DIRECTIONS FOR ACRN RECERTIFICATION ACRN APPLICATION FOR RECERTIFICATION BY CEU ACRN RECERTIFICATION APPLICATION CHECKLIST ACRN RE-CERTIFICATION PROTOCOL POLICY PROTOCOL Certification Renewal by Re-Examination Certification Renewal by Continuing Education Points (CEPs) APPENDIX A Continuing Education Activities Approved for CEPs Category I - HIV/AIDS Nursing Continuing Education Category II - Academic Credit Courses Category III - AIDS Education and Training Center (AETC) Clinical Practicums Category IV - Continuing Medical Education (CME) Category V - Other Continuing Education in Nursing Category VI - Professional Activities ACRN RE-CERTIFICATION AUDITS POLICY PROCEDURE RE-CERTIFICATION OF CURRENT AND FORMER HANCB MEMBERS POLICY PROCEDURE

POLICY:

HANCB has developed protocols for re-certification requirements to ensure ACRNs have continued to maintain competence and/or expand their HIV/AIDS knowledge base within the four (4) year certification/re-certification period. There are two (2) ways a nurse may re-certify as an ACRN. The first is by re-examination. The second is by continuing education credits. Re-certification protocols will be reviewed by the Re-Certification Committee at least once a year to determine if the requirements are complete and meet the goals of maintaining competence and/or enhancing HIV/AIDS nursing practice. 

PROTOCOL: 

A.        Certification Renewal by Re-Examination      

ACRN certification renewal by re-examination is obtained by sitting for the Certification Examination in HIV/AIDS Nursing and receiving a passing test score. The examination will be given twice annually during a two period in the spring and again in the fall.  The examination application can be obtained from:  Professional Testing Corporation (PTC), 1350 Broadway - 17th Floor, New York, NY 10018; Phone: (212) 356-0660;  website: www.ptcny.com. 

B.        Certification Renewal by Continuing Education Points (CEPs) :

The Continuing Education Points (CEPs) option includes a wide spectrum of continuing education activities performed by the HIV/AIDS nurse.  It includes both formal and informal education experiences for the HIV/AIDS nurse.  CEPs are also granted for other activities such as HIV/AIDS publications, presentations, and volunteer/leadership responsibilities. 

ACRN certification renewal by CEPs is obtained by accumulating a total of 70 CEPs within a 4 year period.  A minimum of 35 CEPs in Category I is required.  The remaining 35 CEPs can be accumulated in categories I – VI, although there are limits to the number of CEPs accepted in each.of the remaining catergories (II through VI).

CEPs must be accumulated during the 4 year re-certification period. CEPs obtained prior to taking the ACRN examination cannot be applied towards re-certification.  Only CEPs obtained after the date the examination was taken can be applied towards re-certification.  A description of the acceptable continuing education activities can be found in Appendix A.

HANCB will randomly audit a certain percentage of ACRN applications.  If audited, you will be asked to submit copies of certificates and other documents, as described in Appendix A, verifying your CEP activities with your renewal application.  During each 4 year period, all ACRNs are encouraged to keep all documentation and be prepared to submit it upon request if audited. All applications are subject to audit at the discretion of the HANCB.

If you have been selected for random audit, you will be notified in a special letter that will accompany your first renewal notice.  This first renewal notice is sent approximately 120 days prior to renewal.  Therefore, it is important to notify the HANCB of any change in address and/or name.  It is the responsibility of the renewing ACRN to submit all required documentation at the time of renewal.  Failure to submit documentation as required may delay recertification. 

Furthermore, a percentage of ACRNs not audited at time of initial notice will be selected for audit as a part of the on-going performance improvement program of the HIV/AIDS Nursing Certification Board.  Finally, non-audited ACRNs may be required to submit supporting evidence of recertification requirements at any time. 

Presentations include professional nursing presentations where the ACRN delivered HIV/AIDS information to nurses, other health care professionals, or the public.  The presentation must be delivered within the context of a teaching/learning setting.  A presentation includes an inservice, seminar, workshop, or conference.  CEPs for joint presentations are determined by dividing the number of CEPs to be awarded by the number of presenters.  A maximum of 6 CEPs per renewal period will be granted for professional presentations.  Examples of activities and maximum CEPs allowed for presentations include:

• 2 CEPs for each contact hour (50 minutes) of lecture material presented.
• A repeat presentation will be granted 1 CEP for a maximum of 1 time within the current renewal period.
• A 50-minute presentation that is repeated once (one original and one repeat presentation) would be granted 3 CEPs.
• If audited, all of the following must be submitted:
• Evidence of participation in the presentation (i.e., brochure, announcement or written statement).

Volunteer Activities:

Recognizing the leadership role many ACRNs have in HIV/AIDS nursing, CEPs can be earned through volunteer activities with an established HIV/AIDS volunteer service or non-profit organization.  These activities may include committee or taskforce involvement at the local or national level.  A maximum of 7 CEPs per renewal period can be earned in category VI for volunteer activities. 

HANCB has established a policy of randomly auditing re-certification applications submitted by ACRNs to ensure compliance with continuing education (CE) requirements for renewal. The number of applications to be audited will be determined by the Re-Certification Committee. Expected compliance in meeting the CE criteria has been set at 100%.  Audits will be performed by members of the Re-Certification Committee and the Board of Directors.   

For the purpose of quality assurance, the committee will review the findings of the audit process every three (3) months. Failure to meet the set standard of 100% compliance may require an increase in the percentage of applications audited. The audit process will begin with re-certification applicants who sat for the ACRN examination in the fall of 1996 and will continue for each candidate renewal group thereafter.

All applications submitted after the certification expiration date will be audited.  

Applicants who fail to submit the required CE documentation, or fail to meet the re-certification requirements, will be charged a processing fee as determined by HANCB and the credentialing agency. 

PROCEDURE:

1. Under the direction of the Re-certification Committee, the required number of ACRN renewal candidates will be randomly selected for audit and their names will be recorded by the credentialing agency.

2.  Candidates will be notified by the credentialing agency of his or her selection for audit in a special letter accompanying the first renewal notice. This first renewal notice will be sent approximately 120 days prior to the certification/re-certification expiration date.    

3.  ACRNs who have been selected for audit will submit documentation of the required continuing education units with his or her renewal application to the credentialing agency. A thirty (30) day grace period will apply to the initial re-certification renewal deadline. Candidates who fail to submit CE documentation within the initial renewal period will be sent a second notice by certified mail stating the required documentation must be submitted within thirty (30) days. A thirty (30) day grace period will apply to the second notice.

4.  Returned applications and CE documentation materials will be copied upon receipt and copies of each audit case will be forwarded, on a rotating basis, to the appropriate Re-certification Committee member and to a member of the Board of Directors.

5.  Each application selected for audit will be reviewed by the assigned committee member and the assigned member of the Board. A questionable or conflicting audit will be presented to the Re-certification Committee Chairperson for a final determination on the renewal status of the candidate.  The review process will be documented on the ACRN Audit Tool along with the final determination of meeting, or failure to meet, to re-certification criteria. After completion, the ACRN Audit Tool will be forwarded by each assigned reviewer to the credentialing agency for appropriate follow up.  Completed ACRN Audit Tools will then be forwarded by the credentialing agency to the HANCB management office and kept on file for a period of five (5) years.

6.  Upon receipt of each individual audit determination, the credentialing agency will notify the applicant by letter of the outcome by either awarding or denying ACRN re-certification.  An ACRN who fails the audit process and is denied renewal will be notified in a certified letter. A processing fee of $150 will be deducted from his or her re-certification fee.  Audit results will be recorded by the agency and made available to the HANCB upon request.

ACRN RE-CERTIFICATION AUDITS FOR HANCB BOARD OF DIRECTORS

POLICY:

All members of the HIV/AIDS Nursing Certification Board (HANCB) must be certified as an HIV/AIDS Registered Nurse (ACRN), except for the consumer representative.  Since the Board guides the development of test items and the examination, each Board member must recertify by utilizing the continuing education units option.  Board members may not recertify by taking the examination for two years after their tenure on the HANCB Board of Directors.

PROCEDURE:

1.   All Board members will be notified by the recertification body of HANCB of their need to recertify in the standard time frame.

2.   All Board members will send to the recertification body of HANCB their completed CE recertification application, including copies of all CE certifications and other supporting documents.

3.   All Board member’s records will be reviewed by the recertification body and verified with the HANCB President.  The President’s records will be reviewed by the recertification body and the President-elect. 

4.   Board members will be notified of their recertification in the standard manner.  Board members who do not recertify will not be eligible to continue to serve on the HANCB Board of Directors.

1. Under the direction of the Re-certification Committee, the required number of ACRN renewal candidates will be randomly selected for audit and their names will be recorded by the credentialing agency.  

2.  Candidates will be notified by the credentialing agency of his or her selection for audit in a special letter accompanying the first renewal notice. This first renewal notice will be sent approximately 120 days prior to the certification/re-certification expiration date.   

3.  ACRNs who have been selected for audit will submit documentation of the required continuing education units with his or her renewal application to the credentialing agency. A thirty (30) day grace period will apply to the initial re-certification renewal deadline. Candidates who fail to submit CE documentation within the initial renewal period will be sent a second notice by certified mail stating the required documentation must be submitted within thirty (30) days. A thirty (30) day grace period will apply to the second notice.

4.  Returned applications and CE documentation materials will be copied upon receipt and copies of each audit case will be forwarded, on a rotating basis, to the appropriate Re-certification Committee member and to a member of the Board of Directors.

5.  Each application selected for audit will be reviewed by the assigned committee member and the assigned member of the Board. A questionable or conflicting audit will be presented to the Re-certification Committee Chairperson for a final determination on the renewal status of the candidate.  The review process will be documented on the ACRN Audit Tool along with the final determination of meeting, or failure to meet, to re-certification criteria. After completion, the ACRN Audit Tool will be forwarded by each assigned reviewer to the credentialing agency for appropriate follow up.  Completed ACRN Audit Tools will then be forwarded by the credentialing agency to the HANCB management office and kept on file for a period of five (5) years.

6.  Upon receipt of each individual audit determination, the credentialing agency will notify the applicant by letter of the outcome by either awarding or denying ACRN re-certification.  An ACRN who fails the audit process and is denied renewal will be notified in a certified letter. A processing fee of $150 will be deducted from his or her re-certification fee.  Audit results will be recorded by the agency and made available to the HANCB upon request.