Nursing Resources

Where to Start: Nursing Resources by Career Stage

Licensure, NCLEX and License Verification Resources

Registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) are licensed by state boards of nursing; NCSBN’s licensure guidance states that in the U.S. you need to be authorized to practice by a board of nursing. These official resources cover each step, from the exam to keeping your license current. For a step-by-step overview of the path to RN licensure, see our guide on how to become a registered nurse.

NCLEX.com

The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) develops the NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN exams, according to its 2026 NCLEX-RN Test Plan. Boards of nursing use the NCLEX-RN, and the NCLEX-PN, to help make licensure decisions. NCSBN’s registration instructions explain that candidates first apply for licensure to the board of nursing where they want to be licensed.

NCSBN Directory of Boards of Nursing

NCSBN lists contact information for the board of nursing in every U.S. state and territory; some states have more than one board. Contact your board directly to confirm current license renewal and continuing education requirements.

Nursys License Verification

NCSBN describes Nursys as the only national database for verification of nurse licensure, discipline and practice privileges. Its Licensure QuickConfirm service is free and lets employers and recruiters retrieve licensure and any applicable discipline records.

Nursing Certifications and Examinations

Nurses often list their license and certifications after their names as initials. For many nurses, that begins with RN, which stands for registered nurse, followed by a specialty certification credential such as CCRN. RN is a license, not a certification. Every jurisdiction requires candidates for licensure to meet set requirements that include passing an examination, according to NCSBN’s 2026 NCLEX-RN Test Plan, and licensed practical nurses take the NCLEX-PN, which boards of nursing also use in licensure decisions. If you are still in school or planning to enroll, our guide to online bachelor’s degree programs in nursing explains what those programs involve.

According to the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), certification lets nurses validate their knowledge to employers and patients and can help advance a nursing career.

The three certifications below each require a current nursing license and a minimum amount of recent practice, measured in hours or years; for the CCRN, the requirements shown are for its Direct Care pathway. If you plan to become an advanced practice registered nurse, our guide to APRN licensure and certification covers the national certifying bodies for APRN roles.

Below are some key nursing certifications along with requirements:

The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) offers the CCRN (Adult) certification, a credential granted by AACN Certification Corporation that validates specialty knowledge of nursing care of acutely and critically ill patients. AACN’s CCRN FAQ notes that CCRN is a registered service mark, not an abbreviation for “critical care registered nurse.” AACN lists these requirements for the CCRN (Adult) Direct Care Eligibility Pathway; the CCRN Exam Handbook gives the complete criteria, including AACN’s other eligibility pathways.

Requirements:

• Hold a current, unencumbered U.S. RN or APRN license.
• Practice as an RN or APRN in direct care of acutely or critically ill adult patients under one of two options: 1,750 hours during the previous two years, with 875 of those hours in the most recent year before applying, or a minimum of 2,000 hours during the previous five years, with 144 of those hours in the most recent year before applying.
• Focus the majority of those practice hours on critically ill patients. Hours must be completed in a U.S.- or Canada-based facility, or one comparable to the U.S. standard of acute/critical care nursing practice, and must be verifiable by a clinical supervisor or professional colleague (RN or physician).
• Renew the certification every three years; the handbook states that CCRN certification is granted for a period of three years.

Registered nurses looking to become legal nurse consultant certified (LNCC) apply to the American Legal Nurse Consultant Certification Board (ALNCCB), which the American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants (AALNC) founded to oversee the credential. The exam is offered during two testing windows each year, in spring and fall, at test centers or through live remote proctoring.

Requirements:

• Hold a current, full and unrestricted RN license in the U.S. or its territories.
• Have a minimum of five years of experience practicing as an RN.
• Complete 2,000 hours of legal nurse consulting experience within the past five years.
• Recertify every five years. Renewal requires a current, unrestricted RN license and evidence of 2,000 hours of legal nurse consulting practice in the five years before renewal, plus either passing the LNCC exam or submitting 60 contact hours that meet the published criteria.

The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) offers many certifications, including the ambulatory care nursing certification (AMB-BC) and nurse executive certification (NE-BC). ANCC certification exams are computer-based and available year-round.

Requirements for the ambulatory care nursing certification:

• Hold a current, active RN license in a U.S. state or territory.
• Practice the equivalent of two full-time years as an RN.
• Complete a minimum of 2,000 hours of clinical practice in ambulatory care nursing within the last three years.
• Complete 30 hours of continuing education in ambulatory care nursing within the last three years.
• Renew ANCC certification every five years.

Top Websites on Nursing Jobs and Careers

Individuals hoping to find a nursing job have numerous online resources available to them.

If you’re wondering what jobs your nursing degree affords you, you may find our Nursing Career Path infographic useful. The infographic summarizes education requirements and salary figures for several nursing roles.

Alternatively, if you have figured out what type of nurse you’d like to be, you should target websites dedicated to your area of interest. Nurse practitioner (NP) job seekers can refer to our resource page which covers the scope of practice and provides steps to becoming an NP.

The following nursing job site can help nurses find openings that align with their goals.

American Nurses Association (ANA) Career Center

The ANA Career Center offers a nationwide selection of nursing roles across sectors and disciplines. You can post your résumé and set up a job alert to learn about openings in your specific area.

Targeting local health organizations or care areas that you’re passionate about is another way to find your desired job. Below are two examples of websites that job seekers with specific interests might want to look at:

• VA Careers is a key resource for job seekers who may want to work with veterans or have an interest in public service. The Department of Veterans Affairs describes itself as the nation’s largest employer of nurses, and its nursing jobs page links to current openings on USAJOBS, education support and benefits.
• If you’re looking for a career in community health care, start with your local health department. The CDC’s health department directories link to listings of state, city, county and tribal health departments.

Amenities, workplace climate and proximity of a job to family and friends are important to consider when taking the next step in your career, but earning potential may also be a priority. Our guide to nursing salary by state compares wages for licensed practical nurses, registered nurses and advanced practice nurses across states. For federal data, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) directory of May 2025 occupation profiles from its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program includes a profile for registered nurses. You can build custom tables of national and state employment and wage data by using the BLS OEWS query system.

Nursing Journals and Nursing Research Articles

Nurses have a profound influence on the health education and care of patients. It’s important to be in possession of or have access to accurate information. When looking to validate a certain practice, leverage the following research databases and evidence resources:

CINAHL Complete: EBSCO’s CINAHL Complete is a research database covering nursing and allied health literature, with full text from peer-reviewed journals.

PubMed: Developed and maintained by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) at the U.S. National Library of Medicine, according to PubMed’s about page, this free database and its search engine allow you to access numerous nursing research articles.

Cochrane Library: Cochrane describes its Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews as the leading resource for systematic reviews in health care. If you’re unsure of a practice, Cochrane Review articles can help you track down your answer.

Google Scholar: Google Scholar searches scholarly literature, primarily academic papers. You can limit results to recent years, and the “Cited by” link under a result shows newer papers that reference that work.

MedlinePlus: MedlinePlus is a free health information resource for patients and their families and friends, and a service of the National Library of Medicine, part of the National Institutes of Health, according to its about page. Nurses can use its information on health topics, medical tests, medications and dietary supplements to support patient education.

Nursing Associations and Networking

Nurses use networking to enhance skills, offer and gain support and grow their careers. Joining the right nursing associations is a key step to staying current with the fast-moving field and can help you find professional mentors. The association a nurse joins will have a lot to do with their specialization.

American Nurses Association (ANA)

ANA describes itself as the premier organization representing the interests of the nation’s more than 5 million registered nurses.

National League for Nursing (NLN)

Founded in 1893 as the American Society of Superintendents of Training Schools for Nurses, NLN calls itself the first nursing organization in the United States. It describes itself as the leading voice for nurse faculty and leaders in nursing education.

National Student Nurses’ Association (NSNA)

NSNA is dedicated to fostering the professional development of nursing students. Members can get involved in their school and state associations, and NSNA offers three meetings each year along with career planning resources.

Oncology Nursing Society (ONS)

The ONS states that its mission is to advance excellence in oncology nursing and quality cancer care.

American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN)

If you’re committed to critical care or are looking to connect with intensive care unit professionals, AACN membership is something you should consider. AACN describes itself as the world’s largest specialty nursing organization, and its certification corporation grants the CCRN credential covered above.

Society of Pediatric Nurses (SPN)

SPN’s Learning Center offers webinars and courses that help pediatric nurses gain specialized knowledge.