Credentialing and Certification

The Wehrheim School of Nursing is proud to offer fully accredited advanced practice nursing programs. Whether you pursue the nurse practitioner graduate degree or an MSN in nursing education, once you graduate you become eligible for advanced credentialing through certification. Here is where you'll find the essential information needed to become certified as either a nurse practitioner or a nurse educator.

NURSE PRACTITIONER

As a graduate of an accredited FNP program, you are eligible to "sit" for certification examination.  Currently there are two National Certification Bodies:  American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). 

These examinations test you on multiple components of your intended are of practice.  The examination has been developed to evaluate your knowledge and clinical competence in all facets of patient assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and evaluation.  Exam content also includes relevant knowledge and clinical competence in anatomy, pathophysiology, disease symptomatology, diagnostic testing, differential diagnosis, and epidemiology.  Additional areas covered include research and evidence-based practice, interviewing techniques, counseling, educational theories, and biopsychosocial theories.  You should be familiar with pharmacologic, nonpharmacologic, and complementary therapies and treatment modalities. 

Check out the following links for information on each of the certification examinations: 

• • AANP:  https://www.aanpcert.org/
  • ANCC:  https://www.nursingworld.org/certification/

You must be certified before application for state licensure:

• • PA State Board of Nursing: TO APPLY FOR LICENSURE
  • PA State Board of Nursing: PRESCRIPTIVE AUTHORITY APPLICATION

 

NURSE EDUCATOR

For graduates of the Millersville University MSN Nursing Education program, there are credentialing options available for you too. Although a nursing educator credential is not required to teach, a certified nurse educator credential will give you a competitive edge.

For Registered Nurses who graduate from an accredited program such as ours, the National League for Nursing offers three certification designations for nurse educators. As a new graduate you can pursue an Academic Novice Nurse Educator Certification (CNE®n), however it is only valid for three-years and cannot be renewed. The intention is to encourage those certified as a novice educator to continue their professional development by pursuing one or more of the advanced nursing education credentials offered by NLN. The Certified Nurse Educator (CNE®) credential is designed for nurse educators who instruct in an academic setting like a college or university. Meanwhile, the Certified Clinical Academic Nurse Educator (CNE®cl) credential is geared more for those providing instruction in a hospital or technical school setting.

Get started by visiting the NLN Nurse Educator Certification Division. Here you will learn more about all three certification options and can begin the registration process for the exam of your choice.