AACN offers specialty micro-credentials that support clinical excellence, enhance professional growth and promote patient safety. Micro-credentials are short, focused credentials that target a specific skill, competency or topic. Employees and employers alike increasingly view micro-credentials as valuable complements to traditional certification and credentialing.

Earning a micro-credential involves assessment of your specialized knowledge through an exam. A rigorous exam development process ensures the relevance and quality of AACN’s micro-credentials. After successful completion of the associated exam, your micro-credential achievement can be shared with colleagues and employers, and added to resumes, CVs, and online professional profiles.

The validation of knowledge gained through micro-credentialing offers benefits for direct care nurses, APRNs, nurse managers, nurse educators, other healthcare professionals and organizations.

Earning a micro-credential demonstrates your expert knowledge to employers, patients and families; builds clinical confidence and a personal sense of achievement; offers professional validation that is easily accessible, affordable and time efficient; and provides recognition and support for career advancement.

For healthcare leaders and organizations, supporting micro-credentialing helps establish a standard of knowledge among your team members, encourages a culture of lifelong learning and patient care excellence, demonstrates your commitment to employees’ professional development, and increases staff job satisfaction and engagement.