The information in this article is relevant only to nurses in the United States.

American Association of Critical Care Nurses

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CCRN A CCRN is a nurse certified in critical care, such as SICU (Surgical Intensive Care) or MICU (Medical Intensive Care). CCRN does not stand for Critical Care Registered Nurse.
PCCN Progressive Care Certified Nurse. A PCCN is certified to work in an environment such as a step down unit.
CMC Cardiac Medicine Certification. A CMC would work in an area such as the CCU, which stands for Cardiac Care Unit.

Emergency Nurses Association

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CEN Certified Emergency Nurse. A CEN is certified to work in the Emergency Department.
CFRN Certified Flight Registered Nurse. A CFRN is certified to assist patients during helicopter transport.

Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses

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CNOR The CNOR is the certification for professional nurses that work in surgery centers and hospitals. CNOR stands certified nurse operating room.
CRNFA Certified Registered Nurse First Assistant. A CRNFA is certified to work as the first assistant during an operation.

American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants

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LNCC Legal Nurse Consultant Certified. An LNCC is certified to nurses who serve as legal consultants.

American Board of Perianesthesia Nursing

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CPNA Certified Post Anesthesia Nurse.
CAPN Certified Ambulatory Perianesthesia Nurse.

Both certifications are for nurses working in a recovery room or post anesthesia care unit, however the content on them differs, one focusing on physiological aspects of anesthesia, the other physiological aspects. The nurse should decide which certification best suits her needs.

National Board for the Certification of School Nurses

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NCSN National Certified School Nurse. An NCSN is certified to work in a school setting.

Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association

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CHPN Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse. A CHPN is certified to work in a hospice or other end of life care facility.

Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses

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CMSRN Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse. A CMSRN is certified to work a medical or surgical form. In many hospitals, the medical and surgical floors are combined to create MedSurg.

LNI Institute, Inc.

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CLNI Certified Legal Nurse Investigator. A CLNI is a Registered Nurse who has undergone extensive training to identify fraud in medical records and uncover what conventional review methods miss.
ALNC Advanced Legal Nurse Consultant. An ALNC is a Registered Nurse who has been trained in all aspects of case analysis, contract preparation, report writing, and has gained the knowledge required to successfully market their business.

Other Certifications

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There are countless other certifications available to nurses, from oncology to pain management to women's health.

Notes About Certifications

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R.N.s are not required to be certified in a certain specialty by law. For example, it is not necessary to be a CMSRN to work on a MedSurg floor. Most MedSurg nurses are not CMSRNs. Certifications serve to make the nurse more attractive to potential employers, provide better care for their patients, instill a sense of professionalism in themselves and, in some cases, extra pay. Some hospitals and other health care facilities are willing to pay a certified nurse extra when she works within her specialty. Also, some hospitals may require certain nurses be certified, like a nursing supervisor or a lead nurse.

CRNA, CNM and NP do have extra duties affored to them. These nurses are collectively referred to as Advanced Practice Nurses. In all states except Pennsylvania and Georgia, these nurses are allowed to prescribe drugs. There are restrictions, however. In many states, these nurses cannot prescribe controlled substances. In Montana, prescriptions ordered by advance practice nurses must be signed within 72 hours.