Board certification for CNS

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Specializes in Critical Care/Trauma and a new PMHNP-BC.

What is the benefit in getting board certified and what happens if I don't?

thank you

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Depends on your state. In IL in order to practice as an APRN, you need to be board certified. However, if you practice as a traditional CNS, you don't need board certification.

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Lots of employers require it in their job descriptions. Everywhere I've worked as a psych CNS over the years, having it and maintaining it was a minimum requirement for the position.

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Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.

OP, noticed that you are in Oakland, CA. California does not require national certification to get a state CNS certificate (but you can use it towards obtaining the certificate if you have it). However, as the previous poster mentioned, the CNS's I know working in hospital-based positions are required to have national certification as a condition of employment (either by ANCC or AACN).

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And for billing insurance especially medicare you would need to be nationally certified.

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Another benefit (of board certification) is that you have a credential (ACNS-BC or AGCNS-BC) that you can write behind your name, along with your MSN.

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It is a pain that there is not certification for all specialties and that the generalist exam was axed. Sometimes, ANCC and NACNS seem to be holding the CNS role back. Just my opinion!

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Totally agree imenid37!

I had to do two separate programs Adult CNS and PEds CNS in order to be able to see the birth to death spectrum....

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