Nursing credential guides
What each credential is, who issues it, who may hold it, and how it prints on your résumé. Every fact is sourced.
Are your nursing credentials in the right order?
Advanced practice certification
- Acute Care CNS - Adult-Gerontology (ACCNS-AG)
- Acute Care CNS - Neonatal (ACCNS-N)
- Acute Care CNS - Pediatric (ACCNS-P)
- Acute Care NP Certified - Adult-Gerontology (ACNPC-AG)
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP - BC (AGACNP-BC)
- Adult-Gerontology CNS - BC (AGCNS-BC)
- Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP - BC (AGPCNP-BC)
- Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP - Certified (A-GNP-C)
- Certified Nurse-Midwife (national certification) (CNM)
- Certified Pediatric NP - Acute Care (CPNP-AC)
- Certified Pediatric NP - Primary Care (CPNP-PC)
- Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (national certification) (CRNA)
- Emergency NP - Certified (ENP-C)
- Family Nurse Practitioner - Board Certified (FNP-BC)
- Family Nurse Practitioner - Certified (FNP-C)
- Neonatal NP - BC (NNP-BC)
- Nonsurgical Pain Management - Certified (NSPM-C)
- Nurse Practitioner - Certified (AANPCB generic letters) (NP-C)
- Psychiatric-Mental Health NP - BC (PMHNP-BC)
- Women's Health NP - BC (WHNP-BC)
Specialty certification
- Advanced Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (ACHPN)
- Advanced Holistic Nurse - BC (AHN-BC)
- Advanced Oncology Certified NP (AOCNP)
- Advanced Practice Holistic Nurse - BC (APHN-BC)
- Ambulatory Care Nursing - BC (AMB-BC)
- Cardiac Medicine Certification (CMC)
- Cardiac Surgery Certification (CSC)
- Cardiac-Vascular Nursing - BC (CV-BC)
- CCCN - Advanced Practice (CCCN-AP)
- Certified Academic Clinical Nurse Educator (CNEcl)
- Certified Aesthetic Nurse Specialist (CANS)
- Certified Ambulatory Perianesthesia Nurse (CAPA)
- Certified Ambulatory Surgery Nurse (CNAMB)
- Certified Breast Care Nurse (CBCN)
- Certified Burn RN (CBRN)
- Certified Continence Care Nurse (CCCN)
- Certified Dialysis LPN (CD-LPN)
- Certified Dialysis LVN (CD-LVN)
- Certified Dialysis Nurse (CDN)
- Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN)
- Certified Flight RN (CFRN)
- Certified Foot Care Nurse (CFCN)
- Certified Foundational Perioperative Nurse (CFPN)
- Certified Hospice and Palliative Licensed Nurse (CHPLN)
- Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (CHPN)
- Certified Hospice and Palliative Pediatric Nurse (CHPPN)
- Certified in Executive Nursing Practice (CENP)
- Certified Nephrology Nurse - NP (CNN-NP)
- Certified Nephrology Nurse (CNN)
- Certified Neuroscience RN (CNRN)
- Certified Novice Nurse Educator (CNEn)
- Certified Nurse Educator (CNE)
- Certified Nurse Manager and Leader (CNML)
- Certified Occupational Health Nurse (COHN)
- Certified Ostomy Care Nurse (COCN)
- Certified Pediatric Emergency Nurse (CPEN)
- Certified Pediatric Hematology Oncology Nurse (CPHON)
- Certified Pediatric Nurse (CPN)
- Certified Perioperative Nurse (CNOR)
- Certified Plastic Surgical Nurse (CPSN)
- Certified Post Anesthesia Nurse (CPAN)
- Certified Practice/Vocational Nurse Educator (CNEpv)
- Certified RN First Assistant (CRNFA)
- Certified Surgical Services Leader (CSSL)
- Certified Transport RN (CTRN)
- Certified Wound Care Nurse (CWCN)
- Certified Wound Ostomy Nurse (CWON)
- Certified Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurse (CWOCN)
- Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL)
- CNS Perioperative (CNS-CP)
- COCN - Advanced Practice (COCN-AP)
- COHN - Specialist (COHN-S)
- Critical Care RN (Adult/Pediatric/Neonatal) (CCRN)
- CWCN - Advanced Practice (CWCN-AP)
- CWOCN - Advanced Practice (CWOCN-AP)
- CWON - Advanced Practice (CWON-AP)
- Electronic Fetal Monitoring (C-EFM)
- Extremely Low Birth Weight Neonatal (C-ELBW)
- Gerontological Nursing - BC (GERO-BC)
- Health and Wellness Nurse Coach - BC (HWNC-BC)
- Holistic Nurse - BC (HN-BC)
- Holistic Nurse Baccalaureate - BC (HNB-BC)
- Informatics Nursing - BC (NI-BC)
- Inpatient Antepartum Nursing (RNC-IAP)
- Inpatient Obstetric Nursing (RNC-OB)
- Low Risk Neonatal Nursing (RNC-LRN)
- Maternal Newborn Nursing (RNC-MNN)
- Medical-Surgical Nursing - BC (MEDSURG-BC)
- NAPNES Certified in I.V. Therapy (IVT)
- NAPNES Certified in Long-Term Care (CLTC)
- NAPNES Certified in Pharmacology (NCP)
- Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing (RNC-NIC)
- Neonatal Neuro-Intensive Care (C-NNIC)
- Neonatal Pediatric Transport (C-NPT)
- Nurse Coach - BC (NC-BC)
- Nurse Executive - BC (NE-BC)
- Nurse Executive, Advanced - BC (NEA-BC)
- Nursing Case Management - BC (CMGT-BC)
- Nursing Professional Development - BC (NPD-BC)
- Nursing Professional Development Advanced - BC (NPDA-BC)
- Obstetric and Neonatal Quality and Safety (C-ONQS)
- Obstetric Emergencies (C-OBE)
- Occupational Health Nurse Case Manager (OHNCM)
- Oncology Certified Nurse (OCN)
- Orthopaedic NP - Certified (ONP-C)
- Orthopaedic Nurse Certified - Advanced (ONC-A)
- Orthopaedic Nurse Certified (ONC)
- Pain Management Nursing - BC (PMGT-BC)
- Pediatric Nursing - BC (PED-BC)
- Pediatric Primary Care Mental Health Specialist (PMHS)
- Progressive Care Certified Nurse (PCCN)
- Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing - BC (PMH-BC)
- Reproductive Health and Infertility (subspecialty) (C-RHI)
- RN Assistant at Surgery - Certified (RNAS-C)
- Stroke Certified RN (SCRN)
- Transplant/Cellular Therapy Certified Nurse (TCTCN)
- Trauma Certified RN (TCRN)
Résumé guides for new graduates
- New grad nurse résumé: what goes on it when you have no nursing job yet
- Nursing student résumé: how to list clinical rotations
- NCLEX-RN on a résumé: eligible, scheduled or passed, and how it prints
- Graduate nurse / temporary permit on a résumé
- BLS, ACLS and PALS on a nursing résumé: where they go and how to write them
- Nursing credentials after your name: the order, with examples