Certified Nurses Day is coming up on March 19th, and it’s a great opportunity to show appreciation for all the hard work and professionalism that nurses demonstrate, with a smile on their face and a kind word, despite the challenging conditions in which they are required to work. Becoming certified is a notable milestone in the careers of nurses that benefits themselves, the hospitals they work for, and their patients.
In fact, over 90 percent of nurses surveyed by the American Board of Nursing Specialties (ABNS) responded that “certification validates specialized knowledge, enhances professional credibility, and indicates a level of clinical competence.” In addition, 97 percent of nurses surveyed agreed “certification builds personal satisfaction, and 88 percent said it enhances their confidence in their clinical abilities.” [1]
March 19th is the chosen Certified Nurses Day to honor the birthday of the late Margretta Madden Styles, who was an international pioneer of establishing nurse certification and the first to conduct a comprehensive study in the field of nursing credentials [2].
Aside from a fun day at work, Certified Nurses Day provides several important opportunities for hospitals to honor their nursing staff efforts and to improve their workplace and facilities.
Public Recognition Boosts Hospital Staff Morale
Nurses are the backbone of hospitals and nursing is often considered a thankless job. That’s why nurses are so appreciative of having an entire day dedicated to them.
Recognizing and honoring the certified nurses at your hospital is great for boosting nursing staff morale and employee retention. For a nurse, it’s more enjoyable to work in a facility that you know values your hard work.
Hospital management should keep in mind that Certified Nurses Day is a great opportunity to show genuine gratitude for all that nurses do.
Certified Nurses Day Increases Certification Awareness
When nurses become certified, their entire department benefits from it. The more nurses invest their time into gaining specialized knowledge and improving their skills, the more value they provide to patients and colleagues.
From the hospital’s perspective, raising awareness for certification programs is a simple way to improve the quality of their staff and it’s more cost-effective than recruiting. Some hospitals will set time aside on Certified Nurses Day for those interested to learn more about the various certification programs and supply them with the necessary study materials.
An Opportunity to Collect Valuable Feedback from Nurses
Working in a hospital is incredibly hectic and it’s hard to find time for discussing big-picture issues when everyone is focused on the current tasks at hand. Certified Nurses Day is the perfect opportunity for hospital management to get valuable feedback from their certified nurses.
Nurses see and hear everything that goes on in the hospital because they’re on the frontlines, so their feedback is absolutely crucial to improving facilities, processes, equipment, and the overall services provided by healthcare staff.
Here are some questions hospital management should ask nurses:
- What are common complaints from patients that haven’t been addressed?
- Which standard procedures are preventing patients from receiving the highest-quality care in the quickest amount of time?
- What hospital equipment is outdated or inefficient?
- How can we make the working environment safer for nurses?
So What Can a Hospital do to Celebrate Certified Nurses day:
The AACN [3] has many suggestions regarding the way to celebrate Certified Nursing day, most of these suggestions focus on the fun events, which the hospital management can organize for its nurses, as well as advocating certification and giving recognition for it. From a fun breakfast, to a wall of honor, scholarship awards and publishing of success stories, there are many activities the hospital can undertake to encourage nurses to become certified. Feedback regarding working methods and forums for reviewing innovations and other nursing staff initiatives can be a great way for management to make the most of the professionalism of its employees.
Certified Nurses Day is, and should be, a lot of fun. However, it’s more important to hospitals than any normal holiday. It’s a great opportunity for creating an atmosphere of support and excellence for all staff members, as it is a time for appreciation, reflection, and improvement. This Certified Nurses Day, ensure your nurses are loved and that their voices are heard.
We would love to hear from you
What did your hospital do for Certified Nurses Day?
Do you have an idea for a great activity for Certified Nurses Day?
Sources and references:
[1] http://www.nursecredentialing.org/TAN2013-Certification
[2] http://www.aacn.org/wd/certifications/content/celebrate-cert-nurses-day.pcms?menu=certification
[3] http://www.aacn.org/wd/certifications/content/celebrate-cert-resources.pcms?menu=certification
