DNP National Certification

Direct care applicants to the DNP Program must have national certification by the July 1 prior to the beginning of classes 
Direct care applicants should obtain national certification in their specialty area. Applicants with more than one advanced practice nursing specialty area should obtain national certification in the specialty area in which they plan to complete their doctoral project. Below is a list of common national certifications for direct care applicants. Others are accepted as well. If you have a question about acceptance of a particular national certification, please email dnp@fullerton.edu.

  • Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA): National Board of Certification & Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA)
  • Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP): American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP)
  • Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS): Applicants must be CNS certified in California. If ineligible for national CNS certification, applicants should include a note in their application packet specifying the reason(s) for ineligibility and identify an appropriate national certification for their specialty. We will consider these alternate national certifications on an individual basis. Please contact dnp@fullerton.edu for more information.
  • Adult and/or Geriatric Nurse Practitioner (ANP, GNP): American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP)
  • Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNP): American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP)
  • Nurse Midwife (CNM): American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB)
  • Additional national certifications can be found through other organizations and may be accepted as well. If you have questions about acceptance of a specific certification, please contact our office.

Indirect care applicants are not required to have national certification, but it is recommended that they obtain national certification upon graduation.
 Indirect care applicants are generally those in leadership or management positions, school nurses, or community or public health nurses. These applicants are working at advanced levels of nursing practice, but are not considered advanced practice nurses in the traditional sense of nurse practitioner.

What National Certifications are recommended for indirect care applicants? 
While not required for admission, obtaining national certification will make you a stronger applicant and will help to advance the profession. National certification for a Doctor of Nursing Practice should require a master's degree. Those that require an associate's degree in nursing are typically not recommended by our DNP consortium. Some recommended national certifications by specialty are: