1. Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN)

If you’re looking for a nurse with strong assessment and triage skills, consider hiring applicants with the CEN credential. Applicants must complete an exam with questions related to acute coronary syndrome (ACS), pericardial tamponade and inhalation injuries.

Hiring a candidate with the CEN credential may help your facility deliver better patient care and potentially save money on training.

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 have one of the following requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree and completion of a program accredited by the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses (WOCN) Society

• 1,500 hours of clinical practice related to wound care and 50 specialty continuing education credits

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 increase 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 must complete one of the following requirements:

• 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 need to hire nurses dedicated to intensive, trauma or cardiac care. If you’re aiming for Magnet recognition, requiring the CCRN may even help you fulfill some criteria set by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

Applicants must complete 1,750 to 2,000 hours of clinical practice in the direct care of acutely ill adults. All clinical hours must be verifiable by a clinical nursing supervisor, a physician or another registered nurse (RN).

5. Certified Nurse Educator (CNE)

If you’re looking to strengthen your nursing education program, consider hiring someone with the CNE credential.

Offered by the National League for Nursing (LNL), the CNE gives nurses a chance to demonstrate their expertise in teaching other nurses. The CNE exam focuses on learning strategies, curriculum design and other relevant topics.

6. 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).

The ACLS program helps participants learn the following skills:

• Chest compressions

• Use of an automated external defibrillator

• Early management of cardiac arrest and respiratory arrest

• Management of stroke and ACS

• Airway management

• Effective communication with other members of the resuscitation team

The ACLS may benefit nurses who work in the emergency room, intensive care unit (ICU), critical care unit (CCU) or progressive care unit (PCU).

7. Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist (AGCNS)

Several certifications for nurses focus on a specific patient population, including the AGCNS credential offered by the ANCC.

To qualify for the AGCNS exam, an applicant must have an unrestricted RN license and a master’s degree, doctorate or postgraduate certificate in nursing practice. Their degree program must also be accredited by one of the following organizations:

• National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (NLN CNEA)

• Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)

• Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)

The ANCC also requires applicants to complete at least three nurse practitioner (NP) core courses in advanced health assessment, advanced physiology/pathophysiology and advanced pharmacology.

8. Nurse Executive Certification (NE-BC)

To achieve Magnet status, a healthcare facility must have a chief nursing officer (CNO) responsible for maintaining 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 to sit for the Nurse Executive Certification exam. The ANA requires applicants to have at least 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 charge nurses, nurse managers and directors of nursing.

9. 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 ANA.

To obtain the PMGT-BC certification, a registered nurse must have at least two years of experience. The ANA also requires at least 2,000 hours of clinical practice in pain management within three years of applying.

Once a nurse has the PMGT-BC, they must complete a minimum number of professional development activities during every renewal period, giving you more confidence in their skills and abilities.