Nursing certifications are more than just credentials on a resume. They have a far-reaching, long-lasting impact on nurses and patients alike.
Marianne Horahan, MBA, MPH, RN, CPHQ, NEA-BC, CAE, Certification and Customer Service Director at the ANCC, said the benefits of certification start as soon as nurses begin studying for the exam and continue to grow throughout their careers.
While studying for an exam, nurses fill in knowledge gaps. Upon achieving nursing certifications, the accomplishment impacts care and much more.
“For nurses, there is a badge of pride in knowing they are competent within their specialty,” Horahan said. She added that employers benefit because their nurses are current on the latest advancements in their specialty practice and patients benefit from having more competent and confident nurses.
Nursing certifications also can spark a desire to continue on a lifelong career development path to additional certifications.
“A nurse holding multiple certifications can demonstrate a broader breadth of knowledge and expertise,” Horahan said.
For example, she explained, a nurse leader on an elder care unit could become certified as a nurse executive and in gerontological nursing to demonstrate competence in the clinical and leadership specialties. A nurse who is certified in med-surg and psychiatric-mental health nursing can better navigate the care of a med-surg patient with psychiatric comorbidities.
Certifications to consider
So what are your certification options?
Based on your specialty, the avenues for career development can be vast.
In some cases, nurses who are members of a specialty nursing association can earn a discount on the cost for certification or recertification applications. And Nurse.com offers certification test prep courses that can help nurses prepare for the exam.
We’ve compiled a list of 24 nursing certifications that can expand your career options and your skill set.
1. Critical care registered nurse (CCRN)
- Administered by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
- Prepare for the CCRN certification online with Nurse.com’s Adult Critical Care Certification Test Prep Course
- Acute and critical care nurses have seven different certifications to choose from in their specialty. Adult, pediatric, and neonatal certifications are available for RNs and APRNs who provide or influence direct. An adult teleICU option is offered for nurses working remotely with acute or critically ill patients.
2. Certified emergency nurse (CEN)
- Administered by the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN)
- Prepare for the CEN certification online with Nurse.com’s Emergency Nurse Certification Test Prep Course
- Two years of emergency nursing experience are recommended, but not required. Nurses with a CEN credential can demonstrate clinical practice expertise and are better prepared for lifelong learning opportunities, professional development, and overall career success, according to the BCEN.
3. Nurse educator (CNE)
- Administered by the National League for Nursing
- Prepare for the CNE certification online with Nurse.com’s catalog of courses on nurse education
- Accredited in 2009, the National League for Nursing’s Certified Nurse Educator program creates a means for nursing faculty to demonstrate expertise in their role. CNEs educate future nurses in a variety of settings, including universities, technical schools, hospitals, and two- and four-year colleges.
4. Family nurse practitioner (FNP)
- Administered by the ANCC
- Prepare for the FNP certification online with Nurse.com’s Family Nurse Practitioner Certification Test Prep Course
- FNPs often work in primary care settings and care for patients across their lifespan. The requirements include an MSN degree or higher, along with 500 hours (minimum) of clinical hours of supervised direct patient care.
5. Progressive care nursing (PCCN)
- Administered by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
- Prepare for the PCCN certification online with Nurse.com’s Adult Critical Care Certification Test Prep Course
- This certification is designed for nurses that care for acute adult patients who need a higher level of care but not in an intensive care unit. Direct care and educator or preceptor career pathways are available, and both require a level of verifiable practice hours.
6. Nurse executive (NE-BC)
- Administered by the ANCC
- Prepare for the NE-BC certification online with Nurse.com’s catalog of courses on nursing leadership
- For nurses seeking a high-level leadership position, this certification could be required to advance into certain roles. A baccalaureate degree or higher is among the requirements.
7. Oncology certified nurse (OCN)
- Administered by the Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation
- Prepare for the OCN certification online with Nurse.com’s Oncology Nursing Certification Test Prep Course
- With an OCN certification, nurses can use the most updated research and trends to help advance clinical treatments for patients with cancer. Two thousand hours (minimum) of adult oncology nursing practice, two years of RN experience, and 10 hours of continuing oncology education or an elective course in oncology nursing are required.
8. Certified perioperative nurse (CNOR)
- Administered by the Competency and Credentialing Institute
- Prepare for the CNOR certification online with Nurse.com's CNOR Certification Test Prep Course
- Two years (minimum) and 2,400 hours of perioperative experience is required to apply for the exam. The CNOR credential is held by more than 40,000 nurses across the globe.
9. Certified medical-surgical registered nurse (CMSRN)
- Administered by the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses
- Prepare for the CMSRN certification online with Nurse.com’s Medical Surgical Nursing Certification Test Prep Course
- Med-surg nurses can build and demonstrate commitment, confidence, and credibility through this certification, which became available more than two decades ago. More than 35,000 nurses in the specialty are certified.
10. Certified wound care nurse (CWCN)
- Administered by the Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Certification Board
- Prepare for the CWCN certification online with Nurse.com’s Wound Care Nursing Certification Test Prep Course
- Nearly 2.5% of the U.S. population has had their quality of life impacted by a chronic wound. Certification candidates must have a bachelor’s degree or higher and complete one of three Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing Certification Board educational pathways.
11. Stroke certified registered nurse (SCRN)
- Administered by the American Board of Neuroscience Nursing
- Prepare for the SCRN certification online with Nurse.com’s Stroke Certified RN Certification Test Prep Course
- Certification can expand a nurse’s expertise in stroke care while offering patients hyperacute, acute, and post-acute care, as well as secondary and preventative care. RNs must have one year of full-time direct or indirect stroke nurse experience (2,080 hours) in the past three years to apply.
12. Certified pediatric nurse (CPN)
- Administered by the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board
- Prepare for the CPN certification online with Nurse.com’s Pediatric Nursing Certification Test Prep Course
- Taking the certification exam requires nurses to follow one of two education pathways and have a diploma, associate degree, or higher. The CPN offers increased knowledge in the field and opportunities for advancement.
13. Inpatient obstetric nursing certification (RNC-OB)
- Administered by the National Certification Corporation
- Prepare for the RNC-OB certification online with Nurse.com’s Inpatient Obstetric Nursing Certification Test Prep Course
- Advanced specialty expertise and being equipped to provide a higher level of care are two benefits of obstetric nursing certification. Among the eligibility requirements are two years of experience in the specialty comprised of 2,000 hours (minimum) working as an RN.
14. Cardiac-vascular nursing certification (CV-BC)
- Administered by the ANCC
- Prepare for the CV-BC certification online with Nurse.com’s catalog of courses on cardiology
- Specializing in the care, treatment, and rehabilitation of patients with heart disease, cardiac-vascular nurses can achieve certification via a competency-based exam. CV-BC nurses also work with patients to manage symptoms, prevent complications, and offer education on maintaining their vascular system.
15. Orthopaedic nurse certification (ONC)
- Administered by the Orthopaedic Nurses Certification Board
- Prepare for the ONC certification online with Nurse.com’s Orthopedic Nursing Certification Test Prep Course
- Advancing the care of orthopaedic patients, ONC certification promotes excellence in specialty practice by encouraging professional development and clinical practice. The requirements include at least 1,000 hours working in an orthopaedic nursing setting within the last three years.
16. Certified dialysis nurse (CDN)
- Administered by the Nephrology Nursing Certification Commission
- Prepare for the CDN certification online with Nurse.com’s Nephrology Nursing and Dialysis Nursing Certification Test Prep Course
- Dialysis nurses use multiple types of machinery, as well as strong assessment skills, to provide care that supports patients with limited renal function. Certification requirements include 2,000 hours in nephrology nursing care for patients who may require dialysis.
17. Legal nurse consultant certified (LNCC)
- Administered by the American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants
- Prepare for the LNCC certification online with Nurse.com’s catalog of courses on nursing law
- Sitting for the certification exam requires 2,000 hours of work in a legal nurse consulting role. That work can be done in a variety of ways, including as analysts, collaborators, strategists, researchers, and educators in legal matters.
18. Certified infection control nurse (CIC)
- Administered by the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology
- Prepare for the CIC certification online with Nurse.com’s Infection Control Nursing Certification Test Prep Course
- Through certification, infection control and prevention nurses can advance the profession and their careers. Nurses with a CIC credential often are better prepared to interpret evidence and serve as champions for key infection prevention efforts.
19. Hospice and palliative care nurse (CHPN)
- Administered by the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association; the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Foundation; and the Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center
- Prepare for the CHPN certification online with Nurse.com’s Hospice and Palliative Nursing Certification Test Prep Course
- Designed for experienced RNs in hospice and palliative care, the certification requires 500 hours of practice in the field in the 12 months before taking the exam. CHPNs exhibit increased confidence and competence in their practice and have a greater understanding of the specialty’s current body of knowledge.
20. Sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE)
- Administered by the International Association of Forensic Nurses
- Prepare for the SANE certification online with Nurse.com’s catalog of courses on forensic nursing
- The International Association of Forensic Nurses offers two certifications for nurses who provide care for survivors of sexual assault – adult/adolescent (SANE-A) and pediatric (SANE-P). Two years of clinical practice as an RN are required to apply for this certification.
21. Informatics nursing certification (NI-BC)
- Administered by the ANCC
- Prepare for the NI-BC certification online with Nurse.com’s Nursing Informatics Certification Test Prep Course
- The NI-BC merges the worlds of both nursing and technology. Informatics nurses enhance quality of care in multiple ways, including reducing errors, improving information flow, enhancing patient record storage, saving time, and empowering patients with access to their entire medical history.
22. Ambulatory care nursing certification (AMB-BC)
- Administered by the ANCC
- Prepare for the AMB-BC certification online with Nurse.com’s Ambulatory Care Nursing Certification Test Prep Course
- The certification will strengthen an ambulatory care nurse’s knowledge on the five Domains of Practice — Clinical Practice, Communications, Professional Role, Systems/Legal and Regulatory, and Education, according to the ANCC. The exam also contains an enhanced component on telehealth.
23. Advanced diabetes management (ADM-BC)
- Administered by the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists
- Prepare for the ADM-BC certification online with Nurse.com’s catalog of courses on diabetes education
- RNs and other healthcare professionals can showcase their expertise in caring for patients with diabetes through this certification. A master’s degree or higher is required, along with 500 clinical practce hours in diabetes management.
24. Board certified holistic nurse (HN-BC)
- Administered by the American Holistic Credentialing Corporation
- Prepare for the HN-BC certification online with Nurse.com’s catalog of courses on holistic nursing
- Designed for non-Baccalaureate RNs, the HN-BC certification focuses on nursing practice that facilitates the health, wellness, and well-being of individuals, families, groups, communities, and the global level. Requirements include 48 hours of continuing education in holistic nursing philosophy, theory, practice, research, related concepts, health, and care.
Nursing certifications demonstrate a nurse's expertise and commitment to evidence-based practice, and that’s recognized by the ANCC annually on March 19 — Certified Nurses Day. By obtaining and maintaining these certifications, nurses not only stay current with the latest advancements in health care, but they ensure they’re equipped to provide the highest quality care.
Learn more about these certifications or other nursing skills through Nurse.com's catalog of CE courses.
Overview & recap
This article emphasizes the significance of certifications in fostering clinical expertise, boosting confidence, and advancing career prospects. Marianne Horahan from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) highlights that the benefits of certification commence during exam preparation and continue to grow throughout a nurse's career.
The article outlines 24 certifications across various specialties, including critical care, pediatrics, oncology, and psychiatric-mental health nursing. It notes that some certifications are available online, providing flexibility for nurses to study at their own pace. Nurse.com offers online, self-paced certification test preparation courses to assist nurses in preparing for these exams.
Additionally, the article mentions that members of specialty nursing associations may receive discounts on certification or recertification applications. By obtaining multiple certifications, nurses can demonstrate a broader breadth of knowledge and expertise, which can be particularly beneficial in complex clinical scenarios. Having a variety of certifications can help improve salary outlook and help nurses become well-rounded healthcare professionals.
