Silver Linings, Stronger Than Ever
Through silver linings in life’s darkest moments, Gretchen emerged stronger than ever, with renewed purpose, confidence, and commitment to her professional growth.
Gretchen Brown Carroll, BSN, RN, CEN, TCRN, began her nursing career as a new grad in the ER and has loved it every day since.
“I became a nurse to make a difference for people and be able to give back every day.”
But careers, like life, often take twists and turns and sometimes include very dark days.
For Gretchen, life’s path has included enduring the tragic death of her 22-year-old daughter, Leah, and serious illnesses that led her and her sister to receive care from the same brain surgeon.
Finding Silver Linings
After taking a hiatus during the pandemic to rest and reflect in the wake of losing her daughter, Gretchen decided to honor a promise she made to herself and Leah: she would take the next step in her career—earning the TCRN certification.
As a new TCRN, nearly 20 years into her 25-year nursing career, her sense of purpose—and the confidence and competencies she had been building since earning the CEN certification early in her professional journey—became clearer and stronger than ever.
Stronger Than Ever, Thanks to New Perspectives
When Gretchen became the patient after a slew of medical challenges and caring for sick family members, in her own words, her “whole perspective changed.”
“Who was there caring for me? Who was certified? … I was already certified, but I recognized how important that was.”
Again years later, reflecting on her daughter’s tragic death, Gretchen gained a deeply personal perspective on how specialty certification enhances care and communication—even for an already certified nurse:
“That was really life-changing, obviously, for me, but looking back, it was also career-changing. I came to have a very different perspective of those families we talked to, whether it was a trauma or a medical emergency.
I recognized all of the processes that go into that kind of care, and also not falling apart at the moment or trying to rush something because I recognized I already knew what to do. And being able to communicate with the patients and their families, and the other providers and people caring for them—and how important that is.
Sometimes people’s comfort or what you’ve been able to communicate with them may be just as important as the medication you’ve given them.”
On earning the TCRN and maintaining both of her certifications:
“I really wanted to keep growing professionally. I’m investing in myself by doing this and that is really very, very meaningful to me.”
Read Gretchen’s 2020 Featured Nurse Spotlight, “The Other Side of the Tragedy.”
Ready to Invest in Yourself?
Certification promotes consumer confidence and contributes to better patient care, better patient outcomes and higher patient satisfaction. Level up your nursing career by scheduling your certification exam today.
