Image is of a baby in a NICU incubator, laying on a hospital blanket. A nurse's gloved hands are in the incubator, holding a stethoscope to the baby's exposed belly.

Enhance Your Clinical Practice With These Nurse Certifications!

/in /by

Working in the NICU is a highly unique form of nursing that branches out further into multiple specialties depending on the specific population of infants a nurse works with. There are many different nurse certifications that allow for more specialized care. Here are a few:

American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN)

Critical-Care Registered Nurse (CCRN®)

CCRN – Neonatal (Direct Care Eligibility Pathway)

This neonatal certification is for nurses who provide care to acutely or critically ill neonatal patients regardless of their physical location. According to the AACN, nurses who primarily or exclusively provide direct care to patients may be eligible for the Direct Care Eligibility Pathway. The majority of practice hours for the CCRN exam “must focus on critically ill patients.” Nurses interested in this pathway may work in NICUs, cardiac care units, trauma units, or critical care transport/flight.

Find more information here.

CCRN – Neonatal (Knowledge Professional Pathway)

This neonatal certification is for nurses who influence the care of acutely or critically ill neonatal patients in ways other than direct care. Nurses who qualify for the Knowledge Professional Pathway may work as an academic faculty, case manager, clinical director, clinical or patient educator, manager/supervisor, nursing administrator or transitional care coordinator.

Find more information here.

Neonatal Acute Care Clinical Nurse Specialist (ACCNS-N)

This is an entry-level advanced practice board certification “for clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) educated at the graduate level to provide advanced nursing care across the continuum of healthcare services—wellness through acute care—to meet the specialized needs of the neonatal patient population.”

Find more information here.

National Certification Corporation (NCC)

Registered Nurse Certified – Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing (RNC-NIC®)

According to the NCC summary, this certification “focuses on the care of the high-risk neonate. It demonstrates the specialty knowledge of Neonatal ICU nurses who provide care to acutely and critically ill neonatal patients and their families within an intensive care environment.” 

Find more information here.

Neonatal Neuro-Intensive Care (C-NNIC)

This certification “focuses on the neurological care of at-risk or impaired neonates within an intensive care environment,” according to the NCC certification summary. It was created for those working in neonatal intensive care who want “to improve overall outcomes for these extremely vulnerable patients.”

Find more information here.

Neonatal Pediatric Transport (C-NPT®)

This certification provides designation for a paramedic, physician, respiratory therapist, neonatal nurse, nurse practitioner, nurse, or physician assistant to “provide stabilization and transport interventions to critically ill neonatal and pediatric patients in all types of settings,” according to the NCC summary.

Find more information here.

Care of the Extremely Low Birth Weight Neonate (C-ELBW)

This subspecialty certification is designed for those who “provide care to acutely and critically ill extremely low birth weight neonates and their families within an intensive care environment to improve overall outcomes.”

Find more information here.

Low Risk Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing (RNC-LRN®)

This certification is for licensed registered nurses in the US and Canada who have a minimum of two years of specialized experience in “providing care to acutely and chronically ill neonatal patients and their families within level II, chronic care, special care, or step-down units.”

Find more information here.

Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP-BC®)

This Core certification provides an entry-level, competency-based examination for licensed registered nurses in the US and Canada who have completed a US-accredited nurse practitioner program to “provide care to acutely and critically ill neonatal patients and their families within hospitals or outpatient settings.”

Find more information here.

Other Certifications

Advanced Nurse Leader Certification — Neonatal & Perinatal (ANLC-N & ANLC-P)

The ANLC-P and ANLC-N certifications provide valuable insights, tools, and strategies to help you succeed in your leadership role and make a positive impact on your teams and organization. There are two types of certifications: ANLC-P for perinatal nurse leaders and ANLC-N for neonatal nurse leaders. Both certifications focus on improving expertise in areas such as mentorship, community, wellness, culture of quality and safety, strategy, and operations.

Find more information here.

Interested in therapist certifications? Check out our blog post 9 Therapist Certifications To Enhance Your Clinical Practice!