Guide to Nursing Certifications

What Is a Nursing Certification?

Professional certifications are credentials that individuals can earn to attest to their expertise in a focused area of their field. The nursing discipline features dozens of certifications, which help nurses specialize in everything from childbirth education and neonatal care to gerontological practice.

Certifications are often targeted to nurses with a specific level of education and experience. For example, if you earned certification in dialysis as a licensed practical nurse (LPN) and then completed a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), you might decide to seek the equivalent certification for registered nurses (RNs) because your scope of practice will have changed. You can also gain additional credentials as you acquire expertise and change jobs; many nurses pick up multiple certifications during their careers.

Why Is It Important to Get a Nursing Certification?

By speaking to your skills and expertise, certifications might potentially benefit your nursing career in a couple of key ways. But they also come with monetary and opportunity costs, so it's worth examining these as well.

What Are the Benefits of Obtaining a Nursing Certification?

There are three main advantages to nursing certifications:

Are Nursing Certifications Worth It?

Ultimately, your answer to this question won't be identical to anyone else's, because your work, family, and financial circumstances are unique. You can consider the following points as you weigh the decision to study for a certification.

• With over 640,000 LPNs and 3 million RNs in the U.S., it helps to stand out when applying for jobs. About two-thirds of RNs don't hold certifications, so one or more specialty credentials may be one feature of your resume that distinguishes it from others.

• However, certifications cost significantly less than enrolling in an advanced degree program, which can run you tens of thousands of dollars a year and much more of a time commitment.

• Depending on your employer, a certification may help you make a case for a salary increase.

• It takes time and money to pursue specialty certifications, including exam registration fees and any certification program test-preparation materials.

List of Certifications for Nurses

You can choose from more than 150 certifications during your nursing career. Your interests and career path will largely dictate which ones you consider, but it's worth looking at some of the most popular options at each level. Each of these credentials needs periodic recertification, which usually requires you to demonstrate recent experience with the subject matter.

Licensed Practical Nurse Certifications

LPNs typically hold a certificate rather than a degree, and their certifications often call for less professional experience than those for RNs or APRNs.

Registered Nurse Certifications

RNs usually hold an associate degree in nursing or a BSN. Their certifications often require at least two years or several thousand hours of experience in the focus area being tested.

Advanced-Practice Registered Nurse Certifications

APRNs have either a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree and years of experience, so their certifications have the most stringent eligibility criteria.

Nursing Certification Requirements

Different certifications may have similar costs and eligibility requirements, but no two are exactly the same. No matter what certification you choose, you'll need to demonstrate a certain level of nursing education or clinical practice, pay a testing fee, and pass a comprehensive exam on the subject matter.

Below, we've compared two popular credentials as an example.

FAQs About Nursing Certifications