Healthcare certifications
Common credentials by discipline, who issues them and the jobs that ask for them. Confirm eligibility, fees and renewal with the certifying organization.
Life support
Nursing
- CCRN Specialty certification in acute and critical care nursing The AACN Certification Corporation, part of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
- PCCN Progressive Care Certified Nurse The AACN Certification Corporation, part of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
- CEN Certified Emergency Nurse The Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN)
- TNCC Trauma Nursing Core Course The Emergency Nurses Association (ENA)
- CMSRN Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse The Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification Board (MSNCB)
- OCN Oncology Certified Nurse The Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation (ONCC)
- CNOR Specialty certification in perioperative nursing The Competency & Credentialing Institute (CCI)
- CPAN Certified Post Anesthesia Nurse The American Board of Perianesthesia Nursing Certification (ABPANC)
- RNC-OB Inpatient Obstetric Nursing certification The National Certification Corporation (NCC)
- RNC-NIC Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing certification The National Certification Corporation (NCC)
- CPN Certified Pediatric Nurse The Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB)
- PMH-BC Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing certification The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
- CNN Certified Nephrology Nurse The Nephrology Nursing Certification Commission (NNCC)
Advanced practice
- FNP-BC Family Nurse Practitioner, Board Certified The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
- FNP-C Family Nurse Practitioner, Certified The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB)
- AGACNP-BC Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Board Certified The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
- PMHNP-BC Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Board Certified The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
- CRNA Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist The National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA)
- CNM Certified Nurse-Midwife The American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB)
- PA-C Physician Assistant-Certified The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA)
Nursing assistants
Therapy
- NPTE National Physical Therapy Examination The Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT)
- OTR Occupational Therapist Registered The National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT)
- COTA Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant The National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT)
- CCC-SLP Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)
- RRT Registered Respiratory Therapist The National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC)
Allied health
- R.T.(R) Registered Technologist in Radiography The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT)
- R.T.(CT) Registered Technologist in Computed Tomography The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT)
- R.T.(MR) Registered Technologist in Magnetic Resonance Imaging The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT)
- RDMS Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer The American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS)
- RDCS Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer The American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS)
- RCIS Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI)
- CET Certified EKG Technician The National Healthcareer Association (NHA)
- CST Certified Surgical Technologist The National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA)
- CRCST Certified Registered Central Service Technician The Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA)
- MLS(ASCP) Medical Laboratory Scientist The American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Certification (ASCP BOC)
- MLT(ASCP) Medical Laboratory Technician The American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Certification (ASCP BOC)
- PBT(ASCP) Phlebotomy Technician The American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Certification (ASCP BOC)
- CPhT Certified Pharmacy Technician The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB)
- CCHT Certified Clinical Hemodialysis Technician The Nephrology Nursing Certification Commission (NNCC)
- CMA (AAMA) Certified Medical Assistant The American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA)