Dr. Scott Thigpen at South Georgia State College in Douglas, Ga., recently received national recognition for reaching a significant milestone in the nursing profession. For 30 years, Dr. Thigpen has consistently maintained CCRN® certification offered through AACN Certification Corporation and is being honored this year by the corporation and the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.
CCRN certification is one of the most advanced professional credentials that can be achieved by a nurse in the field of acute/critical care. As a result, the CCRN credential is highly regarded as recognition of advanced knowledge and clinical expertise in the care of acutely/critically ill patients and their families. There are currently more than 94,000 CCRN-certified nurses practicing worldwide who specialize in the direct care of adult, pediatric or neonatal patient populations.
The importance of clinical certification to the health and well-being of patients in the U.S. has been well documented. Research has specifically linked CCRN certification to higher levels of job satisfaction, clinical knowledge, experience and skill. These studies have found that CCRN certified nurses are particularly motivated to maintain clinical excellence even in rapidly changing acute and critical care environments. Further, the studies found that the achievement of certification serves as a tangible demonstration of commitment on the part of the individual to patients, families, employers and colleagues alike.
Hospitals that encourage and support their nurses in becoming certified demonstrate to their patients a high level of commitment to creating an exceptional care environment and, to their nurses, a culture of professionalism and retention imperative in today’s healthcare environment.
Dr. Thigpen is a professor of nursing in the South Georgia State College School of Nursing. The School of Nursing ASN and RN-BSN programs maintain full accreditation by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) where Dr. Thigpen currently serves on the Board of Commissioners.
The SGSC School of Nursing is currently accepting applications for Fall 2021. The early decision deadline for the LPN-RN Bridge is January 15th and the late decision deadline is May 15th. The early decision deadline for the ASN is February 15th and the late decision deadline is May 15th. The early decision deadline for the BSN is April 15th and the late decision deadline is May 15th. For more information and a link to the application, visit www.sgsc.edu/academics/nursing or contact Kim Sutliff at kim.sutliff@sgsc.edu.