PNCB

Dually-Certified CPNPs® - Acute Care and Primary Care Certified

2008 Recertification enrollment is now closed. If you have questions about your Recertification status, please contact recert@pncb.org.

Certified in both Acute Care and Primary Care? Then you're in the right spot to find out about your Recert options.

Certified in Acute Care in 2007? Then you'll enter the Dually-certified Recert program starting October 1, 2008.

What's Required?

As a dually-certified CPNP®, you'll complete at least 4 Self-Assessment Exercises (SAEs) within each 7-year cycle. It's up to you when during your 7-year cycle you complete the following requirements:

Additional Options for Dual Certification:

You may choose to participate in an SAE option each Recertification year OR you may participate in one of the following Documentation Options for the remaining 3 years of your 7-year cycle:

  • Record 10 continuing education contact hours. Contact hours must be earned within 2 years of the annual recertification enrollment deadline of December 1.
  • Record a combination of 5 contact hours AND a minimum of 200 direct clinical practice hours earned within past year in a acute care or primary care setting.

Although contact hours must include both primary care and acute care hours, our Documentation Options Page provides basic guidelines applicable to dually-certified CPNPs®.

  • You may also choose the Inactive option, but be aware that only 1 year of inactivity is allowed within each 7-year cycle. More than 1 year of inactivity within a 7-year cycle will require the CPNP® to forfeit previous participation and re-examination will be required to regain certification.

For a list of approved contact hour agencies, click here.

*What is considered acceptable content for continuing education requirements for Dually-certified Recertification?

*Any educational programs which yield contact hours and follow the Primary Care or Acute Care Content Outlines are suitable for this requirement. Topics do not have to include the term "primary care" or "acute" in their titles. College courses that yield either credit or continuing education hours in the area of primary care or acute care PNP practice will also be accepted. Contact hours received for completing a PALS course will not be accepted, as PALS is a requirement to sit for the exam.