Nursing initials explained.
Ever wonder what a colleague’s initials meant when reading a chart or squinting at their name badge?
A
- AAS: Associates’ Degree Applied Science
- ACNP: Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- ACLS: Advanced Cardiac Life Support
- ACRN: AIDS Certified Registered Nurse
- ANP: Adult Nurse Practitioner
- AOCN: Advanced Oncology Certified Nurse
- APN: Advanced Practice Nurse
- ARNP: Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner
- ASN: Associates’ Degree in Nursing
B
- BC: Board Certified
- BCLS/BLS: Basic Cardiac Life Support
C
- C: Connotes certification in a specialty area by the American Nurses’ Credentialing Center in one of several generalist and specialist practice areas.
- C-SPI: Certified Specialist in Poison Information
- CANP: Certified Adult Nurse Practitioner
- CAPA: Certified Ambulatory Perianesthesia Nurse
- CARN: Certified Addictions Registered Nurse
- CARN-AP: Certified Addictions Registered Nurse—Advanced Practice
- CCCN: Certified Continence Care Nurse
- CCM: Certified Case Manager
- CCNS: Certified Critical-Care Nurse Specialist
- CCRN: Certified Critical Care Registered Nurse
- CDDN: Certified Developmental Disabilities Nurse
- CDE: Certified Diabetes Educator
- CDMS: Certified Disability Management Specialist
- CDN: Certified Dialysis Nurse
- CDONA/LTC: Certified Director of Nursing Administration in Long-Term Care
- CEN: Certified Emergency Nurse
- CFRN: Certified Flight Registered Nurse
- CGA: Certified Gastroenterology Associate
- CGN: Certified Gastroenterology Nurse
- CGRN: Certified Gastroenterology Registered Nurse
- CGT: Certified Gastroenterology Technician
- CHN: Certified Hemodialysis Nurse
- CHPN: Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse
- CHRN: Certified Hyperbaric Registered Nurse
- CHT: Certified Hemodialysis Technician
- CIC: Certified in Infection Control
- CLNC: Certified Legal Nurse Consultant
- CM: Certified Midwife
- CMCN: Certified Managed Care Nurse
- CMDSC: Certified MDS Coordinator
- CNA: Certified Nursing Assistant / Certified in Nursing Administration
- CNA-A: Certified Nursing Assistant—Advanced
- CNAA: Certified in Nursing Administration, Advanced
- CNLCP: Certified Nurse Life Care Planner
- CNM: Certified Nurse-Midwife
- CNN: Certified Nephrology Nurse
- CNNP: Certified Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
- CNOR: Certified Nurse, Operating Room
- CNRN: Certified Neuroscience Registered Nurse
- CNS: Clinical Nurse Specialist
- CNSN: Certified Nutrition Support Nurse
- COCN: Certified Ostomy Care Nurse
- COHN: Certified Occupational Health Nurse
- COHN-S: Certified Occupational Health Nurse—Specialist
- COHN-S/CM: Certified Occupational Health Nurse—Specialist/Case Manager
- COHN/CM: Certified Occupational Health Nurse/Case Manager
- CORLN: Certified Otorhinolaryngology and Head/Neck Nurse
- CPAN: Certified Postanesthesia Nurse
- CPDN: Certified Peritoneal Dialysis Nurse
- CPHQ: Certified Professional in Health Care Quality
- CPN: Certified Pediatric Nurse
- CPNA: Certified Pediatric Nurse Associate
- CPNL: Certified Practical Nurse—Long-Term Care
- CPNP: Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
- CPON: Certified Pediatric Oncology Nurse
- CPSN: Certified Plastic Surgical Nurse
- CRN: Certified Radiologic Nurse
- CRNA: Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
- CRNFA: Certified Registered Nurse, First Assistant
- CRNI: Certified Registered Nurse Infusion
- CRNL: Certified Registered Nurse—Long-Term Care
- CRNO: Certified Registered Nurse in Ophthalmology
- CRNP: Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner
- CRRN: Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurse
- CRRN-A: Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurse—Advanced
- CTN: Certified Transcultural Nurse
- CUA: Certified Urologic Associate
- CUCNS: Certified Urologic Clinical Nurse Specialist
- CUNP: Certified Urologic Nurse Practitioner
- CURN: Certified Urologic Registered Nurse
- CVN: Certified Vascular Nurse
- CWCN: Certified Wound Care Nurse
- CWOCN: Certified Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nurse
D
- DNC: Dermatology Nurse Certified
- DNS: Doctorate, Nursing Science
E
- ENPC: Emergency Nursing Pediatric Course
- ET: Enterostomal Therapist (Now Wound, Ostomy, Continence Nurse)
F
- FAAN: Fellow, American Academy of Nursing
- FAAPM: Fellow, American Academy of Pain Management
- FCCM: Fellow, American College of Critical Care Medicine
- FNC: Family Nurse Clinician
- FNP: Family Nurse Practitioner
- FPNP: Family Planning Nurse Practitioner
- FRCNA: Fellow, Royal College of Nursing, Australia
G
- GNP: Gerontological Nurse Practitioner
- GPN: General Pediatric Nurse
H
- HHA: Home Health Aide
I
- IBCLC: International Board Certified Lactation Consultant
L
- L.Ac.: Licensed Acupuncturist
- LCCE: Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator
- LNC: Legal Nurse Consultant
- LNCC: Legal Nurse Consultant Certified
- LPN: Licensed Practical Nurse
- LSN: Licensed School Nurse (In Minnesota)
- LVN: Licensed Vocational Nurse
M
- MICN: Mobile Intensive Care Nurse
- MN: Masters’ Degree in Nursing
- MSN: Masters’ Degree in Nursing
N
- NCSN: National Certified School Nurse
- NICN: Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing
- NNP: Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
- NP: Nurse Practitioner
- NP-C: Nurse Practitioner, Certified
- NPP: Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
O
- OCN: Oncology Certified Nurse
- OGNP: Obstetric/Gynecology Nurse Practitioner
- ONC: Orthopaedic Nurse Certified
P
- PHN: Public Health Nurse
- PMHNP: Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- PNP: Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
R
- RN: Registered Nurse
- RN,C: Registered Nurse, Certified
- RN,CS: Registered Nurse, Certified (Clinical) Specialist
S
- SANE-A: Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner-Adult/Adolescent
T
- TNCC: Trauma Nursing Course Certified
- TNS: Trauma Nurse Specialist
W
- WHNP: Women’s Health Care Nurse Practitioner
- WOCN: Wound, Ostomy, Continence Nurse