The Association of Neurovascular Clinicians (ANVC) is an organization of interdisciplinary stroke professionals dedicated to improving quality and access to acute stroke care. The organization was formed to meet the needs of health professionals engaged in the care of stroke patients and is the only stroke-specific professional membership organization in the world providing both international membership and certification.
ANVC was formed in 2010 when a group of post-graduate vascular neurology fellowship trained advanced practice providers (APP) met with the intent to organize a neurovascular professional organization that would serve as a credentialing body for nurses and APPs that had achieved expert acute stroke knowledge. Out of that meeting, the Association of Neurovascular Clinicians was born and Terri-Ellen Kiernan, MSN, RN, FNP, AGACNP-BC, ANVP-BC was elected the first President. Victoria Swatzell, DNP, ACNP, ANP, ANVP-BC followed Ms. Kiernan as the second ANVC President; she was followed by Fern Cudlip, MSN, FNP, ANVP-BC, FNCS as the third organization President.
In 2011, the ANVC launched the Neurovascular Registered Nurse (NVRNTM) board certification exam as the first stroke certification in the world for registered nurses. The NVRNTM achieved Magnet recognition later in 2011 and was the first stroke nursing certification in the world to be awarded this honor. Today, the NVRN remains the only board certification specifically focused on acute neurovascular nursing. The Advanced Neurovascular Practitioner (ANVPTM) board certification exam was launched in 2013 and remains the world’s only acute stroke certification for APPs with expert-level post-graduate vascular neurology fellowship training. In 2019, the Advanced Stroke Coordinator (ASCTM) board certification exam was launched is the only certification for stroke coordinators that recognizes the unique and essential contributions of a stroke coordinator. In 2022, the Certified Neurointerventional Clinician (CNIC) board certification exam was developed to recognize the unique and essential contributions of clinicians in neurointerventional radiology.