Every March 19, we honor the commitment, expertise, and achievements of Cooper’s certified nurses as we celebrate Certified Nurses Day and today is no exception!
Certified Nurses Day was created in 2008 by the American Nurses Credentialing Center in partnership with the American Nurses Association. March 19 was chosen because it is the birthdate of Margretta “Gretta” Madden Styles, RN, EdD, FAAN, a pioneer in nursing certification. In the 1970s, Dr. Styles pushed for stricter standards of credentialing to validate expertise and was later instrumental in the foundation of the American Nurses Credentialing Center.
Certified nurses are experts in their specialty field (e.g., medical-surgical, pediatric, critical care, emergency medicine, and more) who provide high-quality, evidence-based clinical care to millions of patients each year. To become certified in a specialty, nurses complete a formal application and testing process through nationally recognized credentialing centers, including the American Nurses Credentialing Center, to validate their knowledge, skills, and abilities. They must achieve certification credentials through specialized education, experience in a specialty area, and completion of a rigorous qualifying exam.
Maintaining a nursing certification requires life-long learning and ongoing skill development. As part of their commitment to continued competency, certified nurses maintain their knowledge through specialized continuing education.
Thank you to Cooper’s certified nurses for providing high-quality, compassionate care to our patients every day! Help celebrate your peers by sharing your Certified Nurses Day celebration photos on Pulse+.