March 19th was Certified Nurses Day. This special day is recognized worldwide and honors nurses who become board certified in their specialties. Currently, there are approximately 150 certified nurses at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. The hospital demonstrated its appreciation for each nurse’s commitment to excellence by hosting a Certified Nurses Day celebration in the auditorium of the Old Trump Pavilion.
The auditorium was filled with nurses who chatted excitedly about their journeys in achieving their certifications. The process to becoming a certified nurse requires additional and rigorous career training, but proves to be very rewarding as both patients and nurses benefit from the hard work.
Executive Vice President and COO William Lynch kicked off the celebration by delivering a humorous but very heartfelt speech. He stated, “Without our nurses, nothing is possible,” he continued, “We are extremely grateful for the level of care and dedication that our nurses demonstrate.” Mr. Lynch was followed by Kathleen Scher; Vice President of Nursing, who also expressed appreciation and shared her agenda to implement new programs to support the nursing staff.
The evening ended on a fun note, as the nurses enjoyed a spread of delicious food and congratulated each other on receiving their respective certifications. A raffle was held during the celebration in which each person had the chance to win tickets to attend a national conference of their choice, tickets to attend the 1199 Nurse of Distinction Awards or a gift basket with beauty products and a spa gift card.