Application Requirements and Process

Eligibility requirements have 3 different elements:

• Academic degrees

Academic degrees must have been awarded from an institution of higher learning accredited by a nationally recognized regional accrediting body. If the degree was awarded from a college or university outside the United States, a foreign credential evaluation service must evaluate the transcript. Certification exams range in academic requirements from Diploma / Associate Degree to Masters Degree.

• Practice requirements
  • All practice requirements must have been met while holding an active registered (RN) license in the state or territory in which the practice occurred. All practice requirements must be met by the date of application for certification. Many, but not all, require two to three years of full-time practice (or the equivalent) as a registered nurse in the United States or it territories.
  • Many, but not all, require a minimum of 1,000 to 2,000 hours of clinical practice within the last three to five years in the area of specialty.
  
  
  
• Continuing education requirements
  • The continuing education requirements may be met by inservice training, grand rounds, academic credits, CME credits, or other continuing education programs related by specialty area in which certification is sought. All requirements must be met by the stated deadlines.
  • Many require 30 to 60 continuing education contact hours in the area of specialty within the last three years.

Application are available at:

• The American Nurses Credentialing Center for the specialties that it represents: http://www.nursingworld.org/ancc/cert.html



• The Specialty Certification Board of the specialty organization that provides the exam. You may directly logon to the specialty organization's website or click on the following URL that provides links to many of those sites: http://www.nursingcenter.com/prodev/ce_certification.asp