05/29/2025
Nursing acronyms and abbreviations are so plentiful that they can start to sound like meaningless drivel to the untrained ear. But in the nursing practice and the medical field, these shorthand terms are far more than just alphabet soup. Each abbreviation and acronym conveys critical information.
Why Are There So Many Nursing Acronyms and Abbreviations?
Treating patients requires quick thinking, swift action, and teamwork. Doctors and nurses work closely together to tend to patients with a broad range of health concerns. As a result, fast and clear communication is integral to the nursing field and the entire healthcare industry.
Types of Nurses
Healthcare providers use nursing abbreviations and acronyms to describe the many different types of professionals within the nursing field. Accordingly, there are numerous abbreviations that represent different nursing job titles:
- APRN – Advanced Practice Registered Nurse
- CBRN® – Certified Burn Registered Nurse
- CEN® – Certified Emergency Nurse
- CFRN® – Certified Flight Registered Nurse
- CNA – Certified Nursing Assistant
- CNM® – Certified Nurse Midwife
- CNML® – Certified Nurse Manager and Leader
- CNO – Chief Nursing Officer
- CNRN® – Certified Neuroscience Registered Nurse
- CNS – Clinical Nurse Specialist
- CPEN® – Certified Pediatric Emergency Nurse
- CRNA – Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
- CTRN® – Certified Transport Registered Nurse
- FNP – Family Nurse Practitioner
- LPN – Licensed Practical Nurse
- LVN – Licensed Vocational Nurse
- NP – Nurse Practitioner
- RN – Registered Nurse
- SCRN® – Stroke Certified Registered Nurse
- TCRN® – Trauma Certified Registered Nurse
Advanced Practice Registered Nurse
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), an advanced practice registered nurse can provide primary, preventive, and/or specialized care. APRNs can also write prescriptions, order medical tests, and provide diagnoses in most states.
Certified Burn Registered Nurse
The CBRN credential is awarded by the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN). Licensed RNs may sit for the certification exam to obtain this credential.
CBRNs are board-certified burn nurses who can provide both acute and critical care, per the BCEN.
Certified Emergency Nurse
Licensed RNs can obtain the Certified Emergency Nurse credential through BCEN. CENs can “assess, triage, stabilize, and help manage and care for every patient who walks through the door,” states the BCEN.
Certified Flight Registered Nurse
A licensed RN who wishes to work as a flight nurse may choose to obtain the CFRN credential. To become certified, nurses must sit for the CFRN exam offered by the BCEN. According to the BCEN, this credential helps prepare flight nurses “for the complexities of delivering care at altitude.”
Certified Nursing Assistant
In certain states, nursing assistants are called Certified Nursing Assistants (or CNAs), according to the BLS. CNAs, also known as nursing aides, provide basic patient care. Many work in nursing homes, where they assist patients with everyday tasks, like eating, bathing, and using the restroom.
Certified Nurse Midwife
A CNM is a type of advanced practice registered nurse. CNMs specialize in women’s healthcare, per the BLS. In addition to performing gynecological exams, they provide prenatal care, as well as family planning services. The BLS also notes that CNMs help to deliver babies and “may provide surgical assistance to physicians during cesarean births.”
Nurses can obtain the CNM credential through the American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB).
Certified Nurse Manager and Leader
The American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL) offers a certification exam nurses can take to obtain the CNML credential. According to the AONL, this exam tests nurses’ capacity to demonstrate “successful leadership in any role and across all settings.”
Chief Nursing Officer
According to the American Nurses Association (ANA), a chief nursing officer “is typically the most senior nursing professional within a health system, health-related organization, or governmental body.” CNOs may also be referred to as chief nurse executives or CNEs.
Certified Neuroscience Registered Nurse
An RN can earn the CNRN credential by obtaining specialized certification through the American Board of Neuroscience Nursing (ABNN). According to the ABNN, the CNRN credential “represents an all-encompassing knowledge of and experience with fundamental neuroscience nursing concepts.”
Clinical Nurse Specialist
A clinical nurse specialist is a type of APRN. According to the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS), clinical nurse specialists “diagnose, prescribe, and treat patients and specialty populations across the continuum of care.” They practice evidence-based healthcare by reviewing the latest nursing research to determine appropriate treatments for their patients.
Certified Pediatric Emergency Nurse
Licensed RNs who wish to work with children can sit for the BCEN’s certification exam to obtain the CPEN credential. Per the BCEN, this certification prepares nurses for neonatal and infant care all the way up through childhood and adolescence.
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
A CRNA is a type of advanced practice registered nurse who administers anesthesia to patients. As the BLS notes, CRNAs may also monitor patients’ vital signs during procedures, provide pain management, and even provide emergency care.
Certified Transport Registered Nurse
A licensed RN can obtain the CTRN credential through the BCEN. “Transport nurses are uniquely prepared to treat the most critically ill and injured patients in high-pressure situations,” states the BCEN.
Family Nurse Practitioner
A family nurse practitioner is a type of APRN. According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB), FNPs provide patient care to individuals of all ages. An FNP can perform physical exams, treat acute and chronic conditions, and prescribe medications, as the AANP explains.
Licensed Practical Nurse/Licensed Vocational Nurse
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, LPNs and LVNs both provide basic patient care. Specifically, these types of nurses work with “ill, injured, or convalescing patients,” as well as patients with disabilities.
Per the BLS, LPNs and LVNs have essentially the same professional duties. Their job titles ultimately depend on which states they work in.
Nurse Practitioner
A nurse practitioner is a type of APRN who can serve as a primary or specialty care provider, as the BLS notes. Each state has its own regulations that define nurse practitioners’ capabilities. Nevertheless, NPs can typically work independently, prescribe medications, and order laboratory tests.
Registered Nurse
An RN’s role typically involves educating patients about health conditions and providing direct care, according to the BLS. RNs often work with physicians and other healthcare specialists. They can also oversee LPNs, LVNs, CNAs, and home health aides and perform some diagnostics tests.
Moreover, RNs can provide specialized care. In fact, the BLS cites several nursing careers an RN can choose to pursue:
- Addiction nursing
- Cardiovascular nursing
- Critical care nursing
- Genetics nursing
- Neonatal nursing
- Nephrology nursing
- Oncology nursing
- Pediatric oncology nursing
- Public health nursing
- Rehabilitation nursing
Furthermore, registered nurses can obtain specialty certifications through organizations like the ABNN, the AONL, and the BCEN.
Stroke Certified Registered Nurse
Registered nurses interested in working with stroke patients have the option to obtain SCRN certification. Like the CNRN credential, this certification is awarded through the American Board of Neuroscience Nursing.
Stroke nurses “can offer stroke patients hyperacute, acute, and post-acute care, as well as secondary and preventative care,” states the ABNN.
Trauma Certified Registered Nurse
Licensed RNs may obtain the TCRN credential through the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing. TCRNs provide patient care to individuals who suffer from physical trauma. “Patients trust TCRN-certified nurses to think critically, assess for signs of complications, and intervene quickly,” according to the BCEN.
Nursing Education Acronyms: Degree Programs and Exams
Today, most roles within the nursing profession require a combination of formal education and professional licensure. Accordingly, there are acronyms to represent different levels of nursing degrees:
- ADN – Associate Degree in Nursing
- BSN – Bachelor of Science in Nursing
- MSN – Master of Science in Nursing
- DNP – Doctor of Nursing Practice
Associate Degree in Nursing
Nursing students can typically choose from two types of associate degrees: an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) and an Associate of Science (AS). An AAS in Nursing is a type of associate degree that typically prepares aspiring nurses with practical clinical skills. Alternatively, an AS in Nursing may help lay the groundwork for further study.
Both types of associate degree programs can help prepare students to become licensed RNs.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
A BSN is a bachelor’s degree that expands on the concepts and skills that ADN programs cover. According to the BLS, hospitals and other employers may require BSNs for entry-level RN positions.
Master of Science in Nursing
An MSN is a master’s degree that can help prepare students for APRN roles, as the BLS explains. It’s worth noting that MSN programs do not always require students to already have bachelor’s degrees. Instead, some institutions offer RN to MSN programs, which combine both undergraduate- and master’s-level coursework.
Doctor of Nursing Practice
A DNP is a doctoral-level nursing degree. This credential may be of particular interest to nurse practitioners and other advanced practice registered nurses. Still, as the BLS notes, “a master’s degree is the most common form of entry-level education” for APRNs.
National Council Licensure Examination
There are two prominent versions of the National Council Licensure Examinations (NCLEX®), each with its own nursing abbreviation:
- NCLEX-RN
- NCLEX-PN
The NCLEX-RN is the exam students take to become licensed registered nurses. Alternatively, the NCLEX-PN exam awards licensure to LPNs/LVNs.
Nursing Acronyms for Medical Conditions and Treatments
Nursing abbreviations aren’t the only form of verbal shorthand used by healthcare professionals. There are also various acronyms and abbreviations to describe health conditions and medical treatments:
- AFib – Atrial fibrillation
- CAD – Coronary artery disease
- CaBG – Coronary artery bypass graft
- CHF – Congestive heart failure
- COPD – Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- MRSA – Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
- UTI – Urinary tract infection
Hospital Departments
Hospitals are notoriously fast-paced work environments. Consequently, many share these common acronyms and abbreviations:
- CCU – Coronary care unit
- CICU – Cardiac intensive care unit
- CTICU – Cardiothoracic intensive care unit
- ED – Emergency department
- ER – Emergency room
- ICU – Intensive care unit
- L&D – Labor and delivery
- MICU – Medical intensive care unit
- NICU – Neonatal intensive care unit
- PACU – Post-anesthesia care unit
- PICU – Pediatric intensive care unit
- OR – Operating room
- SICU – Surgical intensive care unit
- TICU – Trauma intensive care unit
Other Common Medical Abbreviations and Acronyms
Between nursing acronyms and other abbreviations, the medical field is teeming with initialisms. In addition to nursing-specific terms, there are a few more abbreviations every nursing student should know:
- ACLS – Advanced cardiac life support
- BLS – Basic life support
- CBC – Complete blood count
- CPR – Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
- CVA – Cerebrovascular accident
- GTT – Glucose tolerance test
- MI – Myocardial infarction
- MRI – Magnetic resonance imaging
- RBC – Red blood cell
- ROM – Range of motion
Nursing Degrees at American Public University
Understanding nursing acronyms and abbreviations is instrumental in the fast-moving world of patient care. Likewise, a nurse’s role calls for a quality, well-rounded education.
American Public University (APU) offers a variety of online degree programs to help RNs pursue their academic goals:
- An online Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN)
- An online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) with Nurse Leader and Nurse Educator concentrations
- An online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) with Community and Public Health Nursing concentrations
- An online Master of Science in Nursing (RN to MSN) with Nurse Leader and Nurse Educator concentrations
- An online Master of Science in Nursing (RN to MSN) with Community and Public Health Nursing concentrations
Led by faculty members with real-world experience, courses in these programs discuss fundamental concepts surrounding disease control and prevention. Coursework also expands on students’ clinical skills as they advance their knowledge of patient-centered care.
APU’s nursing programs have received specialty accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE®). This accreditation ensures that these programs have been carefully examined by higher education professionals to meet high academic standards.
For more information about these degrees, visit APU’s nursing and health sciences degree program page.
CBRN, CEN, CFRN, CPEN, CTRN, and TCRN are registered trademarks of the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing.
CNM and AMCB are registered trademarks of the American Midwifery Certification Board.
CNML is a registered trademark of the American Organization for Nursing Leadership.
CNRN and SCRN are registered trademarks of the American Board of Neuroscience Nursing.
NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN are registered trademarks of National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc.
CCNE is a registered trademark of the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
