Brought to you by The Advanced Practice Initiatives & Certification Outreach Team
Spring 2026 Edition
Recording Now Available: Click On the Image Below to Watch
New Season, New Beginnings
Dr. Tonya Page hopes you had a productive semester. As the semester comes to a close and we continue through the spring season, many students are beginning to plan the next steps in their academic journeys. For those preparing for graduation, a variety of resources are available to help support their success.
Tonya L. Page, DNP, APRN, ACNP-BC, LSSGB, FCCS-C APRN Educational & Faculty Outreach Program Manager 📧certificationoutreach@ana.org
Dr. Page was honored to connect with deans at the Deans Annual Meeting, where she presented, ANCC Updates: Supporting APRN Programs & Amplifying APRN Practice. Her presentation highlighted how the team supports APRNs throughout their careers while helping schools and universities strengthen their programs. Dr. Page or a member of the Advanced Practice Initiatives & Certification Outreach Team will be attending one of the upcoming tradeshows listed below:
📊 2025 reports were distributed on April 1, 2026. If your school did not receive this year's aggregate data, or if you need to update your contact information to ensure future delivery, please complete the ANCC School Contact Information Form.
🔑 Please note that your school code information is required to submit this form. If you do not have your assigned code, contact our team at certificationoutreach@ana.org.
👩🎓A minimum of three candidates from an institution must take the certification examination in order for a report to be generated.If you do not receive a report after completing this form, it may be because fewer than three candidates took the certification examination for the specialty being requested.
📅 Requests submitted pertains exclusively to 2025 data. 2026 data will not be available until the first quarter of 2027.
If you missed our previous webinar, Steps to Apply for ANCC APRN Certification, or would like to revisit it, the recording is now available. We strongly encourage you to view it, along with other valuable resources designed to support both faculty and students:
Don’t miss out on our engaging content—stay connected by following our hashtags:
#ANCCCertified
#ANCCSuccessPays
#ANCCStoriesOfInspiration
Support Student Success with the ANCC Readiness Test
Are your students graduating soon or preparing for their ANCC board certification exams? Help students build confidence with the Readiness Test—the pretest that mirrors the real exam experience.
Benefits for Students
Reduce test-taking anxiety with a realistic, timed, live-proctored exam.
Gain familiarity with ANCC question style and Prometric’s testing platform.
Receive scoring feedback to guide study efforts and improve readiness.
DNP vs. PhD: Choosing the Right Path for Your Future
I am incredibly proud of you, APRN students, for taking this important step in advancing your nursing careers. As a former MSN student who studied to become an Acute Care NP, I remember facing the same decision—carefully considering which doctoral path would be the best fit for my goals. Choosing the program that best aligns with your goals and needs is essential.
You have several options to consider. Some students choose to pursue a doctoral degree immediately after completing their MSN, while others prefer to gain a few years of clinical experience before enrolling in a doctoral program. In my own experience, I worked for several years in practice, which allowed me to strengthen my skills and gain a deeper understanding of my interests. This time for reflection ultimately helped me choose the path that was best suited for me. At this point, you can reflect on where your passions lie—whether in clinical practice, implementation, and directly impacting patient care, or in research, theory development, and advancing nursing science.
DNP
Prepares nurses to apply evidence-based practice directly into clinical practice.
Focuses on quality improvement, standards of care, and healthcare systems & policies advancements.
Prepares nurses to serve as executive leaders, guiding healthcare organizations through complex and rapidly evolving environments.
Example Potential Roles:
CNO/Clinical Executives
Directors/Managers
Community Health Leaders
Innovation & Implementation Specialist
Healthcare Quality & Safety Specialist
Advocacy Leader
Teaching/Faculty/Clinical Instructor
PhD in Nursing
Focuses on research and prepares nurses to develop new knowledge.
Centers on scientific inquiry, systematic study, and exploration.
Conducts studies that strengthen healthcare systems.
Example Potential Roles:
Health Policy Advisor, Consultant, or Researcher
Nurse Scientist
Editor or Contributor for Nursing Journals
Curriculum Developer
Teaching/Faculty/Academic Leaders
I look forward to continuing our partnership as you advance in your nursing careers. Please know that my team and I are here to support you every step of the way. Should you decide to pursue ANCC certification, I encourage you to explore the full range of certifications we offer. Remember, earning certification is more than a milestone—it represents a lifelong commitment to professional growth. Through ongoing renewal requirements, certification helps ANCC certified nurses continually enhance their knowledge, strengthen their skills, and stay current in practice. Below is our full list:
Article by: Tonya L. Page, DNP, APRN, ACNP-BC, LSSGB, FCCS-C APRN Educational & Faculty Outreach Program Manager
I hope you found this information helpful and encourage you to take advantage of the below promo codes:
Recruitment Opportunities for Faculty
Apply to the ANCC Volunteer Registry for certifications and indicate the position(s) you are interested in. We are currently seeking applications for the following ANCC certifications and volunteer opportunities:
Adult-Gero Primary Care NP
Content Experts
Item Writers
Summer 2027
Standard Setting Panelist
Summer 2027
Psychiatric-Mental Health NP
Standard Setting Panelist
Summer 2027
Eligible candidates also include APRN faculty members who maintain an active clinical practice at a minimum of 50%. Apply by clicking on the button below:
If you are a nurse educator responsible for developing course assessments, this webinar is for you.
Introduction to Test Writing is a 2-hour live, interactive webinar that walks you through the essentials of question development. Topics include aligning questions to learning objectives and exam blueprints, understanding cognitive levels, choosing the right item types, and writing stems that are clear and bias-free. You will leave with:
Immediately applicable knowledge of how to write effective test questions.
A copy of the presentation slides.
An item development and review checklist.
A webinar outline sent to you before the session to help you follow along.
Katelyn Bern, MA Outreach Engagement Manager & Tradeshow Liaison
Manages customer engagement through social media, articles, and at ANCC tradeshows. Leads our Story of Inspiration series, which celebrates cultural heritage and personal journeys. Share your story with her today! 📝 Share Your Story
Tonya L. Page, DNP, APRN, ACNP-BC, LSSGB, FCCS-C
APRN Educational & Faculty Outreach Program Manager
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