Advanced practice nursing certification: where do we go from here?

Certification requirements for advanced practice nurses (APNs) vary between APN specialties and the certification agencies. This variability perpetuates confusion for APNs, the health care system, and the public. Recommendations are made for the certification of APNs: (1) standardization of the certification process for APNs, (2) consistency in the requirement for graduate level education for all APNs, (3) regulation requiring certification for practice in all states, and (4) nurse practitioner (NP) program accreditation or preaccreditation for eligibility to take the certification examination. To support these recommendations, two questions are considered: Where are we now in certification? Where do we need to go?