Complete List of Nursing Certifications in the USA
Nursing certifications in the United States are offered by various professional organizations and boards to validate a nurse's expertise in a specific area of practice. Below is a comprehensive list of nursing certifications available in the U.S., categorized by specialty or area of practice.
General Nursing Certifications
- Certified Nurse Manager and Leader (CNML) – Offered by the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL).
- Nurse Executive-Board Certified (NE-BC) – Offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).
- Nurse Executive Advanced-Board Certified (NEA-BC) – Offered by the ANCC.
- Certified in Executive Nursing Practice (CENP) – Offered by the AONL.
Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) Certifications
- Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP-BC) – Offered by the ANCC.
- Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP-BC) – Offered by the ANCC.
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP-BC) – Offered by the ANCC.
- Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (PPCNP-BC) – Offered by the ANCC.
- Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC) – Offered by the ANCC.
- Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP-BC) – Offered by the National Certification Corporation (NCC).
- Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP-BC) – Offered by the NCC.
- Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNP-BC) – Offered by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN).
- Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) – Offered by the American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB).
- Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) – Offered by the ANCC and other specialty boards.
Critical Care and Emergency Nursing Certifications
- Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN) – Offered by the AACN.
- Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) – Offered by the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN).
- Certified Pediatric Emergency Nurse (CPEN) – Offered by the BCEN.
- Certified Flight Registered Nurse (CFRN) – Offered by the BCEN.
- Certified Transport Registered Nurse (CTRN) – Offered by the BCEN.
- Trauma Certified Registered Nurse (TCRN) – Offered by the BCEN.
Pediatric Nursing Certifications
- Certified Pediatric Nurse (CPN) – Offered by the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB).
- Primary Care Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (CPNP-PC) – Offered by the PNCB.
- Acute Care Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (CPNP-AC) – Offered by the PNCB.
Oncology Nursing Certifications
- Oncology Certified Nurse (OCN) – Offered by the Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation (ONCC).
- Certified Pediatric Hematology Oncology Nurse (CPHON) – Offered by the ONCC.
- Certified Breast Care Nurse (CBCN) – Offered by the ONCC.
- Advanced Oncology Certified Nurse Practitioner (AOCNP) – Offered by the ONCC.
- Advanced Oncology Certified Clinical Nurse Specialist (AOCNS) – Offered by the ONCC.
Cardiac and Vascular Nursing Certifications
- Cardiac Vascular Nursing Certification (CV-BC) – Offered by the ANCC.
- Certified Cardiology Registered Nurse (CCRN) – Offered by the AACN.
- Certified Vascular Nurse (CVN) – Offered by the Vascular Nursing Certification Board (VNCB).
Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing Certifications
- Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Certification (PMH-BC) – Offered by the ANCC.
- Certified Addiction Registered Nurse (CARN) – Offered by the Addictions Nursing Certification Board (ANCB).
- Certified Addiction Registered Nurse-Advanced Practice (CARN-AP) – Offered by the ANCB.
Gerontology Nursing Certifications
- Gerontological Nursing Certification (GERO-BC) – Offered by the ANCC.
- Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (CHPN) – Offered by the Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center (HPCC).
Women’s Health and Neonatal Nursing Certifications
- Inpatient Obstetric Nursing Certification (RNC-OB) – Offered by the NCC.
- Maternal Newborn Nursing Certification (RNC-MNN) – Offered by the NCC.
- Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing Certification (RNC-NIC) – Offered by the NCC.
- Low Risk Neonatal Nursing Certification (RNC-LRN) – Offered by the NCC.
- Women’s Health Care Nurse Practitioner (WHNP-BC) – Offered by the NCC.
Informatics and Case Management Certifications
- Nursing Informatics Certification (RN-BC) – Offered by the ANCC.
- Certified Case Manager (CCM) – Offered by the Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC).
- Certified Professional in Healthcare Information and Management Systems (CPHIMS) – Offered by HIMSS.
Public Health and Community Nursing Certifications
- Advanced Public Health Nursing Certification (APHN-BC) – Offered by the ANCC.
- Certified in Public Health (CPH) – Offered by the National Board of Public Health Examiners (NBPHE).
Pain Management and Rehabilitation Nursing Certifications
- Certified Pain Management Nurse (CPMN) – Offered by the ANCC.
- Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurse (CRRN) – Offered by the Rehabilitation Nursing Certification Board (RNCB).
Other Specialty Nursing Certifications
- Certified Dialysis Nurse (CDN) – Offered by the Nephrology Nursing Certification Commission (NNCC).
- Certified Nephrology Nurse (CNN) – Offered by the NNCC.
- Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES) – Offered by the Certification Board for Diabetes Care and Education (CBDCE).
- Certified Wound Care Nurse (CWCN) – Offered by the Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing Certification Board (WOCNCB).
- Certified Ostomy Care Nurse (COCN) – Offered by the WOCNCB.
- Certified Continence Care Nurse (CCCN) – Offered by the WOCNCB.
- Certified Legal Nurse Consultant (CLNC) – Offered by the American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants (AALNC).
- Certified School Nurse (NCSN) – Offered by the National Board for Certification of School Nurses (NBCSN).
Radiology and Perioperative Nursing Certifications
- Certified Radiology Nurse (CRN) – Offered by the Radiologic Nursing Certification Board (RNCB).
- Certified Perioperative Nurse (CNOR) – Offered by the Competency and Credentialing Institute (CCI).
- Certified Ambulatory Surgery Nurse (CNAMB) – Offered by the CCI.
Infection Control and Occupational Health Certifications
- Certified in Infection Control (CIC) – Offered by the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology (CBIC).
- Certified Occupational Health Nurse (COHN) – Offered by the American Board for Occupational Health Nurses (ABOHN).
- Certified Occupational Health Nurse-Specialist (COHN-S) – Offered by the ABOHN.
Nurse Educator and Researcher Certifications
- Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) – Offered by the National League for Nursing (NLN).
- Advanced Nurse Educator Certification (CNEcl) – Offered by the NLN.
- Certified Clinical Research Nurse (CCRN) – Offered by the ANCC.
Note: This list provides a broad overview of the certifications available to nurses in the U.S. Each certification has specific eligibility requirements, such as clinical experience, education, and passing a certification exam. Nurses should verify the requirements with the respective certifying organization before pursuing a certification.