CCRN stands for Critical Care Registered Nurse, which is a certification granted by the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN) to nurses who work in direct care of acutely/critically ill patients in areas such as ICUs, CCUs, respiratory ICUs, surgical ICUs, medical/surgical ICUs, cardiac/surgical ICUs, neuro/neurosurgical ICUs, PICUs, NICUs, critical care transport/flight, trauma units, emergency departments, and in nurse anesthesia. The CCRN certification exam assesses a nurse’s knowledge and expertise in caring for critically ill patients, including topics such as hemodynamics, pharmacology, and patient assessment. To be eligible to take this exam, a registered nurse must have at least two years of professional experience and 1,750 hours in a direct care setting, and he or she also needs a reference to verify that these requirements are met. CCRN certification validates a nurses knowledge of nursing care of acutely/critically ill patients to hospital administrators, peers, patients, and most importantly, to themselves. It promotes continuing excellence in the critical care nursing field and helps nurses maintain an up-to-date knowledge base of acute and critical care nursing. Research studies link higher levels of clinical knowledge, skill, and experience with CCRN certification, and certified critical-care nurses earn an average of $18,000 more each year than their non-certified co-workers.