American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
What is the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)?
The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) is the largest credentialing organization for nurses in the United States. When the ANCC was founded in 1991 as a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association (ANA), its primary function was to provide certification for registered nurses.
The American Nurses Credentialing Center continues this mission, and now also provides accreditation to continuing nursing education (CNE) programs. The ANCC also runs recognition programs for healthcare organizations that demonstrate excellence in nursing. This includes the American Nurses Credentialing Center Magnet Recognition Program, which awards designations to nursing leaders and organizations who successfully along their strategic goals to improve patient outcomes. Often, recognition from the program means more education and development to nurses in the organization.
Anyone can make a request for an American Nurses Credentialing Center verification to determine if a nurse is certified. For a healthcare professional, you may need to pay fees to receive verifications for each certification.
Why is the American Nurses Credentialing Center important in healthcare?
The American Nurses Credentialing Center is important because it ensures that registered nurses and continuing nursing education (CNE) programs adhere to the highest standards of patient safety and clinical care.
Certification indicates that a nurse has the skills and experience to deliver high-quality care to their patients. Most certifications also require renewal after a defined period of time—providing nurses with the opportunity to not only sharpen old skills, but also to learn new techniques that may have been developed since they were first certified.