Nursing credentials and certifications are the various credentials and certifications that a person must have to practice nursing legally. Nurses' postnominal letters (abbreviations listed after the name) reflect their credentials—that is, their achievements in nursing education, licensure, certification, and fellowship. The letters usually appear in the following order:
Highest earned academic degree in or related to nursing (e.g. "[[Doctor of Nursing Practice |DNP] or Ph.D.]")
Nursing licensure (e.g. "RN")
Nursing certification (e.g. "CCRN")
Nursing fellowship (e.g. "FAAN")
Generally credentials are listed from most to least permanent. A degree, once earned, cannot, in normal circumstances, be taken away. State licensure is only revoked for serious professional misconduct. Certifications generally must be periodically renewed by examination or the completion of a prescribed number of continuing education units (CEUs). This is often called maintenance of certification (MOC).
Nurses may also hold non-nursing credentials including academic degrees. These are usually omitted unless they are related to the nurse's job. For instance, those with master's degrees usually do not list their bachelor's degrees (only the highest earned degree), and a staff nurse would likely not list an MBA, but a nurse manager might choose to do so.
Some nurses who achieve a master's degree (MSN) leave the patient care aspect of nursing, and practice in a more managerial role. An example would be earning an MSN in health care risk management. Such a nurse, while still fully an accredited nurse, will likely become the risk manager for a hospital, working in health administration rather than direct care and perhaps even becoming the director or manager of the risk management department. In this role, he or she may never see another patient except while doing hospital inspections, or perhaps talking to a patient or the patient's family about a quality of care concern. In this role, the nurse becomes something similar to an auditor and a teacher of patient care quality and risk for the entire hospital staff. This nurse likely will also get the certification listed below: CPHQ: Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality.
Nursing credentials are separated from the person's name (and from each other) with commas. There are usually no periods within the credentials (e.g. "BSN" not "B.S.N.").
In the United States and Canada, many nurses who choose a specialty become certified in that area, signifying that they possess expert knowledge. There are over 200 nursing specialties and subspecialties. Studies from the Institute of Medicine have demonstrated that specialty-certified nurses have higher rates of patient satisfaction, as well as lower rates of work-related errors in patient care.
Registered nurses (RNs) are not required to be certified in a certain specialty by law. For example, it is not necessary to be a certified medical-surgical registered nurse (CMSRN) (a medical surgical nursing certification) to work on a medical-surgical (med-surg) floor, and most med-surg nurses are not CMSRNs. Certifications do, however, instill professionalism and make the nurse more attractive to prospective and current employers. Certified nurses may earn a salary differential over their non-certified colleagues but this is rare.
Some hospitals and other health care facilities are willing to pay a certified nurse extra when he or she works within their specialty. Also, some hospitals may require certain nurses, such as nursing supervisors or lead nurses, be certified. Certification instills confidence in the nurses. Magnet hospitals advocate certifications.
Throughout the list, the following credentialing organizations are mentioned:
ANCC: American Nurses Credentialing Center (nursecredentialing.org)
AANP: American Association of Nurse Practitioners (aanp.org)
ONCC: Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation (oncc.org)
AAS: Associate of Applied Science
AAN: Associate of Arts in Nursing
ABLS: Advanced Burn Life Support (not intended for postnominal use)
ABQAURP: CHCQM - Board Certification in Health Care Quality and Management
ACHPN: Advanced Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse
ACHRN: Advanced Certified Hyperbaric Registered Nurse
ACLS: Advanced Cardiac Life Support (not intended for postnominal use)
ACNP-BC: Acute Care Nurse Practitioner-Board Certified
ACNPC: Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Certification
ACNS-BC: Adult Clinical Nurse Specialist - Board Certified
ACRN: AIDS Certified Registered Nurse
ADLS: Advanced Disaster Life Support
ADN: Associate Degree in Nursing
AFN-BC: Advanced Forensic Nursing–Board Certified (http://nursecredentialing.org/ForensicNursing-Advanced)
AGPCNP-BC: Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner-Board Certified
ALNC: Advanced Legal Nurse Consultant
ANEF: Academy of Nursing Education Fellow
ANLC: Advanced Nurse Lactation Consultant
ANP-BC: Adult Nurse Practitioner-Board Certified (certified by ANCC)
ANP-C: Adult Nurse Practitioner-Certified (certified by AANP)
ANVP: Advanced Neurovascular Practitioner
AOCN: Advanced Oncology Certified Nurse
AOCNP: Advanced Oncology Certified Nurse Practitioner
AOCNS: Advanced Oncology Certified Clinical Nurse Specialist
APHN-BC: Advanced Public Health Nurse-Board Certified
APN: Advanced Practice Nurse
APRN: Advanced Practice Registered Nurse
ARNP: Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner
ASN: Associate of Science in Nursing
BLS: Basic Life Support (not intended for postnominal use)
BDLS: Basic Disaster Life Support
BCEN: Board Certified Emergency Nurse
BM: Bachelor of Midwifery
BMTCN: Blood and Marrow Transplant Certified Nurse
BN: Bachelor of Nursing
BPS: Bachelor of Professional Studies with a concentration in Nursing
BS: Bachelor of Science with Nursing Major
BScN: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (Canada)
BHSc Nsg: Bachelor of Health Science—Nursing Nursing Qualification for RNs in Australia
BSN: Bachelor of Science in Nursing
CANP: Certified Adult Nurse Practitioner
CAPA: Certified Ambulatory Perianesthesia nurse
CARN: Certified Addictions Registered Nurse
CATN-I: Course in Advanced Trauma Nursing -Instructor (not intended for postnominal use)
CATN-P: Course in Advanced Trauma Nursing -Provider (not intended for postnominal use)
CBCN: Certified Breast Care Nurse
CBN: Certified Bariatric Nurse
CCCN: Certified Continence Care Nurse
CCDS: Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist
CCM: Certified Case Manager
CCNS: Acute Care Clinical Nurse Specialist
CCRN: Certification in Acute/Critical Care Nursing [1]
CCTC: Certified Clinical Transplant Coordinator
CCTN: Certified Clinical Transplant Nurse
CDDN: Certified Developmental Disabilities Nurse
CDE: Certified Diabetes Educator
CDMS: Certified Disability Management Specialist
CDN: Certified Dialysis Nurse
CDONA/LTC: Certified Director of Nursing Administration/Long Term Care
C-EFM: Certified in Electronic Fetal Monitoring
CEN: Certified Emergency Nurse
CENP: Certified Executive in Nursing Practice
CETN: Certified Enterostomal Therapy Nurse
CFCN: Certified Foot Care Nurse
CFN: Certified Forensic Nurse
CFNP: Certified Family Nurse Practitioner
CFRN: Certified Flight Registered Nurse
CGN: Certified Gastroenterology Nurse
CGRN: Certified Gastroenterology Registered Nurse
CHES: Certified Health Education Specialist
CHN: Certified Hemodialysis Nurse
CHPLN: Certified Hospice and Palliative Licensed Nurse
CHPN: Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse
CHPNA: Certified Hospice and Palliative Nursing Assistant
CHPPN: Certified Hospice and Palliative Pediatric Nurse
CHRN: Certified Hyperbaric Registered Nurse
CHSE: Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator
CHSE-A: Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator-Advanced
CHSOS: Certified Healthcare Simulation Operations Specialist
CIC: Certified in Infection Control
CLC: Certified Lactation Counselor
CLNC: Certified Legal Nurse Consultant
CM: Certified Midwife
CMA: Certified Medical Assistant
CMAS: Certified Medical Audit Specialist
CMC: Cardiac Medicine Certification
CMCN: Certified Managed Care Nurse
CMDSC: Certified MDS Coordinator
CMSRN: Certified Medical—Surgical Registered Nurse
CNA: Certified Nursing Assistant
CNCC(C): Certified Nurse in Critical Care (Canada)
CNE: Certified Nursing Educator
CNE: Chief Nurse Executive
CNL: Clinical Nurse Leader
CNLCP: Certified Nurse Life Care Planner
CNM: Certified Nurse Midwife
CNML: Certified Nurse Manager and Leader
CNN: Certified in Nephrology Nursing
CNO: Chief Nursing Officer
CNOR: Certified Perioperative Nurse
CNP: Certified Nurse Practitioner
C-NPT: Certified in Neonatal Pediatric Transport
CNRN: Certified Neuroscience Registered Nurse
CNS: Clinical Nurse Specialist
CNSN: Certified Nutrition Support Nurse
COCN: Certified Ostomy Care Nurse
COHC: Certified Occupational Hearing Conservationist
COHN: Certified Occupational Health Nurse
COHN/CM: Certified Occupational Health Nurse/Case Manager
COHN-S: Certified Occupational Health Nurse—Specialist
COHN-S/CM: Certified Occupational Health Nurse—Specialist/Case Manager
CORLN: Certified Otorhinolaryngology Nurse
CPAN: Certified Post Anesthesia Nurse
CPDN: Certified Peritoneal Dialysis Nurse
CPEN: Certified Pediatric Emergency Nurse
CPHON: Certified Pediatric Hematology Oncology Nurse
CPHQ: Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality
CPLC: Certified in Perinatal Loss Care
CPN: Certified Pediatric Nurse or Community Psychiatric Nurse (United Kingdom)
CPNA: Certified Pediatric Nurse Associate
CPNL: Certified Practical Nurse, Long-term care
CPNP: Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
CPON: Certified Pediatric Oncology Nurse
CPSN: Certified Plastic Surgical Nurse
CRN: Certified Radiologic Nurse
CRNA: Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
CRNFA: Certified Registered Nurse First Assistant
CRNI: Certified Registered Nurse Intravenous
CRNL: Certified Registered Nurse, Long-term care
CRNO: Certified Registered Nurse in Ophthalmology
CRNP: Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner
CRRN: Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurse
CRRN-A: Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurse—Advanced
CS: Clinical Specialist
CSC: Cardiac Surgery Certification
CSHA: Certified Specialist in Hospital Accreditation
C-SPI: Certified Specialist in Poison Information
CT: Certified in Thanatology (dying, death and bereavement)
CTN: Certified Transcultural Nurse
CTRN: Certified Transport Registered Nurse
CTRS: Certified Therapeutic Recreational Specialist
CUA: Certified Urologic Associate
CUCNS: Certified Urologic Clinical Nurse Specialist
CUNP: Certified Urologic Nurse Practitioner
CURN: Certified Urologic Registered Nurse
CVN: Certified Vascular Nurse
CVRN-BC: Cardiovascular Nurse-Board Certified.
CWCN: Certified Wound Care Nurse
CWOCN: Certified Wound, Ostomy, Continence Nurse
CWS: Certified Wound Specialist
DN: Doctor of Nursing
DNP: Doctor of Nursing Practice
DrNP: Doctor of Nursing Practice
DNS: Doctor of Nursing Science also seen as DNSc
DWC: Diabetic Wound Certified
DVNE: Domestic violence nurse examiner
ECRN: Emergency Communications Registered Nurse (not intended for postnominal use)
EdD: Doctor of Education
EN: Enrolled Nurse
ENC(C): Emergency Nurse Certified (Canada)
ENP-BC: Emergency Nurse Practitioner-Board Certified (certified by ANCC)
ENP-C: Emergency Nurse Practitioner- Certified (certified by AANP)
ENPC: Emergency Nursing Pediatric Course (not intended for postnominal use)
ENPC-I: Emergency Nursing Pediatric Course Instructor (not intended for postnominal use)
ENPC-P: Emergency Nursing Pediatric Course Provider (not intended for postnominal use)
ET: Enterostomal Therapist
FAAN: Fellow, American Academy of Nursing
FAAPM: Fellow, American Academy of Pain Management
FACCWS: Fellow, American College of Certified Wound Specialists
FAEN: Fellow, Academy of Emergency Nursing
FAHA: Fellow, American Heart Association
FNC: Family Nurse Clinician
FNP-C: Family Nurse Practitioner (Certified by AANP)
FNP-BC: Family Nurse Practitioner (Certified by ANCC)
FPNP: Family Planning Nurse Practitioner
FRCN: Fellow, Royal College of Nursing
FRCNA: Fellow, Royal College of Nursing, Australia
GN: Graduate Nurse (awaiting RN licensure)
GNP: Gerontological Nurse Practitioner
GPN: General Pediatric Nurse
GPN: Graduate Practical Nurse
GRN: Graduate Registered Nurse
HACP: Hospital Accreditation Certified Professional
HNC: Holistic Nurse, Certified
IBQH: International Board for Quality in Healthcare
IBCLC: International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant
ICC: Intensive Care Certification
INC: Intensive Neonatal Care certification
INS: Informatics Nurse Specialist
IPN: Immunisation Program Nurse: Queensland Australia specialist qualification / endorsement
LCCE: Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator
LNC: Legal Nurse Consultant
LNCC: Legal Nurse Consultant, Certified
LNP: Licensed Nurse Practitioner—Used by the Commonwealth of Virginia, Board of Nursing, as a license status
LPN: Licensed Practical Nurse
LSN: Licensed School Nurse
LTC: Long Term Care (LPN Specific)
LVN: Licensed Vocational Nurse
MA: Master of Arts
MAN: Master of Arts in Nursing
MICT: Master of Information and Communication Technology
ME: Menopause Educator
MEd: Master of Education
MEmerg Nsg: Master's degree in Emergency Nursing Australia
MENP: Master of Entry to Nursing Practice (for any non-nursing bachelor's degree)
MHN: Mental Health Nurse—Registered Nurse Endorsed to practice Advanced nursing in Mental Health
MICN: Mobile Intensive Care Nurse
MN: Master of Nursing
MPH: Master of Public Health
MRCN: Member, Royal College of Nursing (UK)
MRCNA: Member, Royal College of Nursing, Australia
MS: Master of Science
MSA: Medicare Set-Aside
MSN: Master of Science in Nursing
MSN/Ed: Master of Science in Nursing Education
NC-BC: Nurse Coach Board Certified
NCMP: Certified Menopause Practitioner
NCSN: National Certified School Nurse
NE-BC: Nurse Executive-Board Certified
NEA-BC: Nurse Executive Advanced-Board Certified
NNP-BC: Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
NPC: Nurse Practitioner, Certified
NPP: Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric
NRP: Neonatal Resuscitation Program (not intended for postnominal use)
NVRN: Neurovascular Registered Nurse
NZCFN: New Zealand Certified Flight Nurse
NPS: Neonatal / Pediatric Specialty
OCN: Oncology Certified Nurse
OMS: Ostomy Management Specialist
ONC: Orthopaedic Nurse Certified
PALS: Pediatric Advanced Life Support (not intended for postnominal use)
PCCN: Progressive Care Certified Nurse
PCNS: Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist
PhD: Doctor of Philosophy
PHN: Public Health Nurse
PHRN: Pre-Hospital Registered Nurse
PMHN-BC: Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse
PMHNP-BC: Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
PMHCNS-BC: Psychiatric Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist
PNP-BC: Pediatric Nurse Practitioner - Board Certified
PNP-AC: Pediatric Nurse Practitioner - Acute Care
PNP-PC: Pediatric Nurse Practitioner - Primary Care
RCP: Respiratory Care Practitioner
RIN: Rural and Isolated Practice Registered Nurses (RIPRN) (Queensland, Australia)
RM: Registered Midwife
RMN: Registered Mental Nurse (United Kingdom)
RN: Registered Nurse
RN-BC: Registered Nurse, ANCC Board Certified
RNC: Registered Nurse, Certified: American Academy Certified Nurse
RNC-LRN: Registered Nurse Certified in Low Risk Neonatal Nursing
RNC-MNN: Registered Nurse Certified in Maternal Newborn Nursing
RNC-NIC: Registered Nurse Certified in Neonatal Intensive Care
RNC-OB: Registered Nurse Certified in Inpatient Obstetrics
RNCS: Registered Nurse Clinical Specialist
RNCS: Registered Nurse Certified Specialist
RNFA: Registered Nurse First Assistant
RNM: Registered Nurse-Midwife
RNLD: Registered Nurse Learning Disabilities
RPN: Registered practical nurse
RPN: Registered Psychiatric Nurse (Western Canada)
RRT: Registered Respiratory Therapist
SANE: Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner
SANE-A: Certified Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner-Adult/Adolescent
SANE-P: Certified Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner-Pediatric
SCRN: Stroke Certified Registered Nurse
SEN: State Enrolled Nurse
SHN: Sexual and Reproductive Health endorsed RN—Queensland Australia
SN: Student Nurse (RN preparation)
SNSC: School Nurse Services Credential (California CTC)
SPN: Student Nurse (LPN preparation)
SRNA: Student Registered Nurse Anesthetist(CRNA preparation)
SVN: Student Nurse (LVN preparation)
TCRN: Trauma Certified Registered Nurse
TNCC: Trauma Nursing Core Course (not intended for postnominal use)
TNCC-I: Trauma Nursing Core Course Instructor (not intended for postnominal use)
TNCC-P: Trauma Nursing Core Course Provider (not intended for postnominal use)
TNP: Telephone Nursing Practitioner
TNS: Trauma Nurse Specialist
WCC: Wound Care Certified
WHNP-BC: Women's Health Care Nurse Practitioner
CWOCN: Certified Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nurse
WTA-C: Certified Wound Treatment Associate