ACRN Certification

Developing a specialty nursing certification is an expensive and labour-intensive process. CANAC’s small numbers have made this out of reach in Canada. In 1996, however, the US-based ANAC (Association of Nurses in AIDS Care) created the HIV/AIDS Nursing Certification Board (HANCB). This group developed the specialty examination and those who successfully pass are entitled to use the credential ‘ACRN’ (AIDS Certified Registered Nurse).

Over the years, many CANAC nurses have been certified. On June 1, 2021, HANCB revised their certification process and moved away from an in-person exam to an online, self-paced program in collaboration with the National HIV Curriculum. In addition to the ACRN, an Advanced certification (AACRN), aimed at nurse practitioners, is available and a new level of certification for LPNs (ACLPN) was introduced last June.

To visit the HANCB website and learn more about ACRN certification, please click here.

Through our partnership with ANAC, members of CANAC are able to write the exam at the much lower ANAC member rate. Please email us to obtain the necessary information.