The American Board of Nursing Specialties (ABNS) is proud to announce the publication of the Nursing Certification Annotated Bibliography, 2026 Edition, a comprehensive resource providing a current overview of the published literature on registered nurse specialty certification.

This edition represents a significant update to the 2021–2022 bibliography and incorporates literature identified through systematic database searching from 1985 through March 1, 2026. Developed as a working resource, the bibliography is intended to support ABNS members, researchers, nurse leaders, educators, certifying bodies, and policymakers seeking an organized map of the evidence supporting nursing specialty certification.

The 2026 edition introduces several enhancements designed to improve usability and strengthen access to the evidence base:

• Every reference includes an annotation summarizing the relevance, methodology, and key findings.
• References are organized by study type and thematic subcategories, making it easier to identify the strongest available evidence.
• References within each subcategory are presented in reverse chronological order.
• Advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) certification literature is fully integrated and identified with a black ◆ diamond symbol for quick reference.
• Articles originating from certifying bodies or certification partners are labeled with organization-specific tags.
• Digital object identifiers (DOIs), where available, are provided as clickable hyperlinks.
• Literature searches were expanded to include Embase and selected gray literature sources in addition to PubMed/MEDLINE and CINAHL.

ABNS extends its sincere appreciation to the American Nurses Credentialing Center and Kathryn A. Connell, PhD, RN, CCRN, whose expertise and dedication made this updated edition possible.

ABNS also gratefully acknowledges the generous support of its sponsors:

Platinum Sponsor

American Board of Neuroscience Nursing (ABNN)

Gold Sponsors

The Nursing Certification Annotated Bibliography, 2026 Edition reflects ABNS's ongoing commitment to advancing knowledge, supporting evidence-informed decision-making, and strengthening the value of nursing specialty certification across the profession.

Access the Nursing Certification Annotated Bibliography, 2026 Edition