CE Hours, Approved Providers, & Accredited Programs

To Recertify with Continuing Education (CE) credits:

• AANPCB-certified NPs need to provide evidence of completing 100 contact hours of CE relevant to the area of certification.
• CE submitted is expected to meet the requirements to ensure the continued competence of NPs.
• A minimum of 25 contact hours of the 100 total CE must be in advanced practice pharmacology.
• All CEs must be completed within the current 5-year period of certification.

CE activities must be approved by an accredited provider of nursing or medical education. CE certificates submitted for renewal of certification must be legible and include the certificant’s name, names of CE activity, program sponsor, CE accreditor, date of completion, number of "non-pharmacology" and pharmacology contact hours awarded.

AANPCB does not approve or endorse continuing educational activities or educational programs.

A list of various independent organizations that may provide advanced practice CE content for NPs is in the Recertification Handbook. The list is not all-inclusive and is provided only as a resource.

Clinical Precepting of students conducted in the NP role and population focus with graduate-level advanced practice students is an approved professional development activity and a valuable contribution to the profession.

• A maximum of 120 clinical preceptor hours may be claimed to replace up to 25 non-pharmacology CE credits within the 5-year period of certification.
• A table is available in the Recertification Handbook for conversion of preceptor hours into CE credits.

The AANPCB is affiliated with the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) membership organization. AANP provides valuable member benefits for NP students and NPs of all specialties including NP advocacy; access to free AANP-accredited and non-AANP independent CE activities; and reduced conference registration fees for NP students, candidates, and members attending AANP’s National, Health Policy, and Fall Conferences. Visit www.aanp.org/education.

The AANPCB is also affiliated with the American Academy of Emergency Nurse Practitioners (AAENP), the professional membership organization for NPs who practice in emergency care settings and provide emergency care for patients of all ages and acuities. Visit https://aaenp-natl.org/ for CE opportunities.

For more information review the recertification FAQs.