Licensure says you're safe. The PVN Certification says you're ready.
PVN · PROFESSIONAL VALIDATED NURSE

The Essential Certification for Today's Professional Nurse

Built for the health systems, nurses, and educators who believe a BSN and an RN license are the start of a professional nurse's story — not the end of it.

Now being implemented by multiple Health Systems

The NCLEX tests only 1 of the 10 AACN Essentials — primarily person-centered care. PVN validates the other nine, completing the picture that a four-year degree and NCLEX pass began.

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✓ BSN or higher ✓ Active RN license ✓ Remote proctored
Linda A. McCauley
From our founder

"Nursing has been overdue for a credential that reflects what nurses actually do. The PVN credential gives the profession the recognition its work has always deserved."

Linda A. McCauley, PhD, RN, FAAN, FRCN
Founder & CEO, PNVC · Dean Emeritus, Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University
Under her 16-year tenure as dean
Emory's School of Nursing rose from #26 to #1 in U.S. News & World Report rankings.
Why PNVC matters

One certification. Three audiences it transforms.

For Health Systems A workforce strategy tool for retention, talent identification, and quality.
Retention that pays back
Replacing a single bedside RN costs $61,110 on average, and over 30% of new nurses leave within their first year. For the cost of losing one nurse, a system could fund 135 PVN certifications — an inexpensive, high-signal way to invest in nurses before a recruiter does.
Identify talent faster
An objective, validated signal for charge, preceptor, and advancement decisions. No more subjective guessing about who's ready.
Better care, fewer errors
Competency validation beyond NCLEX means better-prepared nurses at the bedside — the fastest lever for improving care and reducing errors system-wide.
FAQs for Health Systems →
The Evidence — Retention & Cost

Retention is a math problem. The data proves it.

30%+
of new nurses leave within their first year
$61,110
average cost to replace a single bedside RN
135
PVN certifications a system could fund for the cost of losing one nurse
An inexpensive, high-signal way to improve retention — invest in your nurses before a recruiter does.
What the research shows works
5.2% vs 14.1%
Turnover among clinical ladder participants vs. general staff
85–96%
12-month retention with residency + certification
41.2%
of nurses say certification influenced their decision to stay
See the Full Evidence → Partner with PNVC →
Sources: NSI Nursing Solutions (2025); Drenkard & Swartwout (2005); Mohamed & Al-Hmaimat (2024); Laitsch et al. (2024). Full citations on The Evidence page.
For Nurses The credential that reflects what you can actually do.
Stand out, get noticed
A credential that shows what you can do — not just where you went to school. Give recruiters and managers a reason to pick you.
Confidence at the bedside
NCLEX proves you're safe. PVN proves you're ready for the complexity waiting for you on day one.
Practice to the top of your license
Walk in with the confidence to deliver the full scope of what your license allows — not just the tasks you were handed.
Career that compounds
A tangible credential you carry your whole career. A faster path to charge, preceptor, and leadership roles.
Register for Exam → FAQs for Nurses →
For Educators An external measure of what your curriculum was designed to build.
A program quality signal
An objective, external measure of graduate competency beyond NCLEX pass rates — a tangible outcome for accreditors and prospective students.
Close the preparation gap
Your faculty already know licensure doesn't capture the full picture. PVN validates the clinical judgment your curriculum is designed to build.
Set graduates apart
Your graduates enter the workforce PVN-certified — a differentiator that reflects the depth of the education you delivered.
Partner with PNVC → FAQs for Educators →
Built by Leading Nursing Experts Nationwide View advisors & subject matter experts

Our certification exam was developed with experienced nurse leaders, educators, and subject matter experts from respected institutions across the country.

Noreen Bernard
UC Health
Roxana Chicas
PNVC / Emory
Ashley Darcy-Mahoney
George Washington University School of Nursing
Ashley Kellish
University of Miami School of Nursing
Carrie McDermott
University of Arkansas School of Nursing
Sharon Pappas
Emory Healthcare
Hudson Santos
University of Miami School of Nursing
Melanie Singh
National Institutes of Health
LeeAnna Spiva
Emory Healthcare
Eileen Sullivan-Marx
NYU
Miranda Hawks
Emory School of Nursing
Megan Streur
University of Washington
Rosalie Mainous
Consultant
Tim Porter-O'Grady
Consultant
What leaders are saying

Voices from across nursing leadership.

"Across markets, healthcare leadership teams are rethinking workforce strategy from the ground up. PNVC fits squarely into that work because it compresses development, differentiation, and retention into a single integrated strategic asset—a combination of efficiency and leverage that's rare at scale."

LaRon E. Nelson, PhD, MBA, FNP, FNAP, FNYAM, FAAN

"Competency validation isn't theoretical—it's foundational to patient safety. Licensure establishes the floor; performance in practice defines the ceiling. When nurses demonstrate strong clinical reasoning, prioritization, and situational awareness, that's the signal that truly matters."

Bryan Sisk, DNP, MPH, RN

"The next generation of nurses wants to be seen, measured, and developed, not just employed. PNVC speaks directly to that expectation. Organizations that adopt it early will have a meaningful edge in attracting and keeping the best talent."

Tim Porter-O'Grady, DM, EdD, APRN, FAAN, FACCWS

Are you eligible?

Two requirements. See if you qualify in 10 seconds.

✓
Passed the NCLEX
Active RN license required
✓
BSN or higher
Accredited bachelor's in nursing

Ready to earn the credential the profession has been waiting for?

Registration takes minutes. The credential lasts a career.

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