The PNCB is creating new ways to strengthen the process of maintaining your certification. We have instituted a number of changes to align the PNCB Recert program with recent revisions to national standards for specialty role certification. This webpage is your guide to the changes and new benefits we have designed to increase your choice of options and add flexibility.
1. Recert Enrollment Is Paperless
2. Enrollment Date Changes: Now October 1 - December 31, 2010
3. New - Professional Practice Learning Options
4. Strengthening CE Requirements to 15 Contact Hours Annually
5. SAE Updates for CPNs and CPNPs
6. New CE Tracker Benefit
7. Flexible Recert Options for CPNPs
8. New Benefit for Those with Both CPN® and CPNP® Certifications
9. Questions?
10. See an Example of My 7-year Cycle
In our continuing efforts to support the environment, Recert will become completely paperless for 2011. More than 95% of all PNCB certified nurses used online Recert last year.
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Beginning in October 2010, the 2011 Recert enrollment period will be from October 1st to December 31st and all PNCB-certified nurses will need to complete enrollment within this 3-month window. Your 2011 Recert will now be aligned with the beginning of the 2011 Recert year: January 2011. We will continue to send email reminders so please log in at www.pncb.org and update any changes as they occur.
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Professional Practice Learning Options (PPL): For 2011 Recert enrollment, the PNCB has increased the opportunities available for you to document the ways you have maintained
and expanded your knowledge and skills. Each of the activities below is equivalent to 5 contact hours for your Recert. When you enroll for this option,
you will combine one PPL with contact hours earned from accredited Continuing Education (CE) or Continuing Medical Education (CME). PPL options are as follows:
• Lecture presentations and academic lectures
• Juried scholarly posters
• Authorship of a peer-reviewed journal article or textbook contributions
• Preceptorship of graduate nursing students (CPNPs)
• Preceptorship of RN or BSN nursing students (CPNs)
• Clinical Practice – 200 hours within 12 months of Recert enrollment
• Academic Credit – 1-3 semester or quarter credit hours
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Beginning with 2011 Recert, you'll need to document 15 contact hours of CE. This change meets new national competency standards for nursing professionals and is consistent with state board of nursing requirements. The PNCB currently features free CE links on our website to Medscape, Nursing Spectrum,
and Discovery Health, and we are developing additional free online CE activities to help you meet your professional learning needs. CE must be earned within 24 months of the date of your Recert enrollment.
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For more than 30 years, the PNCB has created annual Self-Assessment Exercises (SAEs) to assist nurses in updating their practice knowledge.
In an effort to align these exercises with evolving professional practice standards, the PNCB has redesigned these exercises as Standards Assessment Exams (SAEs).
Same initials, new name.
CPNs:
CPNs may enroll for the 15 contact hour 2011 Pediatric Nursing Standards Assessment Exam. You will now use the online answer method exclusively,
with answers due 120 days from the date of purchase. At least one Pediatric Nursing SAE must be completed in each of your 7-year cycles.
CPNPs: The new Standards Assessment Exams will include topics that reflect the standards and content in our national qualifying exams for our CPNP-PCs and CPNP-ACs.
This change means smaller modules and more targeted clinical topics. We're transitioning to exclusively online with a reduced cost of $85 per module.
Two or more SAEs ordered at the same time will reduce the cost to $80 per module. SAEs will be smaller (35-40 questions) and will represent 7.5 contact hours.
References for the new online Primary Care SAEs will be available through links to professional journals and web resources as available.
With smaller, targeted exams, the period of time for SAE completion is now 90 days, with an extra 30 days added for each additional module purchased.
| In 2011, CPNPs can choose several enrollment options for the Primary Care SAE: |
| • 2010 PC SAE - If you didn't take the Primary Care SAE for 2010 Recert, this edition will be offered again for 2011 Recert.
This will be the last time we offer a printed reference manual. This SAE must be completed 120 days after ordering. |
| • Care of the Newborn/Genetic Syndromes |
| • Cardiovascular Risk, Nutrition and Obesity |
| For the Pharmacology SAE, CPNPs can choose from the following: |
| • Infectious Disease Pediatric Pharmacology |
| • Current Concepts in Pediatric Pharmacology |
See an Example of My 7-year Cycle
Primary Care and Acute Care SAE Flexibility: Primary Care CPNPs who've always wanted to take an Acute Care SAE can now complete Acute Care SAEs totalling up to 15 contact hours' worth of
their required SAEs in a 7-year cycle.
Banking SAE CE for future Recert: Each year, CPNPs may enroll to complete up to 4 SAE modules, which can be "banked" for future use. While the number of SAE contact hours required over the 7-year cycle will be the same (45 if PC or AC, and 60 if dually certified PC/AC), CPNPs may now purchase multiple SAEs and apply this earned SAE CE to a future Recert enrollment. Banked SAE CE is valid for 24 months after completion. CPNPs will have the flexibility to plan ahead in meeting their SAE requirements within their 7-year cycle.
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Beginning October 2010, you can access this new tool to log and archive CE earned from any source. My CE Tracker will be available to you year-round and will also automatically record SAE CE when you complete your SAE. Use My CE Tracker as a personal portfolio that you can email or print for yourself, employers or state boards. CE up to 7 years old can be archived.
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You can now combine topic focused SAE, CE and PPLs to document 15 CE for new annual Recert requirements.
| CPNP Option Type | Total Contact Hours |
| • SAE(s) only | 15 Contact Hours |
| • SAE(s) plus • CE or CE combined with PPL | 15 Contact Hours |
| • CE or CE combined with PPL | 15 Contact Hours |
| The inactive option is still available to you once in a 7-year cycle, but you must meet your SAE requirements within the 7-year cycle. |
There will be a new benefit for those holding both CPN and CPNP certifications.
You can maintain both certifications through a streamlined Recert program that has combined requirements for both certifications.
You will now pay only one fee for both CPN and CPNP Recert for substantial savings on your overall Recert costs.
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If you have questions about these changes, contact us at recert@pncb.org so we can help.
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PNCB-certified nursing professionals work in a variety of roles and settings all over the United States and beyond.
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