Certified Nurses Day is rapidly approaching and you will certainly want to recognize your certified nurses’ hard work. March 19th is a worldwide day of recognition that honors nursing specialties, subspecialties and advanced practice certification. National Certified Nurses Day originally celebrated Margretta Madden Styles for her pioneering and distinguished career that inspired nurses worldwide. Today it continues to celebrate all certified nurses for their contributions to the study and practice of nursing. The day is the perfect time to show your appreciation to certified nurses for their dedication, achievements, and commitment to patient safety.
Thank and Encourage
The best thing you can do to observe the day is to thank a certified nurse for everything. If you know somebody who is endeavoring to become a certified nurse, inspire them in their efforts. Encourage certified nurses to go to job fairs to share their experience and inspire others to become certified nurses. Speak with certified nurses and learn about the certification process. Use #CertifiedNursesDay to post on social media.
Assemble a Wall of Distinction
A wall of distinction in units and hospitals recognizes certified nurses visibly to patients, families, other nurses and interdisciplinary team members. A wall also inspires certified nurses to maintain their certification commitment to excellence. Consider adding pictures of all your certified nurses to the wall. You may even want to dedicate plaques to nurses who go above and beyond for patients.
Schedule Educational Presentations
Set up educational lectures for your colleagues on issues related to nursing specialties or your unit’s particular discipline. Go out into your neighborhood and give presentations at retirement homes, schools, businesses, and additional places where you can put your expertise and experience to work. Be sure that you share your experiences regarding the value of certification, ongoing education, career planning, maintaining morale and motivation, and dealing with health care challenges.
Get Creative
Try to get creative as you celebrate the professionalism, dedication and service of your certified nurses. To craft a consistent and celebratory message to your staff, fellow nurses, and the public, consider the following creative ideas to celebrate the day:
- Thank you card
- Certificate of appreciation
- Email template
- Posters
- Recognition letters
- Facebook frames
- Order a cake
Set Up a Mentoring Program
Setting up a mentoring program in honor of Certified Nurses Day is an excellent way to recognize the day and improve new nurses’ retention rates. A mentoring relationship helps new nurses move from novice to expert successfully. This intervention can help to foster support and socialization of new RNs to your unit or organization. Celebrate Certified Nurses Day by assisting new nurses to advance their professional careers.
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