“Meaningful & Rewarding”

Amanda Cihak, RN, CNOR (far right) with Gerber hospital operating room team members Bartley Thrower, RN; Autumn Witteveen, CST; April Herman, RN; and Harmony Willett, RN

Corewell Health™ Gerber Hospital Celebrates Certified Nurses Day

 FREMONT, Mich., March 23, 2023 – Certified Nurses Day was March 19, and Spectrum Health Gerber Hospital, part of Corewell Health, celebrated its nurses who have clinical certifications over and above their RN degrees.

Amanda Cihak, RN, CNOR, is the surgical services nurse manager at Gerber Hospital and also has a Certified Nurse Operating Room (CNOR) certification. The CNOR credential is offered to operating room nurses who meet the highest standards in their field and focus on best practices to provide safe patient care.

For Cihak, earning this certification has allowed her to expand her knowledge, skills and commitment to patient safety.

“I have always wanted to earn this certification,” said Cihak. “And as a manager, I have also been able to share this knowledge with my team and encourage them to explore obtaining their own certifications.”  

Even as a youngster, Cihak knew she wanted to work in the health care field. Having family members in medicine played a large role in guiding her to her chosen career path.
 
“There were several nurses in my family, including my grandmother, with whom I was extremely close,” said Cihak. “I really admired her work and her love for helping others. Through watching her, I knew I wanted to have a job that was both meaningful and rewarding.”

Cihak earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Grand Valley State University in 2005. She earned her CNOR certification in 2022 from the Competency & Credentialing Institute. In order to get her certification she had to study for and pass a comprehensive exam relating to best practices in operating room standards of patient care.

“I love what I do,” added Cihak. “Nursing was the perfect fit for me.” 
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Over 30 registered nurses at Gerber Hospital have achieved a nursing certification, demonstrating professionalism and excellence. To commemorate Certified Nurses Day, each advanced certification nurse at Gerber Hospital was recognized in a display at the hospital.

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