NLN Establishes New Certification for Practical/Vocational Nurse Educators

NLN Establishes New Certification for Practical/Vocational Nurse Educators

CNE®pv Marks Expertise in Teaching Practical & Vocational Nurses, a Vital Sector of the Nation’s Nursing Workforce

Washington, DC — The National League for Nursing proudly announces the new Academic Practical/Vocational Nurse Educator Certification (CNE^®pv), which recognizes academic nurse educators whose teaching focus is in programs that prepare practical and vocational nurses. The educator’s role may include both classroom instruction and clinical instruction in all types of practice settings.

Goals of the new CNE^®pv certification include:

• Distinguish academic practical/vocational nursing education as a specialty area of practice
• Recognize the academic practical/vocational nurse educator’s specialized knowledge, skills and abilities, and excellence in teaching
• Strengthen the use of selected core competencies of academic practical/vocational nurse educator practice
• Contribute to academic practical/vocational nurse educators’ professional development
  

NLN Chair Yolanda VanRiel, PhD, RN, MEDSURG-BC, OCN, CNE, ANEF, FAAN, chair of the Department of Nursing, North Carolina Central University and patient placement coordinator at First Health of the Carolinas-Moore Regional Hospital, said, “The National League for Nursing focuses on promoting excellence in nursing education, supported by our academic nurse educator certification programs. The brand new CNEpv certification builds on the foundation created by the unique role and competencies exemplified by our PN/VN faculty colleagues.” 

NLN President and CEO Beverly Malone, PhD, RN, FAAN, said, “Certification in any field represents a high mark of professionalism. Adding this new certification credential for PN/VN educators brings them the recognition they deserve and reaffirms academic nursing education as a specialty area of professional practice. The National League for Nursing continues to be a strong advocate for all academic levels within nursing education.”

Those eligible to apply for CNE^®pv certification include academic nurse educators with three years of experience in any area of nursing; two years of teaching experience in an academic program of nursing education within the last five years, which may include simulation; a baccalaureate degree or higher in nursing; and valid licensure/certificate or other documentation of unencumbered practice as a nurse in one's country of residence. All eligibility criteria for initial certification must be met at the time of application.

The certification will be valid for five years from the date of receiving a passing score on the certifying exam and can subsequently be renewed for five-year periods. Pilot testing of the new exam began in late 2025, with launch of the certification set for this spring.

For more information about CNE^®pv certification exam preparation, refer to the CNE^®pv 2026 Candidate Handbook, available at NLN.org.

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