I mostly agree with your ideas on the value of specialty nursing
certification; in fact, I have obtained a nursing certification by
exam and belong to the associated nursing organization, which is a
great resource for continuing education, conferences, and nursing
research.

However, one part of your thesis is dicey when you say:

"This goal does not require having to hire experienced nurses.
Junior nurses could be hired in, trained, and get their experience
on the floor while being mentored by a more experienced nurse".

In my view, nursing is a praxis of didactic and direct bedside
experience. There really is no good substitute for such experience.
We need to value the bedside experience of older nurses who have
"walked the walk" for many years.

I agree that experienced nurses can mentor less experienced nurses,
but these arrangements need to be made judiciously since not all
nurses are equipped to be effective mentors, and all parties need to
actively engage in this type of teaching-learning relationship.

Your comment as excerpted above has a bottom line undertone that does
not value the richness of bedside experience that many of our
experienced nurses can offer.

patty