Baptist Health Richmond honors 18 board certified nurses for Certified Nurses Day

Baptist Health Richmond is celebrating Certified Nurses Day (March 19) by honoring 18 certified nurses.

(Thursday, March 17) -- Baptist Health Richmond is celebrating Certified Nurses Day, March 19th, by honoring its board certified nurses. The following nurses are recognized for their professionalism, leadership, and commitment to excellence in patient care:
Beverly Applegate – Wound Care
Tyler Arvin – Emergency Nurse
Mendy Blair – Medical Surgical Nurse and Nurse Executive
Carla Byrant – Inpatient Obstetric Nursing
Clark Buckmaster – Emergency Nurse
Margaret Kramer – Nursing Professional Development
Lawana Leonhardt – Critical Care Registered Nurse
Amy Masters – Surgical Services Educator
Kerrie Myre – Inpatient Obstetric Nursing
Andrea Palmer – Inpatient Obstetric Nursing
Lelan Pence – Operating Room Nurse
Lisa Powell – Clinical Documentation Specialist
Betty Rearick – Inpatient Obstetric Nursing
Gail Reichert – Inpatient Obstetric Nursing
Sheryl Smith – Critical Care Registered Nurse
Cheryl Smithberger – Inpatient Obstetric Nursing and Childbirth Educator
Anna Walach – Lactation Counselor
Jennifer Williams – Lactation Specialist
Board certification of nurses plays an increasingly important role in the assurance of high standards of care for patients and their loved ones. Nursing, like healthcare in general, has become increasingly complex. While a registered nurse (RN) 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.
“Baptist Health Richmond encourages national board certification for all our nurses. We strive to provide the very best quality of care for our patients and community and promote staff advancement and professional growth through certification reimbursement. We celebrate these 18 certified nurses and the experience and professionalism they bring to Baptist Health Richmond,” said Mendy Blair, vice president and chief nursing officer at Baptist Health Richmond.
There are many nursing certification specialties such as medical-surgical, pediatric, pain management, cardiac vascular, oncology, hospice, case management, emergency nursing, critical care and many others. 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 (ABSNC) or the National Organization for Competence Assurance (NOCA), or both.
Please join Baptist Health Richmond and the nation’s national nursing certification organizations in honoring those hardworking, dedicated nurses for their professionalism, and a job well done!