Any time you enter a new career, one of the major questions revolves around what it will take to develop your skills for long-term success. Outside ofadvancing your nursing education, one of the most straightforward ways to boost your nursing resume and specialize in your field is by pursuing certifications. While the world of certifications is vast and probably a little intimidating, the process of finding the right professional certification in nursing doesn’t have to be challenging.

To help you better understand nursing certifications and their role within healthcare, we’ve laid out three main questions to get you started: How important are certifications, which certifications are the most common and when is the right time to pursue certifications.

对雇主认证有多重要？

由于多种原因，认证对雇主有关。认证绑定到护士提供更高质量的患者护理, a result that healthcare systems obviously value. They also indicate commitment and competence to hiring managers and peers alike.

These benefits definitely make certifications attractive to employers. A research reportconducted by Relias® notes that certified nurses have more job opportunities, more opportunities for professional advancement and increased earning potential.¹

What nursing certifications are employers most commonly seeking?

To help answer this question, we used analysis software to review over 1.4 million registered nursing job postings from the past year.¹The results are best broken up into two general categories—basic certifications and specialty nursing categories. Let’s take a look at some of the “basic” options first.

基本护理认证

Don’t let our use of the term basic downplay their importance—the following certifications are often considered a requirement for employment.

1. 基础生命支持（BLS）认证涉及使用AED（除颤器）和美国心脏协会的生存链中的AED（除颤器）和培训学习CPR。
2. 先进的心血管生命支持(ACLS) certification is a key certification for anyone that has plans to work in an emergency or intensive care setting. ACLS certification expands on the BLS certification by going deeper into the handling of different conditions, like strokes or heart attacks and topics like airway management.

Specialty nursing certifications

Specialty nursing certifications can be an appealing option for nurses seeking to bolster their credentials for working with specific types of patients or care environments. The following list is by no means exhaustive but should provide a solid overview of some of the most common options out there.

1. 儿科先进的生命支持(PALS) certification is key for any nurse who wants to work with kids. Similar to the BLS and ACLS certifications, this certification verifies you have essential pediatric life support skills.
2. 感染防治认证（CIC）®是寻求验证其在感染控制最佳实践中专业知识的护士的共同选择。
3. Neonatal Resuscitation Program(NRP)® is a certification that gives nurses the most up-to-date skills to save a newborn’s life. The course consists of learning resuscitation, chest compressions, preterm neonatal care and end-of-life care for a neonatal patient.
4. Certified Emergency Nurse(CEN)® is a certification for nurses who wish to continue to develop their expertise in emergency care. This certification is at the top of the list for anyone who wishes to work in critical/emergency care.
5. 认证案例经理(CCM) is a certification option for nurses who want to demonstrate their expertise in providing the right services to patients across the spectrum of care. This typically includes patients dealing with complex medical conditions or catastrophic injuries.
6. Nationally Certified School Nurse(NCSN)® is a nursing certification for anyone who wants to work with children in a school setting.
7. Critical Care Registered Nurse(CCRN)® is a series of certifications that nurses can get to work with critically ill patients whether they are adults, children or neonatal.
8. Certified Nurse Educator(CNE)® is a certification for those who also have a passion for education and want to play a role in helping equip their peers to excel in their work.

When is the right time to get certified?

大多数认证需要某种形式的on-the-job experience, so this isn’t a matter of racing out into the world to register for as many certifications as you can handle. While the two basic certifications will be immediately helpful, specialty certifications should come with your experience as you figure out what branch of nursing best fits you. Each certification has unique prerequisites—so the first step of any certification process is to do some research.

如果您正在引入专业认证，可能有助于向护士询问已获得认证的护士或那些对您的最佳拟合角色有重大经验的人。请记住，上面的这些认证很少是就业的先决条件，因此您最有可能随时随地努力并选择性地对您的努力。

在你的职业生涯中作为护士站出来

Now that you have the basics of certifications, you are one step forward in standing out in your field. The good news is that certifications aren’t the only way to stand out as a nurse. If you are interested in reading about other ways to differentiate yourself from your nursing peers, check out our article “护理职业进步：8种潜在磨砂膏的方法.”

¹Burning-Glass.com (analysis of 1,483,625 registered nurse job postings, Dec. 01, 2020 - Nov. 30, 2021)

American Heart Association is a registered trademark of American Heart Association, Inc.
CIC is a registered trademark of Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc.
Neonatal Resuscitation Program is a registered trademark of American Academy of Pediatrics Corporation.
CEN Certified Emergency Nurse is a registered trademark of Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing Corporation.
NCSN is a registered trademark of National Board for Certification of School Nurses Corporation.
CCRN is a registered trademark of AACN Certification Board.
经过认证的护士教育家是Nursing，Inc。的全国联盟的注册商标
Relias is a registered trademark of Relias LLC.