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LAURINBURG, N.C. — March 19th is Certified Nurses Day and Scotland Health Care System is celebrating.

“On this day we honor our registered nurses who have earned specialty certification with events planned just for them,” said Camille Utter, Interim Vice President of Patient Care. “We celebrate those nurses who took the extra step to become certified in their health specialty.”

On Tuesday, 48 nurses will receive recognition because of their diligence and hard work to achieve certification in their respective specialties. The group is comprised of nurses from not just Scotland County, but Robeson, Richmond and Marlboro counties.

The following nurses are recognized for their professionalism, leadership, and commitment to excellence in patient care:

Monica Adams, RN, OCN, Orthopedics

Lisa Bender, RN, BSN, NE-BC, CMSRN, Nurse Executive, Medical-Surgical

Michelle Brown, RN, BSN, CMSRN, CPN, Medical-Surgical, Pediatrics

Pat Brown, RN-C Inpatient Obstetrics

Patti Buffkin RN, BSN, CMSRN, Medical-Surgical

Monique Cayton, RN, BSN, OCN, CMSRN, Orthopedics, Medical-Surgical

Delinda Coan, RN, CHPN, Hospice & Palliative Care

Jennifer Colburn, RN, BSN, OCN, Oncology

Becky Crews, BSN, CEN, FNE, Emergency, Forensic Nurse Examiner

Pat Decker, RN, CNOR, Operating Room

Kathy East, RN-C Inpatient Obstetrics

Shirley Erwin, RN, CRRN, Rehabilitation

Andrea Fields, RN, COHN, Scotland Physicians Network

Mike Frease, RN, BSN, CCRN, Critical Care

Michal Glass, RN, BSN, NE-BC, Nurse Executive

Cindy Goins, RN, CHPN, Hospice & Palliative Care

Kim Hammonds, RN, BSN, CHPN, Hospice & Palliative Care

Donna Haux RN, BSN, CMSRN, Medical-Surgical

Michelle Herberg, BSN, RN-C, Inpatient Obstetrics

Cheryl Hine, LPN, CHPLN, Hospice & Palliative Care

Tammy Holloway, RN, BSN, COHN-S, CEAS1, Occupation Health

Makisha Hunt, RN, OCN, Orthopedics

Heather Johnson, RN, OCN, Orthopedics

Karen Johnson, RN-C Inpatient Obstetrics

Kelly Kirk, RN-C, Inpatient Obstetrics and Labor and Delivery

Connie Kirkley, RN-C, BA, High Risk Neonatal Care

Pierre Lee, RN, CEN, Emergency

Angelita Locklear, BSN, RN-C, RRT, Cardiac/Vascular

Wendy Locklear, RN-C, Inpatient Obstetrics

Frances Long, RN, CHPN, Hospice & Palliative Care

Amanda Mason, RN, BSN, OCN, Oncology

Cheryl Milligan RN, CMSRN, Medical-Surgical

Jane Murray, RN, BSN, MS, CHPCA, Hospice & Palliative Care Administrator

Summer Oxendine, RN, Certified Pediatric Nurse

Kelly Parks, RN, CNOR, Operating Room

Elizabeth Parrish, RN, BSN, OCN, Oncology

Lisa Pope, RN, CHPN, Hospice & Palliative Care

Becky Shepard, RNC, IBCLC Lactation Consultant

Leslie Sheppard, RN, BSN, CHPN, Hospice & Palliative Care

Tammie Slaughter, RN, BSN, CHPN, CHPCA, Hospice & Palliative Care & Administrator

Katherine Smith, RN, CHPN, Hospice & Palliative Care

Nancy Stricklin, RN, CRRN, Rehabilitation

Melanie Thompson, RN, CMSRN, CPN, Medical-Surgical, Pediatrics

Camille Utter, RN, BSN, OCN, CBCN, Oncology and Breast Care

Jill Ward, RN, CHPN, Hospice & Palliative Care

Jane Williams, RN, MA, OCN, Oncology

Sandy Williams, BSN, RN-C, OCN, Board Certified Pain Education and Oncology

Lynn Wood, RN, CMSRN, Medical-Surgical

Nursing Board Certification 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 increasingly 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 the nurse.

“Scotland Health Care System encourages national board certification for all our nurses,” Utter said. “We also encourage patients to inquire whether there are certified nurses on staff when they visit any hospital or their primary care provider.”

Nursing certification specialties include: 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,” said Utter. “National nurse-certifying bodies should be accredited by either the Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification (ABSNC) or the National Organization for Competence Assurance (NOCA), or both.”

For more information about the certified nurses at Scotland Health Care system, contact Utter at 910-291-7531.

Scotland Health Care System, an affiliate of Carolinas HealthCare System, is a community owned, not-for-profit health care system located in Laurinburg.