CDH Nurse Achieves Advanced Certification

WINFIELD, March 6, 2009 - Emily Koller, RN, BSN, CPAN, of St. Charles recently was granted Certified Post Anesthesia Nurse status by the American Board of Perianesthesia Nursing Certification, Inc. (ABPANC). Currently, Koller is one of eight perioperative nurses in Central DuPage Hospital's West Surgery with this certification.

CPAN certification validates knowledge gained through professional education and experience. Nurses, who take the next step beyond licensure by seeking a voluntary board certification credential, demonstrate a commitment not only to the perianesthesia nursing profession, but more specifically to promoting quality patient care.

The CPAN certification program meets nationally recognized psychometric and legal standards. To achieve initial certification, nurses must have a current unrestricted RN license, a minimum of 1,800 hours of perianesthesia nursing experience and successful completion of a rigorous four-hour objective exam. The certification credential is awarded for three years and must be renewed. To maintain certification, nurses must also either participate in 90 hours of continual learning or take an additional exam. In addition, qualifiers must have current experience caring for perianesthesia patients. 

Koller holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Michigan State University. She and her husband, Mark, have one son.

About Central DuPage Hospital

Central DuPage Hospital (CDH) is a nationally recognized 313-bed facility located in Winfield, Ill., a suburb west of Chicago. CDH is a leading center for surgical innovations and was one of the first institutions in the nation to offer robotic-assisted surgery, minimally invasive spine surgery with bio-engineered bone protein and was the first Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in DuPage County.

Recently, CDH was recognized for the second consecutive year by U.S. News & World Report on the list of Best Hospitals in the orthopaedics category.

The hospital is part of an interdependent network of health-care organizations and services, including convenient care centers, occupational health services and a full range of options for senior living, home health and hospice care. For more information or to find a doctor on the CDH medical staff, visit www.cdh.org or call 630-933-4CDH (4234) / TTY 630-933-4833 for the hearing impaired.

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