ALISO VIEJO, Calif. - Feb. 24, 2026 – The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) marks 50 years since it created AACN Certification Corporation to develop and provide specialty nursing certifications for nurses in acute and critical care.
In 1976, AACN Certification Corporation launched CCRN Adult certification, establishing it as one of the first specialty nursing certifications. The CCRN credential is now joined by nine other AACN certification programs for RNs, APRNs and nurses educated at the graduate level.
In honor of Certified Nurses Day, celebrated each year on March 19, AACN highlights these facts about its credentialing:
- Currently, more than 138,000 acute, critical care, progressive care and advanced practice nurses hold AACN Certification Corporation credentials: CCRN, PCCN, CMC, CSC, ACNPC-AG, ACNPC, ACCNS-AG, ACCNS-P, ACCNS-N and CCNS.
- Multiple eligibility pathways are available for CCRN and PCCN to represent different practice roles – direct care nurses, knowledge professionals and tele-critical care nurses.
- All of AACN’s certification exams are updated every five years to reflect current practice.
- CMC and CSC subspecialty certifications are available for certified nurses who provide direct care to acutely/critically ill adult cardiac patients or cardiac surgery patients in the first 48 hours postoperatively.
- All AACN certifications are accepted by the Magnet Recognition Program®, and accreditation for AACN certification programs is granted by the Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification (ABSNC).
- AACN offers focused micro-credentials that complement traditional certifications. Micro-credentials target a specific skill, competency or topic and are based on U.S. practice standards. Current micro-credential topics are COVID-19 Pulmonary and Ventilator Care, ECMO and Sepsis.
As healthcare becomes increasingly complex and challenging, certification has become an important mark of excellence. Achieving certification demonstrates to patients, families, employers and healthcare teams that a nurse’s knowledge reflects national standards and a strong commitment to lifelong learning and patient safety.
More than a million nurses and advanced practice nurses in the United States and Canada hold one or more specialty nursing credentials, according to the American Board of Nursing Specialties (ABNS). These certifications were granted by 56 U.S.-based credentialing organizations and represent 148 different credentials.
Certified Nurses Day, an annual worldwide event, is dedicated to celebrating certification as a means to help promote high standards of patient care and excellence in the nursing profession. Initially proposed by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, the day honors the birthday of the late Margretta “Gretta” Madden Styles, an international pioneer in nursing certification and longtime friend of AACN and AACN Certification Corporation. Styles designed the first comprehensive study of nurse credentialing.
For more information about Certified Nurses Day, visit www.aacn.org/certnursesday.
About AACN Certification Corporation: Established in 1976, AACN Certification Corporation, the credentialing arm of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, drives patient health and safety through comprehensive credentialing of acute and critical care nurses, advancing practice consistent with standards of excellence. Currently, 138,000 acute and critical care nurses hold AACN Certification Corporation credentials.
About the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses: For more than 50 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 about 130,000 members and nearly 200 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; facebook.com/aacnface; x.com/aacnme