When nurses accredited as N3 wish to proceed to N4
(research and specialty nursing), they need to work one
more year, attend an additional 20 hours of on-the-job
training, such as nursing research and administrative
project planning and implementation, and write and
execute an administrative project. Generally, they are
also required to be registered nurses (RNs) before their
application to advance to N4. Nurses accredited as N4
are regarded as proficient nurses who are capable of
leading and supervising other nurses and of doing
nursing research. In Taiwan, N4 is the minimum
requirement for applying to be a nursing supervisor or a
nurse practitioner (NP).