By March 19 marks the eighth annual American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) holiday that “honors nurses worldwide who contribute to better patient outcomes through national board certification in their specialty.”
Holidays like this are an opportunity for nurses to give themselves a pat on the back—because we all know it’s not easy to become a nurse!—and for employers to recognize the effort nurses put into their work day after day.
The first Certified Nurses Day was held in 2008, and March 19 was chosen to honor the birthday of Dr. Margretta “Gretta” Madden Styles, RN, EdD, FAAN, known as a pioneer in nursing certification.
To celebrate the day, the ANCC recommends that employers offer gift certificates or bonuses to nurses who are certified, and spread the word about Certified Nurses Day. Nurses can recognize the day by doing things like designing a nursing mentoring program and delivering informative presentations at local schools about the importance of nursing.
The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses has a video of certified nurses discussing the benefits of certification that you can watch at aacn.org.
Are you and your colleagues being recognized for Certified Nurses Day? Share your experiences in the comments below!
