Certified Nurses Continue to Inspire, Be Inspired

The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) joins hospitals and healthcare organizations to celebrate and recognize certified nurses for their professionalism, leadership and commitment to excellence in the care of patients and families as part of Certified Nurses Day, Thursday, March 19.

As healthcare becomes increasingly complex and challenging, the value of nursing certification as a mark of excellence is more important than ever. Achieving certification demonstrates to patients, employers and the public that a nurse’s knowledge reflects national standards and a strong personal commitment to patient safety. 

In honor of this year’s national celebration of certified nurses, AACN asked several critical care and progressive care nurses to describe how certification inspires their practice:

• “Being certified gives my sense of confidence an extra boost. It makes me proud knowing that all the hard work I did has paid off. Certified nurses truly inspire me. They make me believe that I am not alone in the journey to achieving nursing excellence. My wish for certified nurses is that we continue to inspire others to be the best nurses they can be. We may not always be able to influence them to make nursing certification one of their goals (for one reason or another), but we can always guide them to be the best version of themselves,” said Justine Ansaldo, BSN, RN, CCRN, PCCN-CMC, Henderson Hospital, Nevada.
• “Being certified makes me feel wonderful knowing I can serve my patients at greater capacity effectively and confidently. Certified nurses inspire me to Do More, Learn More, and Share More with my patients and their families. My wish for certified nurses is that ALL nurses be inspired to learn more and become certified in their area(s) of expertise to improve patient outcomes! I also wish that more facilities would discover the importance of being a nurse becoming certified and encourage more nurse certifications in their facilities,” said Kendra Armstrong, MSN, RN, ACNPC-AG, PCCN, Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, Albany, Georgia.
• “When I am introduced to a new nurse, and their resume says CCRN, I know they will most likely be a great fit. It stands for something. I feel like all critical care units should require it and healthcare organizations should support it and provide the compensation it deserves. I am proud and passionate to be a CCRN and I will never give it up,” said Lisa Ayers, BSN, RN, CCRN-CSC-CMC, Mercy General Hospital, Sacramento, California.
• “Being certified makes me feel good about my profession and helps me boost my confidence, knowing that I have verified my skills and kept up-to-date on new evidence-based practice and research. I have always been inspired by certified nurses because they always show a vast amount of knowledge, skills and professionalism. I also want to thank all my preceptors who are certified as well. I told myself when I was still new that I want to grow in the nursing profession just like them,” said Michael A. San Juan, BSN, RN, PCCN, CCRN, Christiana Hospital Newark, Delaware. 

According to the American Board of Nursing Specialties, more than 750,000 nurses in the United States and Canada hold certifications. These certifications were granted by 28 certifying organizations and represent 144 different credentials.

Currently, more than 120,000 acute and critical care nurses hold AACN Certification Corporation credentials: CCRN, CCRN-K, CCRN-E, PCCN, PCCN-K, ACNPC, ACNPC-AG, CCNS, ACCNS-AG, ACCNS-P, ACCNS-N, CMC and CSC.

Certified Nurses Day, an annual worldwide event, is dedicated to celebrating certification as a means to help ensure high standards of patient care and to promote continuing excellence in the nursing profession. Initially proposed by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, the day honors the birthday of the late Margretta “Gretta” Madden Styles, an international pioneer in nursing certification and longtime friend of AACN and AACN Certification Corporation. Styles designed the first comprehensive study of nurse credentialing. 

For more information about Certified Nurses Day, visit www.aacn.org/certnursesday.

About AACN Certification Corporation: AACN Certification Corporation, the credentialing arm of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, drives patient health and safety through comprehensive credentialing of acute and critical care nurses, ensuring practice consistent with standards of excellence. Since 1976, AACN Certification Corporation has granted more than 120,000 nursing certifications.

About the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses: For more than 50 years, the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) has been dedicated to acute and critical care nursing excellence. The organization’s vision is to create a healthcare system driven by the needs of patients and their families in which acute and critical care nurses make their optimal contribution. AACN is the world’s largest specialty nursing organization, with more than 120,000 members and over 200 chapters in the United States.

American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, 27071 Aliso Creek Road, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656;

949-362-2000; www.aacn.org; facebook.com/aacnface; twitter.com/aacnme

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