The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) joins hospitals and healthcare organizations to recognize certified nurses for their professionalism, leadership and commitment to excellence in the care of patients and families as part of Certified Nurses Day, Friday, March 19.
The COVID-19 pandemic has reinforced the complex and challenging nature of healthcare and the valuable contributions of certified nurses. Specialty certifications reaffirm nurses’ commitment to using the best evidence to provide care for patients and families. 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:
- “Obtaining my CCRN made me a more well-rounded critical care nurse, since the exam covers multiple body systems and aspects of critical care. It served to validate all the hard work I do day in and day out.” – Alexandra Skinner, CCRN-A, ACNPC-AG, of Manassas, Virginia
- “Having my certification gives my patients additional peace of mind that they are receiving care from a qualified and knowledgeable individual. It makes me a better provider and allows me to provide more evidence-based care to my patients.” – Esther Amprofi, ACNPC-AG, of Fairburn, Georgia
- “Achieving my certification during these times was especially meaningful to me. The need for providers has increased during this pandemic, and to be able to work as one of them, taking care of patients and making a difference in people’s lives is one of my biggest rewards from becoming certified.” – Nhora Adams, ACNPC-AG, of Sebring, Florida
- “Becoming a certified critical care nurse helped me strengthen my clinical judgment. It increased the patients’ confidence in the quality of my care and increased my own confidence in the clinical setting.” – Eric J. Rusaidy, CCRN-P, of Memphis, Tennessee
- “As a clinical nurse, certification empowers me to focus on best practices. As a nurse leader, certification challenges me to innovate, advocate and foster growth within my team.” – Ryan Brandon Miller, MSN, RN, CCRN, of Wilmington, Delaware
In 2020, the American Board of Nursing Specialties (ABNS) conducted a national survey that found 75% of adults thought it was important for all nurses to have a specialty board certification in a relevant field.
According to ABNS, more than 750,000 nurses in the United States and Canada hold nursing certifications. These certifications were granted by 28 certifying organizations and represent 144 different credentials.
Currently, more than 125,000 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 125,000 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 130,000 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
