Stefanie Galvan remembers the exact moment that sparked her desire to be an exceptional nurse. Just two weeks into her role as a cardiac intensive care unit (ICU) nurse, Galvan had a life changing experience: her daughter urgently needed open-heart surgery. In what already was a difficult moment for her and her family, she had to surrender control as she realized the care her daughter was receiving at the facility where she was being treated was not ideal. This event changed the way she looked at her career and approach to nursing.
“I realized then and there that there are nurses and then there are exceptional nurses,” she said. “I not only wanted to be one, but I also wanted to raise a group of exceptional nurses.”
Using this experience as her motivation, Galvan continued to grow in her career, quickly becoming a team leader while also obtaining her Critical Care Registered Nurse certification (CCRN).
A certified nurse is an individual who has achieved board certification in a specialty area, demonstrating specialized knowledge, skills and experience. Attaining certification attests to a nurse's dedication to excellence, improving patient outcomes and growth in their specialty.
Galvan is just one of many nurses who have pursued certification at Texas Health Huguley Hospital Fort Worth South – where 12% of the nursing workforce has obtained a national board certification. Systemwide, a little over 15% of nurses are certified at AdventHealth.
According to Tammy Ellis, vice president and chief nursing officer for AdventHealth’s Southwest Region, certifications offer an opportunity for professional development, granting nurses an additional layer of expertise.
“You’re not only bettering yourself, but you are also bettering the impact you have on those around you,” said Ellis.
For Galvan, nursing was a second career. With the additional goal of pursuing a certification, she spent many hours studying after putting her kids to bed. Her dedication propelled her forward, enabling her to achieve her goal. “The most challenging part is finding time because it’s not a requirement in our career as nurses. It’s something you do to go above and beyond for your patients and their families,” she said.
Professional excellence has been a key priority for Huguley for many years. Regional director for nursing excellence, Traci Wright, is focused on making sure her nursing workforce has access to the right tools for their success. One of those tools for national certification is the “Success Pays” program. This initiative helps relieve nurses of the anxiety and financial risk of pursuing a certification. If a nurse passes their exam, Huguley reimburses the cost.
“The cost is something I think can make people feel a bit nervous. When you are working frontline, that can be something you may not want to risk,” said Wright. “I have found that most people who attempt national certification exams are successful because they invest time preparing.”
Now leading as the director of critical care and catheterization (cath) lab, Galvan motivates her team to grow into the exceptional nurses she knows they are. From day one, she emphasizes the importance of exceptional care that is expected in her unit – not only for the patients but also for their families and each other.
To foster a culture of learning, Galvan’s unit established a library of study materials that are available to nurses seeking certification. When they are ready, they can access these materials that were generously donated by their colleagues or acquired by the unit itself. Once certified, a nurse's name is added to a large plaque displayed outside the unit and they also receive a gold CCRN badge.
“We’ve tried to really build camaraderie on the team, almost like a cheerleading system, where everybody is rooting for each other," said Galvan.
Nurses who are interested in learning more about certifications and which one might be the right fit should take that first step and connect with their leader, according to Wright. By doing this, “we can support you on that journey and provide you with the resources to help you be prepared,” she added.