More Than a Credential: The Human Side of Nursing Certification
In this powerful episode of Tried and Tested, host Isabelle Gonthier sits down at the ABNS Conference with two influential voices in the nursing certification world: Kevin Letz, CEO of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board and President of the American Board of Nursing Specialties (ABNS), and Dr. Margaret Erickson, CEO of the American Holistic Nurses Credentialing Corporation and President of the Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification (ABSNC).
Together, they explore the evolving landscape of nursing specialty certification and accreditation — from the role of AI and technology in assessment to the deeply human element at the core of nursing practice. You’ll hear their insights on maintaining empathy in a tech-driven world, the value of certification to both the professional and the person, and why now is a critical moment to invest in the future of nursing.
Whether you’re in the profession or simply passionate about credentialing, this episode is a meaningful look at how trust, compassion, and standards intersect in modern healthcare.
Kevin Letz
CEO of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board and President of the American Board of Nursing Specialties (ABNS)
Dr. Letz is a board certified family, adult, pediatric and emergency nurse practitioner as well as certified nurse educator-retired. He has experience in a variety of healthcare areas including clinical, leadership, teaching, and entrepreneur endeavors. He lectures nationally on a variety of topics related to his experience.
Author of: “Happy & Well: Evidence Based Strategies for Happiness & Well-Being”, “The NP Guide: Essential Knowledge for Nurse Practitioner Practice”, The 3 P’s: Pathophysiology, Pharmacology, & Health Assessment”, & “Chief Advanced Practice Officer”.
Margaret Erickson
CEO of the American Holistic Nurses Credentialing Corporation (AHNCC) and President of the Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification (ABSNC)
Margaret Erickson holds certification as an Advanced Practice Holistic Nurse (APHN) from the American Holistic Nurses Credentialing Corporation (AHNCC). She has been the CEO of the American Holistic Nurses Credentialing Corporation since May 2000. She has practiced holistic nursing for 45 years and has worked with different populations in various settings, including, but not limited to Adult and Mental Health, ICU, Newborn Nursery, L&D, Long Term Care, Independent Practice, and Discharge Planning and Case Management. She received her BSN from the University of Michigan and her MSN and PhD from the University of Texas at Austin. Her doctoral research focused on the relationships among Maternal Need Satisfaction, Perceived Support and Maternal-Infant Bonding-Attachment in Adolescent mothers. She has always practiced holistic-based nursing care, regardless of her role, or the setting or population she works with. She has also consulted with numerous universities and healthcare institutions to implement a holistic-based paradigm for healthcare transformation, facilitating the implementation of holistic, patient-centered care and nursing practice.
Margaret has received numerous awards throughout her career including but not limited to the American Nurses Foundation Scholar award, Outstanding Graduate PhD Student, School of Nursing at the University of Texas at Austin, Cullen Endowed University Graduate Fellowship, the Community Service Recognition Award from Epsilon Theta Chapter, Sigma Theta Tau International, and was named AHNA 2018 Holistic Nurse of the Year. She has taught holistic nursing courses at the graduate and undergraduate levels at the University of Texas at Austin and Tennessee State University. She has researched, published and presented nationally in holistic nursing, theory-based practice, and holistic health. She currently serves as President on the Board of Directors for the Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification, and is on the executive committee of the Society for Advancement of Modeling and Role-Modeling.