The 75th Medical Group is celebrating Certified Nurses Day, Friday, March 19, by honoring its board certified nurses. 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 health care in general, has become more 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 nurses.
The Air Force Nurse Corps encourages national board certification for all its nurses. Patients are encouraged to inquire whether there are certified nurses on staff when they visit a hospital or their primary care provider. 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 or the National Organization for Competence Assurance or both.
Please join the 75th MDG and the nation's national nursing certification organizations in honoring those hardworking, dedicated nurses for their professionalism, and a job well done.
The 75th MDG CNAs and their areas of specialty are:
- Lt. Col. Penelope Gorsuch, Acute Care Nurse Practitioner/Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist/Advanced Nursing Administration
- Lt. Col. Jeannine Ryder, Nursing Administration
- Lt. Col. Jean Marie Eagleton, Medical Surgical Nurse
- Maj. Linda Hagemann, Women's Health Nurse Practitioner
- Maj. Connie Patterson, Inpatient Obstetrical Nursing
- Maj. Gary Ruesch, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
- Capt. Tracy Rue, Emergency Nursing
- Capt. Kim Trnka, Ambulatory Care Nurse
- Capt. Jennifer Curtis, Family Nurse Practitioner
- Capt. Cindy Craddock, Women's Health Nurse Practitioner
- Danielle Morris, Diabetic Educator
- Jerrie Ellis, Professional Utilization Management
- Linda LeCain, Occupational Health Nurse-Specialist
- Sharla Orton, Occupational Health Nurse
- Shanna Walton, Occupational Health Nurse
- Stacey Flint, Occupational Health Nurse
- Candi Ackerman, Case Manager
- Elena Acap, Emergency Nursing
