Certification protects the public by enabling anyone to identify competent people more readily.
Simultaneously it aids the profession by encouraging and recognizing professional achievement. Certification also recognizes specialization, enhances professionalism and, in some cases, serves as a criterion for financial reimbursement. It may also foster an enlarged role within the employment setting. Because certification of nursing practice signifies attainment of specific criteria and knowledge, skills, and abilities in a specific specialty field, certified nurses comprise a minority of the professional nurse population. More than 151,000 nurses have been certified by ANCC since 1991.