Alexandria, Va.
Inova Alexandria makes sure its certified nurses know they are special by recognizing them for their achievement. Gucciardo says whenever a nurse becomes certified, he or she receives congratulations from the hospital's administrative team, whose members go to the unit to present the nurse with a lab coat embroidered with "Board Certified RN" on the pocket. On March 19, the facility will give each of its certified RNs a gift and will honor them with a Certified Nurses Day celebration that includes a program with a speaker, followed by a reception.
Why would nurses want to become certified? There are many reasons, according to the National Organization for Competency Assurance.
NOCA says certification affirms a knowledge and experience base for practitioners in a particular field, their employers, and the public. It also represents a declaration of an individual's professional competence. NOCA identifies the benefits of certification as —
• Higher wages for employees in the form of bonuses, education assistance, or higher salary
• A more productive and highly trained workforce for employers
• Prestige for the individual and a competitive advantage over non-certified individuals in the same field
• Enhanced employment opportunities
• Assisting employers in making more informed hiring decisions
• Assisting consumers in making informed decisions about qualified providers
• Protection of the general public from incompetent and unfit practitioners
• Establishment of a professional standard for individuals in a particular field
At a time when policymakers, legislators, and the public are looking for improvements in healthcare quality, a critical element begins with the nurse who delivers direct care to patients. Nurses who achieve certification have proved themselves, having met the highest standards through intensive study and rigorous examination. One by one, these nurses are raising the standards and providing better outcomes in patient health.
As nurses, let's all recognize and celebrate our certified colleagues, not only March 19, but every day. They certainly deserve our respect and applause for what they have achieved and how they are contributing to the advancement of our profession.
Pam Meredith is editorial director for the DC/Maryland/Virginia edition of Nursing Spectrum.
Editor's note: Are you celebrating Certified Nurses Day? Tell me how certified nurses are being recognized at your facility by sending an e-mail to pmeredith@gannetthg.com.
For more about Certified Nurses Day, visit www.CertifiedNursesDay.org.
To comment, e-mail editorDC@nursingspectrum.com.
Why March 19? That day happens to be the birthday of Margretta "Gretta" Madden Styles, known as the mother of nurse credentialing.
I recently learned about Certified Nurses Day from Joanne Gucciardo, RN, MSN, NE-BC, director of professional practice at Inova Alexandria Hospital in Alexandria, Va.
Inova Alexandria makes sure its certified nurses know they are special by recognizing them for their achievement. Gucciardo says whenever a nurse becomes certified, he or she receives congratulations from the hospital's administrative team, whose members go to the unit to present the nurse with a lab coat embroidered with "Board Certified RN" on the pocket. On March 19, the facility will give each of its certified RNs a gift and will honor them with a Certified Nurses Day celebration that includes a program with a speaker, followed by a reception.
Why would nurses want to become certified? There are many reasons, according to the National Organization for Competency Assurance.
NOCA says certification affirms a knowledge and experience base for practitioners in a particular field, their employers, and the public. It also represents a declaration of an individual's professional competence. NOCA identifies the benefits of certification as —
• Higher wages for employees in the form of bonuses, education assistance, or higher salary
• A more productive and highly trained workforce for employers
• Prestige for the individual and a competitive advantage over non-certified individuals in the same field
• Enhanced employment opportunities
• Assisting employers in making more informed hiring decisions
• Assisting consumers in making informed decisions about qualified providers
• Protection of the general public from incompetent and unfit practitioners
• Establishment of a professional standard for individuals in a particular field
At a time when policymakers, legislators, and the public are looking for improvements in healthcare quality, a critical element begins with the nurse who delivers direct care to patients. Nurses who achieve certification have proved themselves, having met the highest standards through intensive study and rigorous examination. One by one, these nurses are raising the standards and providing better outcomes in patient health.
As nurses, let's all recognize and celebrate our certified colleagues, not only March 19, but every day. They certainly deserve our respect and applause for what they have achieved and how they are contributing to the advancement of our profession.
Pam Meredith is editorial director for the DC/Maryland/Virginia edition of Nursing Spectrum.
Editor's note: Are you celebrating Certified Nurses Day? Tell me how certified nurses are being recognized at your facility by sending an e-mail to pmeredith@gannetthg.com.
For more about Certified Nurses Day, visit www.CertifiedNursesDay.org.
To comment, e-mail editorDC@nursingspectrum.com.
