Healthcare: Specializations

The American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing (AAACN) is the association of professional nurses and associates who:
Identify ambulatory care practice as a specialty that is essential to the continuum of accessible, high quality, and cost-effective health care.
Are committed to their professional development and the quality of patient care in an ambulatory care environment and seek to actively engage in a community of like-minded professionals.
Foster understanding and appreciation for the vital role of professional registered nurses as leaders, coordinators of patient care, and care providers in an ambulatory care setting.

(CPHNO) The Council of Public Health Nursing Organizations (CPHNO – formerly the Quad Council Coalition of Public Health Nursing Organizations) provides voice and visibility for public health nurses, sets a national policy agenda on issues related to public health nursing, and advocates for excellence in public health nursing education, practice, leadership, and research.

Patients and their families rely on nurses at the most vulnerable times of their lives. Acute and critical care nurses rely on AACN for expert knowledge and the influence to fulfill their promise to patients and their families.

(HPNA) The Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association, the Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center and the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Foundation have leveraged strategic and operational synergies and adopted shared mission and vision statements and common pillars of excellence.

(AMSN) The Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses (AMSN) is the only specialty nursing organization dedicated to the practice of medical-surgical nursing. A dynamic community of more than 13,000 medical-surgical nurses, we're committed to quality patient care through professional development, certification, scholarship, and advocacy.

(AWHONN) Our mission is to empower and support nurses caring for women, newborns, and their families through research, education, and advocacy.

(AAOHN) The American Association of Occupational Health Nurses is the professional association of licensed nurses engaged in the practice of occupation and environmental health nursing.

(SPN) The mission of the Society of Pediatric Nurses is to advance the specialty of pediatric nursing through excellence in education, research and practice.

(APNA) The American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) was founded in 1986. In the ensuing years, APNA has grown to be the largest professional membership organization committed to the practice of psychiatric-mental health (PMH) nursing and wellness promotion, prevention of mental health problems, and the care and treatment of persons with psychiatric disorders.

(RNO) Recognition of the diversity of rural nursing practice. A voice for rural nurses to health care agencies, academia and government. Continuing education and access to resources for rural nurses. Quality health care for rural communities.