Other helpful information

Frequently asked questions

Maintenance due dates

I don't know my maintenance due date. How can I find that out?

Sign in or create an account. This will take you to your account page. You will find all of your contact information as well as your maintenance due date in your account.

Kinds of CE or activities that can be used for maintenance

How can I determine if the conference I attended is specialty content and meets maintenance specialty hour requirements?

All CE must related to your certification specialty area. Download a maintenance catalog or check if your CE is acceptable online

Under this section, a list of specialty topics per certification area is provided.

If the course dealt with any of the topics, it would count for maintenance. If not, it would not count.

Courses that are mixed content or cover wide variance of populations – how are hours counted?

For example, If a physical exam course is taken that is neonatal and pediatric focused, only the hours for neonatal content could be used for maintenance of the NNP certification. The number of hours in the CE activity would have to be estimated that were devoted to neonatal content.

Generic courses, for example, hypertension, -- the course has to relate to the population focus of the certification area. So hypertension in pregnancy could not be used to maintain neonatal certifications but would be acceptable for maintaining WHNP certification.

Specialty focused conventions like AWHONN or NANN, use the specialty code that represents the specialty area of most of the presentations attended or if specific specialty content is needed, record only the sessions/presentations that are associated with that the code and the corresponding hours.

Remember universal topics of pharmacology, professional issues, (research, ethics, legal issues ) resuscitation and stabilization and HIV/AIDS counts as specialty hours for any core certification.

Can academic credit be used for maintenance?

Academic credit can be used to maintain the NCC certification credential. The content of the course must be related to the certification specialty area.

1 semester hour = 15 contact hours
1 quarter hours = 10 contact hours

Be specific in listing course titles, ex. course 104 is not acceptable.

Remember content must relate to your specialty certification area.

I preceptor students, can I use this for maintenance?

Those who precept nursing or nurse practitioners students in their certification specialty area can earn 10 contact hours for this activity. You must precept students for at least one academic quarter, semester or entire clinical rotation if less than an academic quarter or semester. To earn the 10 hours, a letter from the sponsoring institution (on official letterhead and signed by the appropriate authorizing person) must be submitted indicating your responsibilities as preceptor and dates and hours of your preceptor time. If this time is less than 10 hours, this preceptorship time cannot be used for maintenance. This letter must be submitted with your maintenance application. 10 hours is the maximum that can be earned for this activity. (This letter is not needed if submitting online.)

I gave a presentation at a conference, how do I count that credit for maintenance?

Those who present continuing education programs can use the same amount of credit awarded to the participants attending the presentation to maintain their certification. This activity must be outside the individual certified nurse or NP's current job responsibilities and cannot be expectation of their current position. Programs presented must earn credit within NCC guidelines. Any given presentation of the same program can be used only once during an individual certification period, even if it is presented multiple times.

I went a conference that was 3 days long, but the online application only allows one date, how should I record this information

List the last day of the course, when the continuing education is awarded.

I went to a conference with many different specialty content, how do I assign a specialty code on the application?

Courses that are mixed content or cover wide variance of populations – how are hours counted? For example, If NNP certified and a physical exam course is taken that is neonatal and pediatric focused, only the hours for neonatal content could be used for maintenance of the NNP certification. The number of hours in the CE activity would have to be estimated that were devoted to neonatal content.

Generic courses, for example, hypertension—the course has to relate to the population focus of the certification area. So hypertension in pregnancy could not be used to maintain neonatal certifications but would be acceptable for maintaining WHNP certification.

Specialty focused conventions like AWHONN or NANN, use the specialty code that represents the specialty area of most of the presentations attended or you can list each session separately depending on the CE you need to meet your education plan.

I went to conference that have some specialty content and some that was not, can I use this for maintenance?

Courses that are mixed content or cover wide variance of populations—how are hours counted? For example, If NNP certified and a physical exam course is taken that is neonatal and pediatric focused, only the hours for neonatal content could be used for maintenance of the NNP certification. The number of hours in the CE activity would have to be estimated that were devoted to neonatal content.

I wrote a journal article, can I use this for maintenance?

5 contact hours will be awarded to those who have written a journal article or a chapter of a book.
15 contact hours will be awarded to those who are a primary or secondary author of a book.
10 contact hours will be awarded to those who serve as reviewers or writers of a self assessment module or monograph.

Rules for using publications for maintenance

The publication date of the article/book/module will determine its applicability for your current certification maintenance.
You are limited to using one article, book authorship or service as an NCC Self Assessment reviewer or monograph author per certification maintenance cycle.
Articles/books must be related to the certification specialty area.
Proof of authorship can be established by including a copy of the title page of the article with the title of the article, your name as author and the publication date (not needed if submitted online).
For primary or secondary book authorship, pages from the book that identify the title, author and publication date must be submitted.
For self assessment reviewers or monograph writers, a copy of your continuing education certificate issued by NCC indicating your reviewer/writer role must be submitted (not needed if submitting online).

How do I know the accreditation agency of the conference I attended is recognized by NCC?

Recognized accrediting agencies

NCC through the NCC Self Assessment Program or Pretest Program
State boards of nursing, departments of health or nursing associations
Hospitals
Any Nursing, Medical, Health Care or Other For Profit or Not for Profit Education Provider (These organizations could include for example - AWHONN, NANN, NPHW, ACOG, AMA, ANCC, NONPF, AANP, Contemporary Forums, Western schools, Professional Education Consultants, etc.)
Academic Credit 1 semester hour = 15 contact hours; 1 quarter hour = 10 contact hours
All other credits are a 1:1 ratio to contact hours, e.g. 1 CME = 1 contact hour.
All continuing education programs must be accredited and provide evidence of such in the form of a certificate of completion issued to participants

What are the time frames for earning CE for certification maintenance due in 2011 and 2012?

Due March 31, 2011: Use credit earned during 4/1/08 to 3/31/11
Due June 30, 2011: Use credit earned during 7/1/08 to 6/30/11
Due September 30, 2011: Use credit earned during 10/1/08 to 9/30/11
Due December 31, 2011: Use credit earned during 1/1/09 to 12/31/11
Due March 31, 2012: Use credit earned during 4/1/09 to 3/31/12
Due June 30, 2012: Use credit earned during 7/7/09 to 6/30/12
Due September 30, 2012: Use credit earned during 10/1/09 to 9/30/12
Due December 31, 2012: Use credit earned during 1/1/10 to 12/31/12

Maintenance eligibility

I put my RN license on inactive status. Is that a problem?

You must have a current unrestricted license in order to maintain. If your license is inactive, you cannot meet the maintenance requirements and your certification will lapse.

I am not currently employed. Can I maintain?

Yes, you can maintain. There are no employment requirements to maintain your certification.

Extensions or missed filing deadlines

I don't have enough CE to maintain, can I get an extension to file?

If you cannot earn enough continuing education credit or retake the examination prior to your expiration date, you can request a one time only three month extension for your core certification or subspecialty certificate of added qualification.

This request must be received before your expiration date and requires a $30 service fee. This extends only your time to file and does not change your next expiration date. This is a one time option only. There are no refunds for extension requests.

File an extension

I missed my maintenance filing due date. What can I do?

For those who missed the maintenance filing deadline, you can reinstate without retesting.

The reinstatement program allows individuals to come back into system without retesting up to one year following their original expiration date.

You must file an online reinstatement application and pay the reinstatement fee ($215 for core certifications, $145 for certificates of added qualification).

File a reinstatement application

Using NCC self assessment for maintenance

I completed NCC self assessment modules for maintenance but I got a notice that my certification lapsed—why?

Participating in the self assessment program does not automatically maintain your certification. In addition to earning CE either through NCC or other providers, you must file a maintenance application and pay a maintenance fee.

If you believe that your payment was made, please forward to Mary Jo Erickson at merickson@nccnet.org a copy of your cancelled check or credit card payment (or fax to 312-951-9475) showing payment. With this information, we can further investigate the matter.

Did not get the discount for using self assessment modules when submitting maintenance online—what should I do?

The reason a discount was not provided is the specialty code 26 (self assessment module user) was not entered as directed. The system can only know the CE is NCC by the designated code. See the online maintenance instructions and on the maintenance application itself.

What NCC Self Assessment modules count toward specialty hours for maintenance?

Any self assessment module counts for meeting specialty hours for maintenance for any core certification for Stage 1 Maintenance. For Stage 2 Maintenance consult your Education Plan. Core certifications are those which awarded and RNC or WHNP-BC or NNP-BC credential. This is not applicable to subspecialty certificates.

The NCC self assessment modules I completed don't show up on my account online maintenance application—why?

All orders (hard copy or online) ordered on the new website will appear in your personal account.

Only online modules will have your certificate of completion in your account on the website. Certificates of completion for hard copy modules come to you in the mail.

All online modules successfully completed will automatically appear on your online maintenance application and you won't have to enter the information manually.

All hard copy modules with paper test submission have to be manually entered into the maintenance application. Remember to code these entries to code 26 self assessment user to insure any fee discounts will apply.

Filling out the online maintenance application

Do I have to put in all my CE in the online maintenance at one time? Will my information be saved?

No, the website will save your entries as long as you don't submit your application.

The online application won't let me enter more than 45 contact hours. I have many more—why?

The online system goes to the payment page as soon as 45 hours of CE is recorded. 45 hours is the maximum needed so added entries are not needed for review. It will also save you time in completing your application.

Multiple certifications

I have more than one certification—how do I file?

If you are maintaining more than one NCC certification and/or a subspecialty certificate, you must submit a separate application and fee for each certification/certificate. There is a separate application for maintaining subspecialty certificates. If applicable, you may use the same continuing education credit for multiple certifications. If you plan to maintain via re-examination, you need to take and pass all examinations prior to your maintenance due date.

Filing early

I want to file early. Can I?

You may file at any time. You do not have to wait until your specific maintenance due date to file. Two caveats apply to filing early:

The continuing education credit you submit must fall within the current range of your certification period. See the main core certification page for applicable dates.
Your next certification period will not change. So, if you are due December 31, 2010 and file in March 2010, your next certification period will begin on January 1, 2011. Any credit earned in the remaining months of 2010 after you file cannot be used to maintain your next cycle of certification beginning January 1, 2011.

Audits

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NCC randomly selects for audit a percentage of credentialed professionals who are due to maintain their certification. All incomplete applications are automatically selected for audit. An audit requires the credentialed individual to submit copies of the certificates of continuing education being used for the purposes of maintenance. The notice of audit may come with your notice that your certification is due or you may be subject to an audit after you have submitted your certification maintenance application. If selected for audit and you fail to provide continuing education certificates or fail to meet the deadline to submit additional documentation that would complete your application, your certification will lapse.

Order maintenance cards or certificates

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Maintenance cards

A maintenance card is available for download under in your account. An official printed maintenance card is available for a fee of $35 which includes FedEx delivery. This can only be delivered to a street address—no PO Boxes or military addresses.

Complete a request form

Certificates—certification, certificate of added qualification and self assessment

Need a duplicate certificate for your certification, certificate of added qualification or for a Hard Copy Self Assessment module you have completed? There is a $10 fee.

Complete a request form

For those seeking a replacement for online self assessment modules, please check your account and download it from there.

Need a receipt?

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If you need a receipt for any purchase made through the NCC website, view your order history. All of your purchases are kept together in an easy-to-access format for you to view or print at any time.