The Advanced Practice Initiatives & Certification Outreach Team
Honoring the New Year by Highlighting Mentorship in Action Mentoring Through Advocacy Featuring the Story of Kiersten Solis, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC
Kiersten Solis was motivated to become a nurse because she wanted a career centered on helping people. Many of her family members work in healthcare, and she has always admired their commitment to caring for others. Nursing allowed her to combine clinical skill with human connection in a meaningful way.
Working in the emergency department strengthened that calling, as it gave her the opportunity to care for patients across the lifespan in high-acuity, fast-paced situations where teamwork, adaptability, and advocacy are essential. The emergency department also allowed her to work interprofessionally and continually grow and develop as a clinician and leader.
She quickly advanced into the roles of charge nurse and then nurse educator, where she first discovered her passion for guiding others’ professional development. In that role, she created an onboarding program for both new and experienced nurses and served as a preceptor for all newly hired nurses. She found fulfillment in strengthening the profession and supporting the growth of the next generation of nurses. Over time, Kiersten recognized that she could have an even greater impact by expanding her role, particularly in providing continuity of care, preventive services, and patient education. This ultimately led her to advance her nursing career as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) and achieve ANCC board certification as a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP-BC), allowing her to provide holistic care while addressing both immediate and long-term health needs.
Being ANCC certified represents a commitment to excellence, professional accountability, and lifelong learning for Kiersten. It affirms that her knowledge and clinical practice meet nationally recognized standards and reinforces her responsibility to provide safe, evidence-based, and patient-centered care. ANCC certification also connects Kiersten to a broader community of nurse leaders and reinforces her role as a mentor and advocate within the nursing profession.
Her mentorship style is grounded in approachability, encouragement, and individualized support. Kiersten strives to create a safe and supportive environment where colleagues and fellows feel comfortable asking questions, reflecting on challenges, and building confidence in their clinical decision-making.
Kiersten supports others by guiding them through transitions into new roles, providing thoughtful and constructive feedback, modeling professional communication, and helping mentees set realistic and meaningful goals for growth. She believes effective mentorship is built on trust, active listening, and shared accountability. Both receiving and giving feedback are skills Kiersten has intentionally developed over time, and they have been essential to her ability to mentor effectively. As her career has evolved, so has her mentorship style.
In her current role as the director of a postgraduate training program, Kiersten has the opportunity to mentor not only clinical nursing skills and advanced practice knowledge, but also leadership development. At her organization, Kiersten is proud to be part of a culture that values mentorship, continuous learning, and professional growth, and she strives to reflect and reinforce those values in the way she supports and guides others.
In clinical settings, Kiersten coaches fellows and colleagues, guiding them to navigate resources and follow-up services that address barriers to care and impact health outcomes. She models the importance of patient autonomy, dignity, and culturally responsive care, while teaching how advocacy shows up every day.
At the community level, Kiersten encourages fellows to recognize and address health disparities and social determinants of health, prompting them to consider how factors such as access to care, housing, food insecurity, and insurance status influence health. She supports involvement in care models and community partnerships that advance health equity.
Kiersten also mentors advocacy for nurses and the profession by promoting professional development, ethical practice at the full scope of nursing, and engagement in leadership and professional organizations.
Through hands-on systems and policy advocacy, she involves fellows and faculty in legislative efforts, including leading an annual Nurses Hill Day trip to the state capital. She prepares participants to connect clinical experience with policy and engage with elected officials, empowering mentees to view advocacy as an essential responsibility.
Honoring the New Year by Highlighting Mentorship in Action Mentoring Through Cultural Connectivity Featuring the Story of Denise Angelo Prudencio, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, NPD-BC, PCCN, CGNC, FFNMRCSI, FSIEN, FADLN
Dr. Denise Angelo Prudencio was motivated to become a nurse by a profound desire to serve others and make a meaningful difference in people’s lives during their most vulnerable moments. Growing up in the Philippines, he saw nursing not only as a profession but as a calling grounded in compassion, service, and family-centered care.
Culturally, caring for others—especially elders in his family and those who were ill—was deeply ingrained in his upbringing and strongly influenced his decision to pursue nursing. His journey began at the University of Santo Tomas (UST), earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), followed by a master’s degree from St. Bernadette of Lourdes College. His work at UST Hospital provided foundational clinical experience and shaped his understanding of the true essence of nursing: service, resilience, teamwork, and advocacy for patients and families.
Denise migrated to the United States and began his career as an internationally educated nurse (IEN), later earning a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) from Walden University, which enhanced his leadership, systems thinking, and evidence-based practice skills. Adapting to a new healthcare system posed challenges—including cultural adjustment, communication differences, and proving competence in unfamiliar settings—which, combined with his perspective as a man in a predominantly female profession, deepened his understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
These experiences fueled his passion for health equity, nursing education, and leadership, recognized through fellowships with the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (FFNMRCSI), the Society of Internationally Educated Nurses (FSIEN), and the Academy of Diversity Leaders in Nursing (FADLN). He remains actively engaged in professional organizations, including the Philippine Nurses Association of America, PNA California Capital City Chapter (PNAC3), the UST Nurses Association International, and contributes to humanitarian efforts with World Vision and United Nations Higher Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Denise’s cultural roots, educational journey, IEN experience, fellowship honors, and commitment to service continue to shape and inspire his work today.
Being dual ANCC board certified in Nursing Professional Development (NPD-BC) and Nurse Executive, Advanced (NEA-BC) has strengthened Denise’s ability to lead with both strategic vision and educational expertise. The NPD-BC certification grounds his work in evidence-based professional development, competency management, and mentoring, while the NEA-BC equips him to lead at a systems level, influence organizational outcomes, and align education with executive priorities. For Denise, dual ANCC certification represents a commitment to excellence, lifelong learning, and credibility as both a nurse leader and educator. It affirms that his practice meets nationally recognized standards and reinforces his responsibility to model professionalism, integrity, and high-impact leadership for those he mentors.
Pursuing national certification can be financially and emotionally challenging, particularly for nurses balancing professional and personal responsibilities. The ANCC Success Pays® program supports nurses within an organization in achieving certification by reducing test-taking anxiety and eliminating financial barriers. Through this program, Denise was able to overcome these challenges and the value of organizational support was reinforced. With this support, he prepared confidently and passed his certification exams on the first attempt, highlighting the importance of preparation and institutional investment. Denise encourages nurses to take full advantage of programs like Success Pays®, which make certification more accessible, reduce stress, and support professional growth and excellence in nursing practice.
When Denise was new to the United States, he experienced firsthand the importance of mentorship in navigating a new healthcare system, professional expectations, and cultural adjustment. That experience shaped his commitment to mentoring nurses who are transitioning, internationally educated, or stepping into unfamiliar roles.
As his leadership experience grew, Denise expanded his mentorship to support new, internationally educated, and experienced nurses seeking growth, advancement, or renewed purpose. His approach is intentional and strengths-based, grounded in psychological safety, active listening, goal setting, accountability, and helping individuals recognize their potential and voice.
For Denise, mentoring centers on connection, trust, and empowerment. He finds fulfillment in helping others build confidence, access opportunities, and develop leadership pathways that extend beyond the workplace. Mentorship fosters a strong sense of belonging, particularly for internationally educated nurses and those practicing in a second language, by creating cultural bonds that validate lived experiences and reinforce trust. As a bilingual nurse, Denise enhances his ability to build trust, foster inclusion, and form meaningful connections across diverse backgrounds.
His bilingualism allows him to bridge cultural and communication gaps, especially for internationally educated nurses, and supports a holistic, culturally responsive approach to mentorship, patient care, and team collaboration.
Interested in Success Pays®? Learn how this Program can Support Your Organization
Meet Lourdes B. Careaga, who manages our ANCC Success Pays® program. She is here to help support your nurses with their professional journey through ANCC certification.
Program FAQs:
Launched in 2013
Over 600 Success Pays
Partners
Monthly Townhalls, hosted by Lourdes to stay connected
Benefits:
Nurses are given two (2) opportunities to pass.
The organization only pays for the nurses who pass.
Reduces anxiety and financial barriers for nurses.
No minimum or maximum limit for number of certification renewals.
Structure:
A signed agreement between the organization and ANCC to promote nursing excellence through certification among clinicians.
Qualifying Programs:
Initial Certifications
Certification Renewals
Please refer your team to the resource below for information on how this program further benefits your organization, as well as a list of eligible ANCC certifications:
Connect With Us if you are Interested in Providing a Testimonial
Meet Katelyn Bern who manages customer engagement through social media and at ANCC tradeshows. She is committed to delivering engaging and meaningful content to keep you informed about important updates, including celebrations of certified nurses, stories of inspiration, newsletters, upcoming webinars, and more!
Stories of Inspiration from ANCC Certified Nurses began in May of 2024. You can view all previous stories by visiting our Meet the Team page, under the Resources for You tab. Please let us know if you are interested in sharing your story with us by completing the below survey:
