Certification

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.

Learn more about NBCSN and the national school nurse certification exam.

Learn about the School Nurse Certification Review book from NBCSN.

Sample questions are found in the most recent NBCSN Handbook for Candidates.

For all questions related to the national exam, please contact NBCSN at info@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.

NASN Resources

National Association of School Nurses. (2021). Education, licensure, and certification of school nurses [Position Statement]. Silver Spring, MD: Author.

Please address all questions regarding the NCSN credential and certification exam to NBCSN at info@nbcsn.org.

Page last updated January 2022.