About

The Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification (ABSNC), formerly the ABNS Accreditation Council, is the only accrediting body specifically for nursing certification. ABSNC accreditation is a peer-review mechanism that allows nursing certification organizations to obtain accreditation by demonstrating compliance with the highest quality standards available in the industry. Accreditation is available to both ABNS member and non-member organizations.

Since 1991, ABNS recognized and promoted the value of certification through the activities of its Accreditation Council. Because the accreditation standards require a certifying organization to be autonomous from a related member organization, ABNS also created a separate and autonomous accreditation board in 2009. ABSNC continues to promote its mission to seek and recognize high quality specialty nursing and associated certification programs through accreditation.

The Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification (ABSNC) promotes excellence in health care through the application of rigorous accreditation processes. Organizations that pursue ABSNC accreditation demonstrate a commitment to advancing health, supporting professional growth, and ensuring the highest standards of care.

In alignment with our core values of excellence, education, service, integrity, and leadership, the exam-based accreditation standards herein reflect ABSNC’s commitment to trust and accountability in all aspects of specialty nursing certification and accreditation. ABSNC acknowledges that excellence in care has not historically been accessible to all¹, and that health justice remains an ongoing global effort. Structural inequities have led to exclusion and harm of many people seeking care or professional opportunities. The standards are designed to guide organizations in developing certification programs that are rigorous and reflective of modern practice, but also equitable, inclusive, and responsive to the evolving needs of nurses and the diverse populations they serve.

Learn more about ABSNC with our quick Fact Sheet.

For information on the accreditation application process, please email the ABSNC office at info@ABSNC.org.

For more information on the Value of Accreditation, read our white paper "The Benefits of Specialty Nursing Certification for Nurses, Healthcare Facilities and Patients." 

Organizations interested in verifying individual certification credentials should contact the appropriate certification board that awarded the certification. The ABSNC does not certify practitioners. It accredits certification boards that demonstrate adherence to ABSNC's rigorous standards. A listing of the programs that are accredited by ABSNC can be found at: https://absnc.org/certification/accredited-programs. The listings may help identify the program for which you are seeking credential verification. 

¹Reflecting priorities of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Framework for Achieving Health Equity, and recommendations of The Future of Nursing 2020-2030 report, ABSNC approached standard development with a reflexive awareness of nurses, patients, and populations that have been historically excluded from equitable access to health care and/or professional opportunities. These include, but are not limited to, those affected by systemic barriers related to personal characteristics. We acknowledge that disadvantage is not limited to select identities, and that addressing belonging in nursing requires attention to a range of lived experiences.