School Nurse Certification

NASN and National Certification:
NASN supports the delivery of safe and effective care in nursing practice through voluntary certification by examination for all school nurses.  NASN works in collaboration with the National Board for Certification of School Nurses (NBCSN), and communication between the two organizations is a priority.   

Certification represents a national standard of preparation, knowledge, and practice.  To assist with this recognition, the NBCSN provides the opportunity for school nurses to set the standards for their specialty area through voluntary professional certification.  NBCSN has trademarked 'NCSN' as the official credential of the National Certified School Nurse.  All candidates successfully completing the national examination are eligible to use this credential.  To learn more about NBCSN and the national school nurse certification exam, visit NBCSN's web site at www.nbcsn.org.

State Level Requirements:

School nursing services are governed on the state level and are, therefore, subject to state requirements.  Many states have specific and/or unique state certification or licensing requirements related to additional preparation beyond RN licensing and/or undergraduate educational degrees.  Please check with the NASN affiliate in your area or your state school nurse consultant for specifics related to state requirements.

School Nursing Certification Review
Since the recent updated printing of this NASN resource in 2010, the following changes have been implemented by NBCSN and their testing company:
1. Online tutorial and sample test - Learn more in the Handbook for Candidates
2. Examination software tutorial
3. For additional resources, please periodically check www.nbcsn.org
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An NASN Position Statement
National Association of School Nurses. (2002). Education, Licensure, and Certification of School Nurses. Silver Spring, MD: Author.