Certification Maintenance Program Guidelines
The need for professional competency is the focus of the ABCC CMP. Diplomate status is conferred on those candidates who meet the eligibility criteria set forth by ABCC and successfully pass the ABCC examination. Following successful examination, diplomates enroll in the CMP.
CMP validates continued competency in comprehensive care and provides the ABCC with a systematic plan to assess DCC status. There are two options by which certification renewal can occur:
Option one: Verification of credentials and re-examination
or
Option two: Verification of credentials and completion of documentation of continuing competency through continuing education contact hours and evidence of clinical scholarship as described below.
Option One – Recertification by Re-examination
- Verification of credentials
A current, valid, unencumbered, license to practice as an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) - Current national board certification in an APRN specialty
- Re-examination: The candidate will submit all required documentation to sit the ABCC examination in the fall of the certification expiration year.
Option Two - Recertification by Continuing Education and Evidence of Clinical Scholarship
- Verification of credentials
- A current, valid, unencumbered license to practice as an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) in good standing
- Current national board certification in an APRN specialty
- Documentation of lifelong learning
Documentation of continuing education equivalent to 300 contact hours since last certification or re-certification - Formally approved continuing education: A minimum of 50% (150 hours) of required 300 hours must be in formally approved by an accredited continuing education provider.
- Contact hours may be earned by attending continuing education courses, which may include lectures, seminars, conferences, and grand rounds. Typically, one contact hour is equivalent to a 60-minute educational program or 1 CME or 0.1 CEU
- Formally approved continuing education contact hours meet one or more of the following criteria.
- a. Continuing Nursing Education Units (CEU) approved for nursing contact hours by;an accredited provider or approver of nursing continuing education applicable to the specialty and/or;
- b. Continuing Medical Education (CME) approved for CME hours applicable to the specialty
- Evidence of clinical scholarship
- Documentation of clinical scholarship includes a total of five peer reviewed oral presentations of clinical relevance and/or peer reviewed publications in professional journals on clinically relevant topics during the CMP cycle.
- Acceptable types of presentations include oral presentations at regional, national or international professional conferences that provide continuing education credits, lectures delivered in a structured teaching/learning framework to APRN students, poster presentations at national / international professional organization meetings, primary authorship in peer reviewed journals, and *formal clinical mentorship.
- *Formal clinical mentorship of graduate APRN students for a minimum of one semester is equivalent to one presentation and may only be used once to satisfy the clinical scholarship criteria.
CMP implementation began in fall 2010 with a goal of all DCCs enrolling in CMP by July 1, 2011. Recertification requirements must be met every five years to maintain DCC status.
DCCs will enroll in a five year CMP cycle by July 1, 2011 to begin compiling their materials to qualify for re-certification.
ABCC will notify DCCs of their certification expiration date one year prior to the certification expiration date. The renewal application and requirements are posted on the web site.
ABCC will assist with the re-certification process; however, it is the responsibility of all DCCs to keep track of their certification date and submit their renewal documents, no later than six months prior to certification expiration date.