Important changes to AANP re-certification requirements in 2017

Through December 2016, the requirements established by AANP certification program for renewal of certification include:

1. Completion of 1000 hours of clinical practice as a nurse practitioner in the NP's population focus. (This means if you are family practice certified, your hours need to reflect practice in family medicine).
   
   
2. Completion of 75 contact hours of continuing education relevant to the nurse practitioner's role and population focus.
   
   1) & 2) must have been completed within the current 5-year period of certification.

There is no specific requirement for pharmacy content hours.

Beginning January 1, 2017, the requirements established by AANP for recertification will change to include the:

1. Completion of 1000 hours of clinical practice as a nurse practitioner in the NP's population focus.
   
   
2. Completion of 100 contact hours of continuing education (CE) relevant to the nurse practitioner's role and population focus; at least 25 of these CEs must be pharmacology credits. Preceptorship of graduate level students in the advanced practice role can now be counted for up to 25 credits of non-pharmacology CE.
   
   1) & 2) must have been completed within the current 5-year period of certification.

Retirement of AANP Examinations:

The Gerontologic (GNP) National Certification examination was retired at the end of 2012 and is no longer an option for initial certification or renewal by examination.

The Adult (ANP) certification examination will be retired in December 2016, after which it will no longer be an option for initial certification or renewal by exam. NPs currently certified by AANP as an Adult Nurse Practitioner will continue to be certified, credentialed, and recognized as an ANP-C as long as the requirements for renewal of certification are met AND the certification DOES NOT EXPIRE. Only the Adult National Certification Examination is being retired, not the ANP-C credential. NPs who allow their certification to expire will be unable to renew their existing certification without meeting current requirements for the Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner certification.

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