Certified Nurses Day: Spotlight #1

Thursday, March 19, is Certified Nurses Day, an annual celebration recognizing nurses who have earned and maintained the highest credentials in their specialty.

In honor of the occasion, we are highlighting several of our certified nurses and sharing why they chose to pursue certification and what it means to them.

Monica Aguilar, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, NPDA-BC
Clinical Nurse IV, Professional Development Specialist – Center for Professional Practice of Nursing (CPPN)
Nursing Professional Development-Board Certified (NPD-BC), Nursing Professional Development Advanced-Board Certified (NPDA-BC)

“I pursued NPD specialist and advanced certification to strengthen my ability to assess, design, and deliver education that meets the diverse learning needs of nurses at every stage of their professional journey. My specialty certification enhances my confidence by pushing me to continue to learn and teach to support staff with educational needs to enhance patient care.”

“I always strive for excellence and getting certified has always been my goal. It also reflects my dedication to lifelong learning, professional growth and commitment to evidence-based practice to improve patient care outcome.”

Genaro Hernandez BSN, RN, CNOR
Administrative Nurse I – 48X Operating Room
Certified Perioperative Nurse (CNOR)

“CNOR enhances my confidence and autonomy in practice by validating my perioperative knowledge and clinical judgment, allowing me to trust my decisions and speak up with clarity and assurance in the operating room. Through a deeper understanding of evidence-based standards and best practices, I can move beyond task-based care and fully own my role as a perioperative nurse. This confidence strengthens my professional voice, supports safe patient advocacy, and earns trust from surgeons, anesthesia, and leadership. At the same time, CNOR allows me to better help my team by remaining calm and grounded in high-pressure situations, serving as a reliable resource for standards and safety, and modeling critical thinking and professionalism that foster a collaborative and confident OR environment.”

“I believe becoming and maintaining certification shows dedication to my profession. By continuing to study and test their knowledge within their specialty, not only the nurses' skills are reaffirmed, but confidence is instilled in their patients.  Earning certification also gives me a sense of belonging to a broader community of clinicians committed to delivering the highest quality care. This reaffirms why I became a nurse—to help people.”