The Recertification Process
CNRN certification is recognized for a period of five (5) years. The actual expiration date of a CNRN certificate is December 31st of the 5th complete year after certification (i.e., certification of CNRNs initially certified in 2005 or recertified effective January 1, 2006, expires on December 31, 2010). If you wish to recertify by continuing education (CE) hours, you must earn all CE prior to your certification's expiration date. CNRNs who are due to recertify are notified at the beginning of the year, but it is ultimately the responsibility of the CNRN to begin the recertification process as well as to provide ABNN with current contact information.
Recertification applications are due in October of the year that certification expires. Applications are accepted through the end of the following January with a $75 late fee. ABNN encourages early submission so that there is ample time to obtain extra CE. No applications are accepted after the end of January. CNRNs who submit their applications by the October deadline can expect to receive notification of acceptance in early December; those who submit in January can expect notification in early March.
Timeline for 2010
If your initial certification was in 2005 or if you recertified effective January 1, 2006, please use the following table as a guideline for your recertification process.
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February 2010 |
2010 Recertification Applications are posted on the Web site. |
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February 5, 2010 |
2010 Recertify by Exam applications (spring administration) are due. No late applications will be accepted. |
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September 17, 2010 |
2010 Recertify by Exam applications (fall administration) are due. No late applications will be accepted. |
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October 8, 2010 |
2010 Recertification by CE Applications are due. All applications received after this date are subject to a $75 late fee. |
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December 13, 2010 |
Those who submitted by the October 8 deadline will receive notice on whether or not their applications have been accepted. |
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December 31, 2010 |
Certification expires for those due to renew in 2010. While Recertification Applications may still be submitted, no CE earned after this date will be accepted. |
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January 28, 2011 |
All 2010 Recertification Applications must be received at the ABNN office. No applications received after this date will be accepted. |
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January 31, 2011 |
2011 Recertification Applications are posted on the Web site. |
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March 5, 2011 |
Those who submitted by the January 28 deadline will receive notice on whether or not their applications have been accepted. |
Recertification Fees
Recertification fees are as follows:
AANN Member: $215
Nonmember: $300
Join AANN and Recertify: $323
Applications received at the office after the first Friday in October must pay an additional $75 late fee.
A check or money order in U.S. dollars payable to the American Board of Neuroscience Nursing (ABNN) must be submitted with the application. Please note that credit cards are not an acceptable form of payment. Candidates with insufficient CE hours to recertify will receive a refund of their application fee minus a $50 administrative fee.
If you would like confirmation that your application has been received, please send it through certified mail.
Application Audits
Each year ABNN randomly selects 10% of its recertification applications to be audited. If your application is selected for audit you will be requested to send the documentation for all listed CE activities. Be prepared to submit a photocopy of each of your CE certificates and written documentation of other activities (e.g., table of contents of journal showing you as author of an article, school transcript, etc.). If a CE program you attended does not meet the definition of an approved program, submit a copy of the behavioral objectives and an outline of the content (e.g., a program brochure) in addition to a copy of the CE certificate. This documentation must be received within 21 days of the request.