Nursing specialty certifications

The following are some certifications for you to consider:

1. Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN)

If you’re looking for a nurse with strong assessment and triage skills and experience working in the emergency department setting, consider hiring applicants with the CEN credential.

The exam tests applicants on emergency care across multiple specialties. Questions cover cardiac, respiratory, neurological, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, gynecological, obstetrical, mental health, medical, musculoskeletal, maxillofacial, ocular, environmental and communicable disease emergencies.

The exam also includes questions related to professional issues. It is typically recommended that applicants have two years of emergency nursing experience, although this is not required.

Hiring a candidate with the CEN credential for an emergency department, trauma unit, urgent care or medical transport role may help your facility deliver better patient care and potentially save on training costs.

2. Certified Wound Care Nurse (CWCN)

To find nurses with expertise in wound or ostomy care, you may request the CWCN credential in your job description.

To complete the CWCN exam, a nurse must hold a current registered nurse (RN) license and meet one of the following eligibility pathways:

• Traditional pathway: Completion of a WOCN Society-accredited nursing education program in wound care
• Experiential pathway: 1,500 hours of clinical practice in wound care within the past five years and 50 continuing education hours in the specialty area

3. Progressive Care Certified Nurse (PCCN)

If your facility has a progressive care unit, you may need nurses capable of providing highly specialized care for patients with acute conditions. To improve the quality of your applicant pool, consider requiring the PCCN designation offered by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.

To obtain a PCCN, a nurse is required to complete one of these requirements in the Direct Care Eligibility Pathway:

• 1,750 hours of clinical practice in the direct care of acutely ill adults within two years of registering for the exam, with at least 875 hours within one year of applying
• 2,000 hours of clinical practice in the direct care of acutely ill adults within five years of registering for the exam, with at least 144 hours within one year of applying

Since the PCCN focuses on acute care, you might require this certification for positions in the stepdown, direct observation, telemetry or transitional care unit.

4. Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN)

Consider adding the CCRN credential to your job description if you seek nurses dedicated to intensive, trauma or cardiac care. If you’re aiming for Magnet recognition, encouraging specialty certifications like CCRN may support your organization’s demonstration of nursing excellence, although no specific certification is required by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

Applicants for the CCRN via the Direct Care Eligibility Pathway must complete 1,750 to 2,000 hours of clinical practice in the direct care of acutely or critically ill adults. All clinical hours must be verifiable by a clinical nursing supervisor or professional colleague (RN or physician).

5. Certified Nurse Educator (CNE)

For organizations aiming to strengthen their nursing education program, consider hiring someone with the CNE credential.

Offered by the National League for Nursing (NLN), the CNE gives nurses a chance to demonstrate their expertise in teaching students or current nurses in the academic or clinical setting. Nurses are required to meet eligibility requirements regarding licensure and professional practice. The CNE exam focuses on learning facilitation, clinical expertise, effective evaluation strategies and other relevant topics.

6. Certified Pediatric Nurse (CPN)

Facilities providing care to pediatric patients might consider hiring nurses with the Certified Pediatric Nurse credential. This credential is offered by the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB) and distinguishes clinical expertise for pediatric nurses.

To become a CPN, registered nurses must complete either 1,800 hours of pediatric clinical experience within the past two years or 3,000 hours within the past five years. Pediatric nurses may complete clinical experience in the hospital, ambulatory care, public health, home health or school-based health settings.

7. Nurse Executive Certification (NE-BC)

To achieve Magnet recognition, a healthcare facility must demonstrate strong nursing leadership, including a chief nursing officer (CNO) or equivalent senior leader responsible for nursing practice standards. If your organization wants Magnet recognition, consider who has the skills and expertise needed to fill an executive nursing role.

You may encourage some of your most experienced nurses in leadership roles to take the Nurse Executive Certification exam. The ANCC requires applicants to have a minimum of 2,000 hours of management, leadership or administrative experience in at least one department or unit within three years of applying for the NE-BC, making it suitable for nurse managers and directors of nursing.

8. Pain Management Nursing Certification (PMGT-BC)

Pain medicine has been labeled a “super specialty” due to its rapid growth. If you have a pain medicine clinic within your facility, consider searching for candidates with the Pain Management Nursing Certification offered by the ANCC.

To obtain the PMGT-BC certification, a registered nurse is required to have at least two years of experience. The ANCC requires a minimum of 2,000 hours of clinical practice in pain management within three years of applying and 30 hours of continuing education in pain management within the past three years.

Once a nurse has the PMGT-BC, they are required to complete a minimum number of professional development activities during each renewal period, thereby building confidence in their skills and abilities.

Skills-based certifications for nurses

Here is a skills-based certification to consider:

9. Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS)

Many employers require their nurses to have the Basic Life Support (BLS) certification. You might also look for nurses with the ACLS credential offered by the American Heart Association (AHA). Many employers offer this certification course as part of orientation for nurses in intensive care or emergency units.

The ACLS program helps participants learn these skills:

• Basic life support skills, such as chest compressions
• Early management of cardiac arrest, respiratory arrest and peri-arrest conditions
• Rhythm recognition and defibrillation
• Cardioversion and transcutaneous pacing
• Airway management
• Pharmacologic management
• Effective communication with other members of the resuscitation team

“Specialty certifications enable nurses to demonstrate expertise in their chosen nursing fields. Hiring individuals with these types of credentials helps ensure that you are choosing an employee who has specific knowledge, significant experience and a commitment to providing high-level patient care in your unit’s specialty area.”

—Michelle Hensley, DNP

ACLS course completion and certification may benefit nurses who work in the emergency room, intensive care/critical care unit or progressive care unit (PCU).

By seeking nurses with these certifications, you may assemble highly skilled teams committed to quality patient care. These credentials can help ensure specialized expertise that enhances clinical outcomes, reduces training needs and supports excellence in patient service.