The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) announced it is joining 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 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.
