On March 19, Cooper celebrates Certified Nurses Day, recognizing the dedication, knowledge, and accomplishments of our certified nurses.
Certified nurses are experts in their specialty field 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. Nurses must achieve certification credentials through specialized education, experience in a specialty area, and completion of a rigorous qualifying exam.
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.
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+.