Nurse Practitioner Subspecialty Certification Guide: 7 Options for NPs
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Are you ready to earn your online nursing degree?
Certifications demonstrate expertise and dedication. Learn more about certification requirements and costs for several nurse practitioner (NP) subspecialties.
NPs are the fastest-growing career path in the U.S. It’s great news for the profession, but it also means you may need to prepare yourself for increased job competition. One great way to highlight your expertise is by getting certified in an NP specialty.
NP certifications can boost your income, credibility, and chances of landing that dream job. Learn about the requirements for seven common credentials.
Popular Online NP Programs
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The 4 Major NP Specialties
The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) is likely the most widely recognized accrediting body in the nursing field, including for NP specialties.
Although other accrediting bodies have other NP certifications, the ANCC currently certifies nurses in four major specialties:
- Family Nurse Practitioner Certification (FNP-BC™)
- Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Certification (AGPCNP-BC®)
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Certification (AGACNP-BC®)
- Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (Across the Lifespan) Certification (PMHNP-BC™)
7 Types of Nurse Practitioner Subspecialty Certifications and Requirements
1 | Orthopedic Nurse Practitioner Certification
Orthopedic NPs are advanced practice nurses who assess, diagnose, and manage patients with various musculoskeletal conditions. Most certification applicants specialize in family, pediatrics, or geriatrics.
Their workplaces include rehabilitation facilities, sports medicine practices, and outpatient surgery centers. They often treat patients for arthritis, dislocations, carpal tunnel syndrome, and fractures. According to Payscale, the average annual salary for orthopedic NPs was $100,035 as of March 2024.
Details
- Certifying Organization:Orthopaedic Nurses Certification Board
- Renewal Cycle: Five years
- Cost: $300 for National Association of Orthopaedic Nurses (NAON), American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), Nurses Organization of Veterans Affairs (NOVA), or Canadian Orthopaedic Nurses Association (CONA) members; $425 for nonmembers
Requirements
- At least three years of experience as an RN or advanced practice RN
- At least 2,000 hours of advanced practice nursing work experience within the past three years
- Must currently work as an NP treating musculoskeletal conditions
- Valid and unencumbered nursing license and NP certification
- Must pass the subspecialty certification examination
Exam Content Outline
- Degenerative disorders
- Orthopedic trauma
- Sports injuries
- Inflammatory disorders
- Metabolic bone disorders
- Congenital/pediatric
- Musculoskeletal tumors
- Neuromuscular
2 | Emergency Care Nurse Practitioner Certification
Emergency care NPs treat patients in emergencies. They must be prepared to treat and triage any condition presented to them. They work in hospital emergency departments, stand-alone emergency care centers, emergency transportation, the military, and disaster settings. According to Payscale, emergency care NPs earn an average annual salary of $99,044 as of March 2024.
Details
- Certifying Organization:American Academy of Nurse Practitioners National Certification Board
- Renewal Cycle: Five years
- Cost: $240 for AANP members; $315 for nonmembers
Requirements
- At least 2,000 direct, emergency care clinical practice hours as a FNP in the past 5 years; 100 hours of continuing education in emergency care; 30 hours of continuing education in emergency care procedural skills within those five years
- Completion of a graduate/post-graduate emergency care NP program from an accredited nursing school, or completion of an accredited dual FNP/ENP graduate/post-graduate certificate program.
- Completion of an approved emergency fellowship program, which lasts 12 months.
- Current and unencumbered nursing license and NP certification
- Must pass the subspecialty certification examination
Exam Content Outline
There are five domains:
- Medical screening
- Medical decision-making and differential diagnosis
- Patient management
- Transitions of care
- Professional practices
Specific exam topics:
- Thoracic and respiratory disorders
- Cardiovascular disorders
- Dermatologic soft tissue disorders
- Abdominal and gastrointestinal disorders
- Musculoskeletal disorders
- Renal and genitourinary disorders
- Nervous system disorders
- Head, ear, eye, nose, throat disorders
- Traumatic disorders
- Psychobehavioral and other disorders
3 | Hospice and Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner (ACHPN)
Hospice and palliative care NPs provide end-of-life care. Most work for hospice or long-term care providers. They treat patients in their homes, hospice centers, or residential care facilities. Hospice and palliative care NPs earned an average annual salary of $97,069 as of March 2024, according to Payscale.
Details
- Certifying Organization:Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center
- Renewal Cycle: Four years
- Cost: $320 for HPNA members; $465 for nonmembers
Requirements
- At least 500 hours in the past year or 1,000 hours in the past two years of working as a hospice or palliative care nurse practitioner
- Official academic transcript that includes completion of courses in advanced physical assessment, advanced pathophysiology, and advanced pharmacology with at least 500 hours of clinical practicum
- Current and unencumbered nursing license and NP certification
- Must pass the subspecialty certification examination
Exam Content Outline
- Nursing process for caring for adult patients and families
- Assessment
- Diagnosis and planning
- Intervention and evaluation
- Scientific knowledge
- Disease process
- Diagnostic tests and procedures
- Prognosis
- Responses to illness, loss, grief, and bereavement
- Education and communication
- Professionalism
- Ethics
- Scope, standard, and guidelines
- Self-care and collegial support
- Leadership and self-development
- Systems issues
- Resource access, utilization, and continuum of care
- Quality improvement
4 | Oncology Nurse Practitioner Certification (ONCC)
Oncology NPs specialize in treating patients with various forms of cancer. They provide care in various inpatient and outpatient settings, including hospitals, independent offices, and residential care. Oncology NPs earned an average annual salary of $101,280 as of March 2024, according to Payscale.
Details
- Certifying Organization:Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation
- Renewal Cycle: Four years
- Cost: $300 for Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) or Association of Pediatric Hematology Oncology Nurses (APHON) members; $420 for nonmembers
Requirements
You must meet the criteria in one of these two sets of requirements:
Pathway 1
- At least 500 hours of supervised clinical practice as an adult oncology NP within the past five years
- One graduate-level oncology course of at least 2 credits or 30 hours oncology continuing education within the past five years
- Graduate degree from an accredited NP program with a concentration in oncology
- Current and unencumbered nursing license and NP certification
- Must pass the subspecialty certification examination
Pathway 2
- At least 1,000 hours practice as an adult oncology NP obtained during, or following, the graduate program within the past five years
- One graduate-level oncology course of at least 2 credits or 30 hours oncology continuing education within the past five years
- Graduate degree from an accredited NP program with a concentration in adult (primary or acute), family (across the lifespan), gerontology, or women’s health
- Current and unencumbered nursing license and NP certification
- Must pass the subspecialty certification examination
Exam Content Outline
- Screening, prevention, early detection, and genetic risk
- Diagnosis, staging, and treatment planning
- Cancer treatment
- Side effects and symptom management
- Oncologic emergencies
- Survivorship
- End-of-life care
- Psychosocial issues
- Coordination of care
- Professional practice
- Roles of the advanced practice nurse
5 | Dermatology Nurse Practitioner Certification
Dermatology NPs focus on assessing, diagnosing, and managing skin disorders. They often work with other care team members at hospitals and clinics, treating various conditions, from acne to skin cancer.
Some dermatology NPs further specialize in aesthetics. These providers focus on cosmetic procedures such as botox, dermal fillers, sclerotherapy, chemical peels, microdermabrasion, mesotherapy, and laser hair removal. Aesthetic NPs often work in a dermatology office or a medical spa.
Dermatology NPs earned an average annual salary of $94,742 as of March 2024, reports Payscale. NPs specializing in aesthetics earned an average annual salary of $85,360.
Details
- Certifying Organization:Dermatology Nurses Association
- Renewal Cycle: Three years
- Cost: $400
Requirements
- Minimum of 3,000 hours of recent NP practice with current practice in dermatology; this can include hours obtained from a formal dermatology nurse practitioner program, post-graduate fellowship, or residency program
- Current and unencumbered nursing license and NP certification
- Must pass the subspecialty certification examination
Exam Content Outline
- Assess and diagnose acute and chronic conditions across the lifespan in dermatology.
- Prescribe interventions, including evidence-based treatment, therapies, and procedures.
- Teach patients, significant others, the community, and colleagues about preventing and managing dermatological conditions.
- Participate in professional activities that promote optimal healthcare practices and outcomes.
6 | Nephrology Nurse Practitioner Certification
Nephrology NPs specialize in treating patients with kidney conditions. Most work in hospitals or private practices.
Examples of conditions nephrology NPs treat include chronic kidney disease, kidney stones, and renal cysts. The average annual salary for nephrology NPs is $130,295, according to ZipRecruiter.
Details
- Certifying Organization:Nephrology Nursing Certification Commission (NNCC)
- Renewal Cycle: Five years
- Cost: $350 for NNCC and partner members $375 for non-members
Requirements
- At least 2,000 hours of experience and two years experience as an NP practicing nephrology within the last two years
- Current and unencumbered nursing license and NP certification
- Must pass the subspecialty certification examination
- The applicant must have completed 20 contact hours of approved continuing education in nephrology within 2 years before submitting this application. Continuing education must be approved by one of the following:
- Organizations accredited by the American Nurses Credentialing Center – Commission on Accreditation (ANCC-COA), the credentialing body of the American Nurses Association
- The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN).
- The Council of Continuing Education
- The American Association of Nurse Practitioners.All State Boards of Nursing
- Organizations accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME)
Exam Content Outline
Domain knowledge:
- Acute kidney injury
- Chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages 1 and 2 and general nephrology
- CKD stage 3
- CKD stages 4 and 5
- Kidney Replacement Therapies (KRT)
Nurse practitioner capabilities:
- Assessment and diagnosis of pathologic processes and complications that occur in kidney disease
- Prescription of interventions, therapies, and procedures, including evidence-based treatments consistent with comprehensive care needs
- Pharmacology
- Evaluation, selection, or design of strategies and resources to educate clients, families, health professionals, and the public
- Facilitation of an interdisciplinary process with other members of healthcare teams
- Institution of holistic care plan development that reflects an individual’s values and beliefs
7 | Cardiology Nurse Practitioner Certification (CVNP-BC)
Cardiac NPs treat various heart conditions, such as heart failure, stroke complications, and peripheral arterial disease. They work in inpatient hospital units and outpatient clinics.
According to Payscale, the average annual salary for cardiology NPs is $96,461 as of March 2024.
Details
- Certifying Organization:American Board of Cardiovascular Medicine
- Renewal Cycle: Three years
- Cost: $429.95
Requirements
- At least two years of experience as a cardiac NP
- Current and unencumbered nursing license and NP certification
- Must pass the subspecialty certification examination
Exam Content Outline
- Cardiovascular Diseases: Heart Failure, Hypertension, ACS, Cardiomyopathy
- Heart Sounds and Bedside Assessment
- 12-Lead ECG & Arrhythmias
- CV Pharmacology
- Pacemakers & ICDs
- Interventional Cardiology Procedures
- Non-Invasive Cardiology Procedures
- Non-Invasive Cardiology Diagnostic Procedures
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Page last reviewed on May 2, 2024