As leaders within the AACN community, you are ideally positioned to help build excitement and spread the word about Certified Nurses Day and the value of certification. We’ve put together some ideas – beyond those offered to the larger nursing community – to help encourage those around you to celebrate certified nurses and possibly consider certification themselves.
- Order AACN’s Certified Nurses Day buttons using the Ambassadors and Chapters order forms and hand them out to all the certified nurses you know.
- Engage managers, educators, advanced practice nurses and physicians (if appropriate) in recognition activities. Provide them with a link to AACN’s Certified Nurses Day web page for tips, resources and information.
- Send a personal note, card or email to certified nurses you know thanking them for their professional dedication.
- Encourage the certified nurses in your workplace or chapter to recognize each other – direct them to the downloadable celebration resources on AACN’s website.
- Invite area hospitals and units to collaborate in your celebrations – or participate in theirs.
- Share success stories about certified nurses.
- Partner with area chapters of other nursing specialty organizations to recognize and support certified nurses.
- Coach certified nurses to identify and talk with colleagues about becoming certified.
- Recognize certified nurses during a chapter meeting, or host a special celebration in their honor.
- Sponsor a review course, and develop a study mentor program.
- Award scholarships for certification milestones – review courses, exams, renewal during benchmark years (e.g. 10, 20 and 30 years of certification).