Nursing credentials are a professional way to communicate a nurse's education, licensure, certifications, and achievements. Knowing how to write nursing credentials correctly helps ensure your qualifications are presented clearly, professionally, and according to established nursing standards.
Key takeaways
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Preferred order of nursing credentials
The recommended order for listing nursing credentials, regardless of practice setting, is:
- Highest degree earned
- Licensure
- State designations or requirements
- National certifications
- Awards, honors, and other recognitions
Why is this order important? Nursing credentials are listed according to their level of permanence.
Academic degrees come first because they represent educational achievements that generally remain with you throughout your career and can only be revoked in rare circumstances. Licensure follows because it is required to practice nursing. While a nurse may choose not to renew a license, the educational degree remains intact.
State designations and national certifications are listed next. These credentials typically require ongoing maintenance through continuing education and periodic renewal. Although they may expire or lapse, they don't change a nurse’s underlying professional identity as an RN. Finally, voluntary credentials, such as awards, honors, and other recognitions, are listed. While these accomplishments highlight professional excellence and achievement, they aren't required for nursing practice.
Using this credentialing format, my professional signature would appear as:
Cara Lunsford, BSN, RN, CPHON
What nursing credentials include
Nursing credentials usually fall into a few distinct categories.
Academic degrees show completed education. Common examples include ADN, BSN, MSN, DNP, and PhD. The American Nurses Association (ANA) recommends leading with the highest degree earned because it is the most permanent credential.
Licensure shows legal permission to practice. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) explains that licensure is how boards of nursing permit individuals to practice after determining competence, and that the process supports safe nursing practice. Common licensure-related terms include RN, LPN, LVN, and APRN, depending on role and jurisdiction.
National certification shows specialty expertise. ANCC certification helps nurses validate knowledge and advance their careers, and ANCC publishes credential charts for current certification abbreviations such as NEA-BC and FNP-BC.
Awards and honors recognize achievement rather than permission to practice. For instance, Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN) or Academy of Nursing Education Fellow (ANEF) are examples of high-level honors that follow degree, licensure, and certification.
How to writing nursing credentials - step by step
Nursing credentials are a shorthand for professional qualifications. They tell readers about a nurse’s education, license, specialty certification, and honors. Used correctly, they make signatures, bylines, conference bios, and professional profiles clearer and more credible.
1. First, you should only note your highest degree earned. For example, if you have a PhD, you would normally drop other degrees because the PhD eclipses them all. This is especially true if your other credentials are in the same profession. For instance, if you have an associate's degree, a bachelor's degree, and a PhD all in nursing, you will only note your PhD.
If you have a master's degree in nursing, you would leave that off as well. However, if you hold a master's degree in business administration, a separate field, you would include it. Usually, it is uncommon to use a long list of initials after your name, but if it is important to communicate with someone, adding relevant credentials can be helpful.
2. Next, check with your state board of nursing to ensure you're representing yourself correctly with your degree and state credentials. Many nurses state that they note their RN first after their name because they work in service and not academia. There is no separate manner in which to communicate with others based on the employment setting
3. Professional and technical credentials. Many nurses have both professional and technical credentials. However, only professional certification initials go after your name. The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) also maintains a thorough list of generally accepted national professional certifications (for Magnet, for instance), which includes both ANCC and non-ANCC professional certifications.
These certifications acknowledge a higher level of achievement in a body of knowledge, and that one is more than competent in a certain area:
- National certifications, such as NEA-BC (Nurse Executive Advanced, Board-Certified), tell others that a nurse has attained and continually maintained advanced knowledge in a specialty area, nurse management, and leadership. Seeing that a nurse has a CCRN would be a clear sign that they have expert knowledge as a critical care nurse.
- Technical certifications include certifications around a technical skill set, such as ACLS, BLS, PALS, and others. We don’t note technical certifications after our names, but we would list them in a resume or CV in the skills section.
4. Here’s how to note fellow programs and additional designations. The Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing is an important accomplishment for nursing. There are other "fellow" programs and designations in specialty areas, such as wound care and informatics. Each are acknowledgments and recognition of one's accomplishments
How to write nursing credentials after your name
The simplest way to write nursing credentials after your name is:
Name, highest degree, license, certification
Examples:
- Jane Smith, BSN, RN
- Chris Thompson, MSN, RN, CEN
- Sarah Williams, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC
Start with the highest degree
One of the most common questions is whether to list every degree. In most everyday use cases, the answer is no. So, as the ANA suggests, start with the highest degree earned and often omit earlier nursing degrees if they are within the same professional track. For example, a nurse with an ADN, BSN, and MSN may use only MSN in a signature or byline.
That said, a second degree in a different discipline may still be relevant. If a nurse also holds an MBA or MPH and that credential adds useful context, it may make sense to include it depending on the audience and setting.
Licensure comes after the degree
After the highest degree, list licensure. For many nurses, that means RN. The NCSBN notes that licensure is the formal mechanism boards of nursing use to authorize practice, which is why it sits near the top of the order.
For advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), the details can vary. APRNs are prepared by education and certification, and APRN regulation is tied to role and population focus. Because state boards may have specific expectations, APRNs should verify how to represent their credentials with the relevant board of nursing.
Professional certification follows licensure
National professional certifications come after licensure. These certifications signal advanced competence in a specialty area and are different from technical course completions. The ANCC maintains certification programs and credential charts that show accepted abbreviations and current certification names.
Examples include:
- NEA-BC
- FNP-BC
- PMHNP-BC
- MEDSURG-BC
- NPD-BC
By contrast, technical certifications such as BLS, ACLS, and PALS are typically better suited to a résumé, CV, or skills section than to a professional signature line.
Awards and honors come last
Honors and fellowships generally come after a degree, licensure, and certification. So be sure to list honors like FAAN later in the sequence of your credentials.
BSN RN signature example
A frequent question is whether to write RN, BSN, or BSN, RN. Following the recommended order, the degree comes before the license, so BSN, RN is the standard form.
Use these examples as a guide:
- Alex Rivera, BSN, RN
- Alex Rivera, BSN, RN, CCRN
- Alex Rivera, MSN, RN, CCRN
The first shows a degree plus license. The second adds a specialty certification. The third updates the degree after additional education.
Nurse email signature examples
A nurse email signature should be easy to scan. It should include the credentials that matter most for the audience without turning into a long list of initials. For many nurses, that means name, highest degree, license, key certification, role, department, and organization.
Example: Staff nurse email signature
Jordan Lee, BSN, RN
Staff Nurse
Medical-Surgical Unit
Example Health System
Example: Nurse manager email signature
Taylor Morgan, MSN, RN, NE-BC
Nurse Manager
Critical Care Services
Example Health System
Example: Nurse practitioner email signature
Avery Brooks, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC
Family Nurse Practitioner
Primary Care
Example Medical Group
For advanced practice roles, verify state-specific rules before finalizing a signature format. Boards of nursing play a regulatory role in APRN licensure frameworks, according to the NCSBN.
Nursing titles vs. nursing credentials
A nursing title describes a role or position. Examples include staff nurse, charge nurse, nurse educator, nurse manager, and nurse practitioner. A nursing credential describes a qualification, such as BSN, RN, CCRN, DNP, or FAAN.
This is also a strong entity-linking opportunity. “Nurse practitioner” may function as a role, while “APRN” refers to an advanced practice licensure category and regulatory model.
Common mistakes when listing nursing credentials
- Listing credentials in the wrong order. Putting RN before BSN is common in casual use, but the preferred order puts the highest degree first.
- Including every degree, training class, and technical certification in one string. Listing a full list of every prior degree isn’t necessary in many cases, so focus on the most relevant credentials.
- Mixing titles with credentials. “Charge Nurse” belongs in a title line, not in the credential string after a name. This is a readability issue for people and a classification issue for search and entity-linking systems.
- Assuming that the practice setting changes the rules. There isn't one method for academia and another for service. There is only one preferred order.
A practical rule of thumb
When in doubt, use this format:
Name, highest degree, license, certification
That approach works for most bylines, conference bios, LinkedIn headlines, and nurse email signatures. It is short, professional, and is the most commonly used layout.
FAQs on how to write nursing credentials
What is the correct order for nursing credentials?
The preferred order is highest degree earned, licensure, state designation or requirement, national certification, then awards and honors.
Do I put BSN or RN first?
BSN comes before RN because the degree is listed before licensure. A standard example is: Jamie Carter, BSN, RN.
Should I list every nursing degree after my name?
Usually, no. The ANA recommends listing the highest relevant degree rather than every nursing degree in the same progression.
Can I include BLS or ACLS after my name?
Usually not in a professional signature line. Technical certifications such as BLS and ACLS are typically better placed on a résumé, CV, or skills section.
What is the difference between a nursing title and a nursing credential?
A title describes a role, such as nurse manager or staff nurse. A credential describes a qualification, such as BSN, RN, or CCRN.
How should a nurse practitioner write credentials?
Nurse practitioners should follow the general order while also checking state-specific requirements. The NCSBN notes that APRN practice is regulated through licensure frameworks tied to role and population focus.
What does FAAN mean?
FAAN stands for Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and is used as an honor or recognition rather than a practice credential.
