Nursing Degree Terms: A Plain-Language Glossary

Reviewed May 22, 2026 by the ScrubScope editorial team.

Nursing education runs on abbreviations, and most pages assume you already know them. This glossary defines the terms in plain language, grouped so you can see how they relate. If you are new to nursing and just trying to get oriented, read how to become a nurse first, then keep this page open as a reference.

Degrees on the nursing ladder

These are the academic degrees, from entry level upward.

ADN (Associate Degree in Nursing). A roughly two-year nursing degree, often earned at a community college. It is one of the standard routes to a first registered-nurse license.^[1]

BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing). A four-year bachelor's degree in nursing. BLS notes that a growing number of employers favor the BSN, and it is the usual prerequisite for graduate nursing study.^[1]

ABSN (Accelerated BSN). A BSN compressed into roughly 12 to 18 months, designed for people who already hold a bachelor's degree in another field. It skips general-education coursework already completed.

MSN (Master of Science in Nursing). A graduate degree that opens advanced-practice and specialized roles, including most nurse practitioner tracks.

DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice). A practice-focused doctorate, the highest clinical degree in nursing. The professional bodies have moved toward the DNP as the recommended preparation for advanced-practice roles.^[2]

Roles and licenses

A degree is not the same as a license or a job title. These terms describe what you are allowed to do.

RN (Registered Nurse). A nurse who has earned an accredited nursing degree and passed the national licensing exam. BLS reported a median annual RN wage of $93,600 in May 2024; see the RN salary guide.^[1]

NCLEX-RN. The national licensing examination a nursing graduate must pass to become a registered nurse, developed and administered through the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.^[3] See the NCLEX explained.

APRN (Advanced Practice Registered Nurse). An umbrella term for RNs who hold a graduate degree and a specialized role. It covers nurse practitioners, certified registered nurse anesthetists, certified nurse-midwives, and clinical nurse specialists.^[4]

NP (Nurse Practitioner). An APRN who assesses, diagnoses, and (within state limits) prescribes for a defined patient population. NP tracks are organized by specialty; see the nurse practitioner overview.

CRNA (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist). An APRN specialized in anesthesia care. Entry requires prior critical-care nursing experience, and the credential is now earned through a doctoral-level program.^[5]

Accreditation and quality

These terms describe whether a program is recognized, which decides whether its degree counts.

Accreditation. An independent review confirming a nursing program meets recognized education standards. Accreditation underpins eligibility to sit for licensing and whether employers and graduate schools accept the degree.

CCNE (Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education). One of the two recognized national accreditors for nursing programs. CCNE accredits baccalaureate and graduate programs.^[6]

ACEN (Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing). The other recognized national nursing accreditor. ACEN accredits programs at every level, including practical and associate-degree programs. A program accredited by either CCNE or ACEN meets the bar; see CCNE vs ACEN.^[7]

Admissions and program terms

Terms you will meet while comparing or applying to programs.

Pre-licensure. A program that takes you from no nursing credential to a first RN license. The ADN, BSN, and ABSN are pre-licensure routes.

Post-licensure. A program that assumes you are already a licensed nurse, such as an RN-to-BSN completion degree or a graduate degree.

Practicum (or clinical placement). The supervised, in-person hours with real patients that every nursing program requires. They cannot be completed fully online.

Preceptor. An experienced clinician who supervises a student during the practicum. In some programs the student must find and arrange their own preceptor, which can be a real obstacle in a thin local market.

Bottom line

The terms above sort into a ladder: a degree (ADN, BSN, MSN, DNP) earns you the schooling, a license (the RN, earned by passing the NCLEX) lets you practice, and accreditation decides whether any of it counts. Roles like NP and CRNA sit at the top, each built on a graduate degree plus the RN underneath. The APRN label covers them all.

If you are still mapping your own route, how to become a nurse walks through the entry decision, and the nurse practitioner overview covers the advanced-practice path.

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