Certified Nurses Day occurs every March 19, celebrating the birthday of Dr. Margretta “Gretta” Madden Styles, RN, EdD, FAAN, a visionary nursing leader and scholar.
Kenneth Wall, a nurse at HCA Houston Healthcare Clear Lake in Texas, recently achieved his Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) certification. (left to right) Donna Baptiste, Dr. Karanja, Kenneth Wall, Jennifer Gonzales, Laurie Roth, Yvette Greer.
Florence Nightingale once said, “Let us consider that we are never done as nurses…we must be learning all of our lives.” Like Florence, HCA Healthcare and HealthTrust Workforce Solutions recognize the unique and intrinsic worth of each individual by supporting lifelong learners. On National Certified Nurses Day, we celebrate HCA Healthcare nursing colleagues who have demonstrated advanced skill, knowledge and practice by earning a professional certification in complex nursing care specialties.
“The value of a specialty nursing certification is becoming more important as healthcare becomes increasingly complex and challenging,” said Steve Tarkington, vice president, HCA Healthcare Center for Clinical Advancement.
As a part of our organization’s robust clinical education offerings and support, HCA Healthcare provides qualifying nurses who wish to pursue a specialty certification the opportunity to take advantage of discounted rates, a voucher program and reimbursement upon successfully completing the certification exam.
In 2020, more than 3,753 HCA Healthcare-affiliated registered nurses expanded their professional expertise and advanced their professional skills through the voucher program to earn certification in specialty areas, including:
- Emergency Services (BCEN)
- Critical Care (AACN)
- Surgical Services (CCI)
- Medical-Surgical (ANCC)
- Medical-Surgical (ONCB)
According to the American Association of Critical Care Nurses, the benefits of obtaining a nursing certification include:
- demonstration that the nurse cares enough to be tested against rigorous standards, confirming their knowledge and skills in a specialty area;
- creating an environment of professionalism, contributing to staff retention and patient safety;
- serving as a role model for professional development, lifelong learning and dedication to excellence in patient care, and
- a sense of pride, fulfillment and empowerment, as well as career advancement. (Research shows nurse leaders prefer hiring a nurse who is certified.)
Thank you to certified nurses across HCA Healthcare and HealthTrust Workforce Solutions for your extraordinary contributions to patient care and your commitment to advancing the nursing practice. Meet a few lifelong learners below…
HCA Healthcare’s Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center in Las Vegas, Nevada
HCA Healthcare’s MidAmerica Division
HCA Healthcare’s Los Robles Health System in Thousand Oaks, California
Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center in Las Vegas, Nevada
“With evidence-based practice, nursing is constantly evolving to create better patient outcomes,” said HCA Healthcare colleague Holly Toscano, who is certified in Maternal Newborn Nursing. “As a charge nurse, my certification helps me stay current so I can be a better mentor and resource for our care team and our patients.”
Jennifer Gonzales, Donna Baptiste, Barbara Gonzalez
Lakeview Regional Medical Center nurse Leslie Goertz knows first hand what patients are going through in the COVID-19 unit, after battling the virus herself last April. Once she recovered and returned to work, she wanted to extend her care to the Louisiana community by donating convalescent plasma. Leslie has been donating convalescent plasma every few weeks for the past eight months. 
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