Suja Thomas has been elected to the Board of Trustees of CGFNS International, Inc. CGFNS International, the Philadelphia-based non-profit organization that has been serving global nurses and allied healthcare workers with credentials evaluation and career mobility since 1977. Nurses and several other healthcare professionals from India and other countries who want to work in the United States need to first get their academic and professional education verified and validated by CGFNS for their eligibility to take licensing examinations. US Department of Homeland Security has given authorization to CGFNS to conduct Visa Screen for Nurses and allied healthcare professionals before they apply for employment- based immigration. Suja, who had been a member of the board of governors of CGFNS Alliance for Ethical International Recruitment Practices, a division of CGFNS International in the last two years has also taken the role as the vice chair of the board. The appointment to the Board of Trustees is for four years and two years for the vice chair.
Suja Thomas is the Clinical Lead and Nursing Administrator at Samuel Stratton VA Medical Center in Albany, New York and is the 2024 recipient of Kerala Center Award for Nursing. She was the president of National Association of Indian Nurses of America (NAINA) for the last term and is currently serving NAINA as the chair of the advisory board. Suja is also an international faculty member at Manipal Academy of Higher Education in India where she inspires and mentors the next generation of nurses. A Board-Certified Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner and a Certified Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nurse, Suja is someone who excelled in leadership and management, known for combining compassionate approach and clinical expertise and is a strong advocate of delivering high standard nursing care to patients. Her visionary leadership and transformative strategies have earned her numerous accolades, including the Transformational Leadership Award, the Robert Scholar Award for Clinical Excellence, and the Quantum Leadership Award. She was also honored with the Diversity Award by Albany Stratton VA Medical Center. While serving as the Clinical Lead and Nursing Administrator and CGFNS leadership, Suja is also pursuing her PhD to enhance her expertise and leadership abilities.
“Nurses from more than hundred countries applied for Visa Screen certification in 2024.” Suja emphasized: “the trend confirms that the US. Healthcare systems continue to depend on nurse immigrants. While nurses are challenged with high level of stress, staff shortages, high patient ratios, risk of infections and injury, aging of baby-booming generation, accelerating rate of registered nurse retirements, and ongoing talk and uncertainty of health care reform, we cannot downplay the importance of elevating standard of nursing care delivery. CGFNS ensures that the nurses joining the US nursing force, keep up with the demands, face the challenges and quality of care.”
CGFNS also partners with National Nursing Assessment Services of Canada and Nursing Council of New Zealand to verify credentials for nurses who want to work in those countries. Suja noted that CGFNS International is in the process of rebranding as TruMerit.
