Oaklawn Hospital honors its 86 certified nurses on special day March 19

MARSHALL – The expertise and dedication of the nation’s board-certified nurses is being honored across the country March 19 during national Certified Nurses Day, and Oaklawn Hospital is joining in the celebration.

“Board certification of nurses plays an increasingly important role in the assurance of high standards of care for patients and their loved ones,” said Kristin Sims, chief nursing officer at Oaklawn Hospital.

There are 86 board-certified nurses on Oaklawn’s staff, Sims said, and each is noteworthy for his or her leadership, and commitment to excellence in patient care.

“Nursing, like health care in general, has become increasingly complex,” Sims said. “While a registered nurse license provides entry to general nursing practice, the knowledge-intensive requirements of modern nursing require extensive education, as well as a strong personal commitment to excellence by the nurse.

Oaklawn Hospital encourages national board certification for all its nurses. Patients are encouraged to inquire whether there are certified nurses on staff when they visit a hospital or their primary care provider.

There are many nursing certification specialties, such as medical-surgical, pediatric, pain management, cardiac vascular, oncology, hospice, case management, inpatient obstetrics, emergency nursing and critical care.

Many nursing certification bodies exist to serve the full range of specialized nursing care offered in the contemporary health care system. National nurse-certifying bodies should be accredited by either the Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification or the National Organization for Competency Assurance, or both, Sims said.