Texas Health Resources provides a standardized process for bonus payments and exam fee reimbursements for registered nurses who achieve a national nursing certification. Dawn Gatto, M.S.N., B.S., R.N., PCCN, Texas Health Fort Worth, shares why she became a progressive care certified nurse (PCCN).
What inspired you to become a nurse? My great-grandmother, Nana, suffered a stroke when I was 11 years old. I told my grandmother that there was something wrong with Nana, and she needed help. I went with them to the hospital and was first exposed to nursing from the nurses who cared for my Nana. I saw how loving and supportive they were and how they interacted with my grandmother and never left our sides. I knew from that moment that I wanted to be a nurse.
Why did you decide to get certified? I believe very strongly in training and education on the latest evidenced-based practices to improve the quality of care patients receive. I believed the training and education required to obtain and maintain the PCCN certification would contribute to my professional growth and help me provide better care to my patients.
Did you face any challenges in becoming certified? One challenge was my own insecurities after hearing how tough the exam could be, but I used that to motivate myself to study hard. I ended up passing the exam on the first try.
Why do you think it is important for nurses to pursue specialty certification? Nursing education and training do not end after nursing school and obtaining the nursing license. Providing the best-quality, evidenced-based medical care requires a nurse to continually train and learn. Obtaining certifications is a great way to achieve that. Finally, having well-recognized certifications will earn the nurse respect from the patient knowing they are receiving care from a highly qualified nurse and respect from their peers because they have more to contribute toward positive outcomes for their patients’ care.
