Nurses have so many important duties, like caring for patients, administering medicine and communicating with doctors. They work hard to care for the overall health of patients by conducting physical exams, checking vital signs and talking to and comforting patients. Nurses also work in many different settings from homes to ambulatory clinics to inpatient units and operating rooms. Nurses list many credentials that represent their licenses, academic degrees, certifications, fellowships and other recognitions. So, what do all those letters after their name mean? Read on as we break down some of the credentials. License Titles: RN, LPN, APRN All nurses hold professional licenses through the Board of Nursing: RN – Registered Nurse LPN – Licensed Practical Nurse APRN – Advanced Practice Registered Nurse including CNP, CNS, CRNA Since these titles are issued by the state, only individuals who have completed the required education, training, exams and other requirements are permitted to use these titles. Academic Degrees: BSN, MS, DNP, PhD Each type of nursing practice requires completion of a formal academic program ranging from four to sixteen years. BSN – The entry-level four-year degree for nursing is the four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). MS/MSN – An additional two to three years Master of Science program (MSN or MS). DNP/PhD – Doctoral degrees include the three-to-four-year practice-focused Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and the five-to-seven-year Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). Many nurses have other advanced degrees including Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Public Health (MPH) and Master of Science (MS). Certifications There is a wide variety of specialty nursing certifications demonstrating expertise in a focused area. The most common certification among nurses at Nationwide Children’s is the Certified Pediatric Nurse (CPN): we employ more than 500 of them! Board certifications recognize expert practice in a clinical setting such as mental health, acute care pediatrics, pediatric primary care or family practice. The range of nursing expertise is enormous: there are more than 350 specialty nursing certifications in nearly every practice setting from ambulatory care to critical care to leadership to informatics. Nationwide Children’s Hospital employs several Fellows of the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN), one of nursing’s top honors. Across Nationwide Children’s Hospital, our expert nurses bring their training, education, and experience to help provide the best outcomes for every child. The next time you see a nurse with a long list of credentials and you are unsure what some of them mean, be sure and ask!
For more information from the American Nurses Association on nursing credentials
Click here
Nurses have so many important duties, like caring for patients, administering medicine and communicating with doctors. They work hard to care for the overall health of patients by conducting physical exams, checking vital signs and talking to and comforting patients. Nurses also work in many different settings from homes to ambulatory clinics to inpatient units and operating rooms.
Nurses list many credentials that represent their licenses, academic degrees, certifications, fellowships and other recognitions. So, what do all those letters after their name mean? Read on as we break down some of the credentials.
License Titles: RN, LPN, APRN
All nurses hold professional licenses through the Board of Nursing:
RN – Registered Nurse
LPN – Licensed Practical Nurse
APRN – Advanced Practice Registered Nurse including CNP, CNS, CRNA
Since these titles are issued by the state, only individuals who have completed the required education, training, exams and other requirements are permitted to use these titles.
Academic Degrees: BSN, MS, DNP, PhD
Each type of nursing practice requires completion of a formal academic program ranging from four to sixteen years.
BSN – The entry-level four-year degree for nursing is the four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).
MS/MSN – An additional two to three years Master of Science program (MSN or MS).
DNP/PhD – Doctoral degrees include the three-to-four-year practice-focused Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and the five-to-seven-year Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).
Many nurses have other advanced degrees including Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Public Health (MPH) and Master of Science (MS).
Certifications
There is a wide variety of specialty nursing certifications demonstrating expertise in a focused area. The most common certification among nurses at Nationwide Children’s is the Certified Pediatric Nurse (CPN): we employ more than 500 of them!
Board certifications recognize expert practice in a clinical setting such as mental health, acute care pediatrics, pediatric primary care or family practice.
The range of nursing expertise is enormous: there are more than 350 specialty nursing certifications in nearly every practice setting from ambulatory care to critical care to leadership to informatics.
Nationwide Children’s Hospital employs several Fellows of the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN), one of nursing’s top honors.
Across Nationwide Children’s Hospital, our expert nurses bring their training, education, and experience to help provide the best outcomes for every child. The next time you see a nurse with a long list of credentials and you are unsure what some of them mean, be sure and ask!
For more information from the American Nurses Association on nursing credentials
Click here
