Advance Your Healthcare Career: Top Certifications to Boost Your Resume USA

Nursing is a cornerstone of the healthcare system, and specialized certifications can help nurses advance their careers and provide better patient care. For those just starting their nursing careers, certifications like BLS and ACLS are highly valuable and can give you a head start^[3]. Here are some of the top certifications for nurses in the USA:

• Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN): Offered by the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN), this certification validates a nurse’s expertise in providing emergency care. CEN-certified nurses are better prepared for lifelong learning, professional development, and overall career success^[4]. While there are no minimum experience requirements, the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) recommends two years of experience in emergency nursing before taking the exam^[5].
• Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN): Administered by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), the CCRN certification is for nurses working with acutely/critically ill adult patients. To be eligible, nurses need 1,750 hours of direct bedside care of such patients during the previous two years, with at least 875 of those hours accrued in the most recent year preceding the exam application^[5].
• Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP): Offered by the ANCC, this certification allows registered nurses to provide primary care to patients across their lifespan. FNPs often work in primary care settings. Requirements include an MSN degree or higher and a minimum of 500 clinical hours of supervised direct patient care^[4].
• Certified Nurse Educator (CNE): The National League for Nursing (NLN) offers this certification for nurses who want to educate future nurses in various settings, including universities and hospitals. CNEs play a crucial role in shaping the next generation of nurses^[4].
• Progressive Care Certified Nurse (PCCN): Also administered by the AACN, this certification is for nurses who care for acute adult patients who need a higher level of care but are not in the intensive care unit. PCCN-certified nurses possess specialized knowledge and skills in managing the complex needs of these patients^[4].
• Oncology Certified Nurse (OCN): Offered by the Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation, this certification allows nurses to demonstrate expertise in providing care to cancer patients. With an OCN certification, nurses can use the most updated research and trends to help advance clinical treatments for patients with cancer. Requirements include 2,000 hours of adult oncology nursing practice, two years of RN experience, and 10 hours of continuing oncology education^[4].
• Certified Perioperative Nurse (CNOR): Administered by the Competency and Credentialing Institute, this certification requires a minimum of two years and 2,400 hours of perioperative experience. The CNOR credential is held by more than 40,000 nurses across the globe, demonstrating its wide recognition and value^[4].
• Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse (CMSRN): Offered by the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses, this certification validates a nurse’s skills in caring for adult patients in medical-surgical settings. 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 certified⁴.
• Certified Neuroscience Registered Nurse (CNRN): This certification validates expertise in providing care to patients with neurological conditions, such as stroke, traumatic brain injury, and spinal cord injury^[7].
• Certified in Executive Nursing Practice (CENP): This certification from the ANCC is for nurses in leadership and management roles, equipping them with the skills to effectively lead and manage nursing teams and improve healthcare outcomes^[8].
• Informatics Nursing Certification (RN-BC): This ANCC certification validates a nurse’s skills in using technology to improve patient care. Informatics nurses play a crucial role in integrating technology into healthcare settings to enhance efficiency, safety, and patient outcomes^[8].

In addition to these, nurses can also obtain certifications in specialized areas such as:

• Cardiac nursing: Cardiovascular Registered Nurse – Board Certified (CVRN), Cardiac-Vascular Nursing Certification (CV-BC), Telemetry Certification, Vascular Access Board Certification (VA-BC) ^[7]
• Emergency room nursing: Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE), Transport Professional Advanced Trauma Course (TPATC), Trauma Certified Registered Nurse (TCRN) ⁷
• Intensive and critical care: Cardiac Medicine Subspecialty Certification (CMC), Certified Flight Registered Nurse (CFRN) ^[7]
• OB-GYN and labor and delivery: Certified Breastfeeding Counselor (CBC), Certification in Electronic Fetal Monitoring (C-EFM), Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC), Registered Nurse Certification in Inpatient Obstetric Nursing (RNC-OB), Registered Nurse Certification in Maternal Newborn Nursing (RNC-MNN) ^[7]
• Operating room and surgical: Certified Ambulatory Perianesthesia Nurse (CAPA), Certified Ambulatory Surgery Nurse (CNAMB), Certified Nurse Operating Room (CNOR), Certified Post Anesthesia Nurse (CPAN), Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist (RCIS), Registered Nurse – First Assist (RNFA) ^[7]
• Post-acute care: Ambulatory Care Nursing Certification (AMB-BC), Certified Case Manager (CCM), Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP), Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurse (CRRN) ^[7]
• Wound, skin, and ostomy: Certified Continence Care Nurse (CCCN), Certified Foot Care Nurse (CFCN), Certified Ostomy Care Nurse (COCN), Certified Wound Care Nurse (CWCN), Certified Wound Ostomy Continence Nurse (CWOCN), Certified Wound Specialist (CWS), Wound Care Certified (WCC) ^[7]
• Other clinical areas: Certified Hyperbaric Registered Nurse (CHRN), Certified Registered Nurse in Ophthalmology (CRNO), HIV Specialist (AAHIVS), Holistic Nursing Certification ⁷
• Nonclinical areas: Board Certified Nurse Executive – Advanced (NEA-BC), Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist (CCDS), Certified Nurse Manager and Leader (CNML), Nurse Coach Certification (NC-BC), Nurse Executive Certification (NE-BC) ^[7]

  Requirements for Nursing Certifications

  The requirements for nursing certifications vary depending on the specific certification. Generally, they include:

  • Education: Most certifications require an RN license and may also require a bachelor’s or master’s degree in nursing.
  • Experience: Many certifications require a certain number of hours of clinical experience in the specialty area.
  • Exams: Candidates must pass a certification exam to demonstrate their knowledge and skills.

  For example, the CEN requires no minimum experience, but two years of ER experience is recommended^[5]. The CCRN requires 1,750 hours of direct bedside care of acutely/critically ill adult patients in the past two years, with 875 of those hours accrued in the year preceding the application^[5]. The FNP requires an MSN degree or higher and 500 clinical hours^[4]. It’s important to note that in some states, having a valid, up-to-date Basic Life Support (BLS) certification might be a condition to apply for RN licensure^[3].

  Benefits of Nursing Certifications

  Nursing certifications offer numerous benefits to both nurses and their patients:

  • Professional credibility: Certifications validate a nurse’s expertise and commitment to their profession^[9].
  • Improved patient care: Certified nurses are better equipped to provide high-quality patient care, leading to better patient outcomes and increased patient satisfaction^[10]. They also play a crucial role in promoting patient safety by adhering to best practices and staying updated on the latest research and advancements in their field^[11].
  • Personal satisfaction: Achieving certification can boost a nurse’s confidence and morale, leading to greater job satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment^[11]. Some certifications can even allow nurses to explore diverse career paths, such as becoming clinical psychologist assistants^[8].
  • Career advancement: Certifications can open doors to new opportunities and career paths, such as specialized roles, leadership positions, and higher pay^[9]. Employers often prefer or require certified nurses, especially in specialized areas like critical care, giving certified nurses a competitive edge in the job market^[6].

  Certification vs. Training for Nurses

  It’s important to understand the distinction between certification and training for nurses. While both contribute to professional development, they serve different purposes. Certification validates a nurse’s knowledge and skills in a specific area of practice, while training focuses on acquiring new skills or updating existing ones^[7]. For example, Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Basic Life Support (BLS), and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) are training programs that equip nurses with essential life-saving skills, while certifications like CEN and CCRN validate their expertise in specific nursing specialties.

  RN Certifications vs. APRN Certifications

  Another important distinction is between Registered Nurse (RN) certifications and Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) certifications. RN certifications, such as CEN and CCRN, validate expertise in specific areas of nursing practice. APRN certifications, on the other hand, are for nurses who have completed advanced education and training, such as nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists. Examples of APRN certifications include Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), and Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Certification (AGPCNP)^[7].

  Training Programs for Nursing Certifications

  Many organizations offer online and in-person training programs to prepare nurses for certification exams. These programs provide comprehensive instruction on the knowledge and skills required for the certification. For example, the American Red Cross offers online, blended, and in-person BLS training courses^[12]. ACLS.com offers online ACLS, BLS, PALS, and Neonatal Resuscitation certification courses^[13]. eMedCert provides online ACLS, PALS, and BLS certification and recertification courses^[14].

  Cost of Nursing Certifications

  The cost of nursing certifications varies depending on the certifying organization and the specific certification. Some certifications may cost between $100 and $1,000, with renewal fees ranging from $150 to $400^[15]. For example, the CEN exam preparation course can cost around $149.99^[16]. ACLS and PALS certification courses can cost around $159 each, while BLS certification costs around $109^[17].