“A registered nurse who has completed an accredited graduate-level education program that prepares her or him for the role of certified nurse practitioner, certified registered nurse anesthetist, certified nurse midwife, or clinical nurse specialist; has passed a national certification examination that measures the APRN role and population-focused competencies; maintains continued competence as evidenced by re-certification; and is licensed to practice as an APRN” (ANA, 2015).
State variations of the term include APN (advanced practice nurse) and ARNP (advanced registered nurse practitioner).
