People Watch

Surgical nurses earn certification

St. Charles Parish Hospital nurses ( l to r) Dana St. Pierre, Roxanne Elliott and Lisa Bourgeois earned the CNRO credential.

St. Charles Parish Hospital nurses Lisa Bourgeois, Roxanne Elliott and Dana St. Pierre recently earned the CNOR credential, a professional designation specifically designed for nurses whose practice emphasis is in providing nursing care in the surgical setting.

Certification recognizes the professional achievement demonstrated when an individual nurse’s knowledge in the perioperative role exceeds that which is necessary for competency in practice.

It indicates the attainment of a practice standard - licensure and registration are based on minimum competence while certification denotes proficiency. CNORs are valuable members of the health-care team. In 2005, the Competency & Credentialing Institute - the certifying body for operating room nurses - conducted research that showed certified nurses are more confident in their clinical abilities and have a strong commitment to quality patient care and continuing education.

Results also supported the belief that patients were also more confident in the care they receive from a certified nurse.

In general, nurses highly value certification and often seek it to fulfill intrinsic rewards such as professionalism and accountability. St. Charles Parish Hospital is proud to have such a dedicated surgical staff and recognizes them for their efforts and achievements in improving the quality of patient care.