How to Write Nursing Credentials: Examples and FAQ

Trying to figure out how to write nursing credentials? All those letters you see on nurses’ ID badges — DNP, RN, NEA-BC, CPHQ, CCRN-K, TCRN — can sometimes look like complex codes. From advanced degrees to specialized certifications, each set of initials represents a specific qualification, training, or area of expertise.

But what do all those letters really mean, and what’s the correct order to list them? This guide answers those questions and explains the nursing terminology behind different credentials, where they come from, and how — and where — to use them.

How to Write Nursing Credentials After Your Name

Credentials play an important role in communicating a healthcare provider’s qualifications — behind those letters is often the story of a nurse’s professional journey. Let’s say you see a name written like this:

Mary Black, PhD, RN, PMHNP-BC, CARN-AP, DON

These letters tell the story of a nurse who completed extensive education from RN through PhD, earned specialty certifications in mental health, and ultimately progressed into a leadership role — now serving as a Director of Nursing (DON).

So how do you tell your story? Professional organizations such as the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) recommend listing credentials in a specific sequence so that your qualifications are clearly understood across healthcare settings.

The order of nursing credentials follows a standard structure that ensures degrees, licenses, and certifications are presented in a clear and professional way:

1. Highest earned educational degree
2. Licensure
3. State designations or requirements
4. National certifications
5. Awards and honors
6. Other recognitions

The general approach to writing credentials for nurses is to start with the most permanent qualifications — such as academic degrees — and then list licenses and certifications, which may expire or require ongoing renewal.

For example, let’s say you’re meeting a nurse with the following credentials:

Jane Smith, DNP, RN, FNP-BC, CCRN, CMSRN, 2026 Nurse Excellence Award

Let’s break it down:

• Highest earned degree: DNP
• Licensure: RN
• National certifications: FNP-BC, CCRN, CMSRN
• Awards and honors: 2026 Nurse Excellence Award

This format shows advanced education first, followed by licensure, certifications, and professional recognition.

How to Write Nursing Credentials When You Have More Than One of the Same Type

Many nurses earn multiple credentials within the same category — such as more than one certification or multiple advanced degrees. If you’re wondering how to write nursing credentials in this case, the key is to follow priority and relevance while keeping the order structured.

1. More Than One Type of Degree

If you hold degrees in other relevant fields, you may choose to include them. List your degrees in order from highest to lowest — not by the order you earned them.

For example:

Sue Smith, MEd, BSN, RN

Even if the BSN was earned first, it appears last because the highest degree (master’s degree in education) is listed first.

2. Multiple Nursing Certifications

If you hold more than one certification, list them in order of relevance to your current role or specialty — or by professional priority if they are in different specialties.

For example:

Richard Green, MSN, RN, FNP-BC, ENP-C

If you hold both nursing and non-nursing certifications, list your nursing certifications first, followed by non-nursing certifications.

For example:

Richard Green, ADN, RN, ONC, CPT

In this case, Richard is a registered nurse (RN) who also holds a Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) certification in addition to Orthopaedic Nurse Certified (ONC). Adding the CPT credential may help him when applying for roles in physical therapy, rehabilitation, or sports medicine settings.

Types of Nursing Credentials

When learning how to write nursing credentials, you must first understand that nursing credentials generally fall into several main categories: education, licensure, state requirements, national certification, and professional awards. Below are the types of nursing credentials, along with examples of each.

1. Educational Degrees

Academic degrees represent formal education completed through accredited nursing or advanced practice programs.

Common examples include:

• ADN – Associate Degree in Nursing
• BSN – Bachelor of Science in Nursing
• MSN – Master of Science in Nursing
• DNP – Doctor of Nursing Practice
• PhD– Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing

2. Licensure Credentials

Licensure shows that you are legally authorized to practice nursing in your state.

Common examples include:

• RN – Registered Nurse
• LPN/LVN – Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse

Licensure is required to practice and always follows academic degrees in order of credentials.

3. State Designations or Requirements

Some nursing credentials reflect additional authority granted by a state board of nursing. These designations often expand a nurse’s scope of practice or grant specific privileges, such as prescribing medication.

Common examples include:

• APRN – Advanced Practice Registered Nurse
• NP – Nurse Practitioner
• CNS – Clinical Nurse Specialist
• CNM – Certified Nurse Midwife
• CRNA – Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist

These designations are included after licensure and before national certifications when applicable.

4. National Certification

Certifications demonstrate specialty knowledge and advanced clinical expertise in a specific area of practice.

Common examples include:

• FNP-BC – Family Nurse Practitioner – Board Certified
• CCRN – Critical Care Registered Nurse
• CPN – Certified Pediatric Nurse
• CEN – Certified Emergency Nurse
• PMH-BC – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse – Board Certified
• TCRN – Trauma Certified Registered Nurse
• CCRN – Critical Care Registered Nurse

5. Awards and Honors

Awards and professional recognitions highlight clinical excellence, leadership, academic achievement, and contributions to nursing practice. These are optional but can strengthen your professional credentials when relevant.

Common examples include:

• FAAN – Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing
• FAANP – Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners
• DAISY Award
• Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing Awards
• Nurse Excellence Award
• Employee of the Year

6. Other Recognitions

In addition to degrees, licensure, certifications, and formal awards, nurses may also hold other professional recognitions that reflect leadership roles, research contributions, or professional service.

Common examples include:

• EMT – Emergency Medical Technician
• CPT – Certified Phlebotomy Technician
• Committee chair
• Publication author

These recognitions are not required, but they can add depth to your professional profile.

Who Issues Nursing Credentials?

A few entities are authorized to issue credentials for nurses. The organizational body depends on the type of credential:

• Accredited schools issue educational credentials in the form of degrees that you receive after you complete nursing programs.
• Government bodies, such as states’ boards of nursing, issue licenses that allow you to practice in a specific geographic area.
• Professional organizations like the ANCC, National Certification Corporation (NCC), and Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB) issue national certifications that recognize experience and additional education.
• Leadership organizations, including the American Academy of Nursing (AAN), issue credentials for awards and honors.

How to Write Credentials for Nursing Professionals: FAQ

Wondering how to list nursing credentials on a resume?

List credentials in this order: highest earned degree, licensure, certifications, and relevant awards. Keep it professional and only include active credentials that apply to the job.

Here’s an example:

Jane Smith, MSN, RN, FNP-BC, DAISY Award Recipient

In this example:

• DNP, MSN – Highest earned degrees
• RN – Licensure
• FNP-BC – National certification
• DAISY Award Recipient – Professional recognition

Wondering how to write RN, MSN credentials?

Write credentials in order of hierarchy: degree first, then licensure. For example: Daniel Orange, MSN, RN (degrees before license, not mixed together).

Do you write BSN, RN or RN, BSN?

You write BSN first, then RN. For example: Lily Blue, BSN, RN. Degrees come before licensure in proper credential order.

What’s the difference between credential vs. certification?

Accredited third parties with authoritative power may award both nursing credentials and certifications. The phrases are sometimes used interchangeably because they both validate an individual’s professional achievement — but there’s a difference between the two.

Certifications can lead to credentials. For example, the Nurse Executive Certification (NE-BC) is accredited by the Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification, a professional society within the nursing profession. Once you pass the nurse executive certification program, you are awarded the credentials NE-BC.

Another distinction: The process of earning certain certifications may not be as intense or lengthy as the process of earning credentials. Compare the process of earning EMT certification (around 170 hours) versus earning BSN credentials (four years). Some organizations also offer shorter, more targeted credentials, called micro-credentials, that nurses can earn to upgrade their clinical skills.

Do certificate programs count as nursing credentials?

A certificate is a form of continuing education. To earn it, you would take a stand-alone class or set of classes and complete them with a passing grade. Getting a certificate does not add letters to your name, but it can be an advantage on your nursing resume.

Why is it important to write nursing credentials in the correct order?

Listing nursing credentials in the correct order ensures that your professional qualifications — such as your degrees, license, certifications, and specialty training — are clearly communicated and easy to understand.

In a healthcare setting like a hospital or skilled nursing facility, those letters communicate to colleagues what procedures you are educated in and legally allowed to perform. The credentialing system works to protect patients by ensuring that only professionals with the correct qualifications are performing a specific set of duties for which they have been properly trained.

From a compliance standpoint, nurse credentials facilitate reimbursement from commercial insurance carriers, Medicare, and Medicaid by ensuring that a nurse who provides services has the necessary skills and education level. In case of a lawsuit, credentials communicate that a healthcare provider has followed best practices and quality standards.

On a personal level, when you apply for a job, your credentials instantly tell the hiring manager if you are qualified to perform specific tasks and procedures.

Now That Your Credentials Are in Order, Let’s Work on Your Career

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