A nurse credential is evidence from a certifying agency attesting to a nurse’s experience, education, and expertise in a particular nursing specialty. A nurse credential is held in addition to a valid and current license to practice nursing, regardless of its source. The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), an affiliate branch of the American Nurses Association, is the primary organization in the United States that coordinates nurse credentialing and certification (ANA). Nursing specialties, Clinical Nurse Specialists, and Nurse Practitioners are among the three types of nursing practice recognized the ANCC. A nurse must meet the education, continuing education, experience, and examination criteria established the specific category and subcategory sought in order to earn a nurse credential.
The ANCC offers over 20 specialty certifications in nursing categories such as Case Management Nursing, Cardiac Vascular Nursing, Home Health Nursing, and even General Nursing Practice. To even apply to sit for the nurse credential specialty examination, each specialty has its own set of requirements. For example, to apply for the RN-BC specialty credential in Medical-Surgical Nursing, a nurse must have a valid registered nurse (RN) license to practice in the United States, have practiced the equivalent of two years of full-time nursing, have accumulated a minimum of 3,000 hours of clinical practice in medical-surgical nursing in the previous three years, and have completed 30 hours of continuing education. If her application is accepted and approved, she must submit an application attesting to all of these accomplishments, enclose an application fee, and pass a computerized test at a special testing facility.
Clinical Nurse Specialists must have a master’s degree in nursing, whereas a nurse specialty certification can be earned any registered nurse, regardless of whether they have a diploma or more education. The ANCC offers nine specialty areas for clinical nurse specialists, each with its own set of application requirements. A nurse must have a valid and active RN license, a master’s degree from an accredited educational institution, and have successfully completed advanced classes in assessment, disease, and pharmacology in order to pursue the nurse credential of a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Adult Health, or ACNS-BC. To even sit for the exam, an RN seeking such a nurse credential must submit an application and a transcript demonstrating her qualifications.
Nurse Practitioners go through the most advanced nurse credentialing process (NP). Within the NP category, the ANCC offers nine specialty areas. A nurse practitioner must meet the same criteria as Clinical Nurse Specialists and document training in disease diagnosis, treatment, and health education in order to request to sit for an NP specialty examination. Clinical Nurse Specialists go through a similar application and testing process.