ARDS Micro-Credential Now Available

ALISO VIEJO, Calif. – June 4, 2026 – Nurses and other clinicians who care for patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) or who are at risk of developing the life-threatening condition can now validate their knowledge with a micro-credential from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN).

ARDS most commonly occurs in people who are already hospitalized for another serious illness or injury, making it crucial for clinicians to understand its symptoms and treatment. ARDS can occur among patients in a variety of locations throughout hospitals and acute care facilities, so clinicians pursuing this micro-credential are not limited to any particular role, unit or setting.

“Patients with ARDS require specialized care to support lung recovery and ensure adequate oxygenation,” said Lindsey Green, DNP, MN, APRN-CNS, CCNS, RNC-NIC, an AACN certification practice specialist who helped develop the micro-credential. “ARDS remains one of the most common and complex pulmonary conditions experienced by hospitalized patients.”

A micro-credential is different from a specialty certification in that it validates a focused subset of specialized knowledge, skills or competencies. Upon completion, a micro-credential can be added to a résumé, CV and/or online profile.

Applicants earn the ARDS Micro-Credential by successfully completing a 90-minute online exam that validates their knowledge of nursing care delivery for patients with or at risk of developing ARDS. The exam consists of 50 items randomly selected from a bank of questions and requires 35 correct items for a passing score. The fee is $40 for AACN members and $55 for nonmembers.

AACN has developed a repository of pulmonary care-related clinical resources filled with evidence-based research, webinars, podcasts, books and insights from clinicians.

Micro-credentials are also available from AACN for clinicians who care for patients with sepsis and for patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy.

About the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses: For more than 55 years, the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) has been dedicated to acute and critical care nursing excellence. The organization’s vision is to create a healthcare system driven by the needs of patients and their families in which acute and critical care nurses make their optimal contribution. AACN is the world’s largest specialty nursing organization, with more than 134,000 members and over 170 chapters in the United States.

American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
27071 Aliso Creek Road, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656; 949-362-2000; www.aacn.org