Anna Cerra, RN, DPN, senior VP, and chief nursing officer (CNO) of Greenwich Hospital, Greenwich, Connecticut, has been appointed to a global team of nurses that counsels on evidence-based best practices to 150 Catholic hospitals across the globe.

Anna Cerra, a registered nurse and a doctor of nursing practice, has been with Greenwich Hospital for over 17 years and is noted for her significant work in developing resiliency and spirituality. She has been appointed to one of 12 positions on the CICIAMS (International Catholic Committee of Nurses and Medico-Social Assistants) Pan American International Nurse Consulting Team on Best Practices. Cerra holds a master’s degree in healthcare administration from Iona College and has a doctorate of nursing practice from Case Western University and a master’s degree in nursing.

About CICIAMS

Headquartered in Vatican City, CICIAMS came into being after delegates of Catholic nurses’ associations from different countries met in Basel, Switzerland, in 1928. With time the members kept increasing, and they not just included nurses but other professionals from medical and social fields as well. The Committee got its present name in 1946 and is recognized by the Holy See as an International Catholic Organization.

The Council lays down the general guidelines for the Committee’s work and meets once every two years. The sovereign governing body of CICIAMS is the General Council, which comprises the Presidents or the official delegates of the member associations.

Anna Cerra on her achievement

It was her post-doctorate work at Case Western Reserve University with Italian nurses on spirituality and resiliency that got Anna this honor. Anna, a devout Catholic with a command over the Italian language, feels humbled by appointment and considers staff resiliency and spiritual care as the most important elements for making the best nursing efforts. As a member of the expert panel, Cerra hopes to help resolve issues being addressed globally.

Based on her 22 years in nursing and administrative management at Greenwich Hospital, Cerra has been appointed an expert on hospital administration.

Drawing from her experience with the recent pandemic, Cerra’s post-doctorate work centered around developing strategies to boost resiliency. She interviewed 10 Italian nurse leaders from several Catholic hospitals in Rome.

As a leader, she emphasizes the need to implement strategies to enhance resiliency and well-being. She also highlights the need for nurse leaders to be resilient and lead by example.