National certification represents a national standard of preparation, knowledge, and practice. To assist with this recognition, the National Board for Certification of School Nurses (NBCSN) provides the opportunity for school nurses to set the standards for their specialty area through voluntary professional certification. NBCSN has trademarked NCSN as the official credential of the Nationally Certified School Nurse. All candidates successfully completing the national examination are eligible to use this credential.
As of October 2023, there are 220 State of Washington school nurses who have national certification through NBCSN. Congratulations to all of you who have taken this step to prove that you are a highly-trained practitioner in your field. In some school districts, the school nurses negotiated in their contract to receive a yearly stipend for having this certificate. It is worth trying to negotiate this.
State of Washington NBCSN Liaison
NBCSN Liaisons serve as a resource on national certification.
Contact Rebecca Cavanaugh with questions at rcavanaugh@nsd.org.