Certified Nurses Day™ occurs every March 19, the birthday of Dr. Margretta "Gretta" Madden Styles, RN, EdD, FAAN, one of the greatest leaders in the field of nursing certification. She recognized the critical importance of credentialing before broad awareness of its value and her work created global impact on the nursing profession. Dr. Styles architected the first comprehensive study of nurse credentialing in the 1970s. She then pioneered the development and implementation of standards and credentials for nurses.
In the 1980s, she spearheaded the definitive work of the International Council of Nurses (ICN) on nursing regulation. A driving force behind the creation of the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), Dr. Styles advanced nurse certification services and programs across the US and abroad.