Specialty Hour Determinations
What defines content as specialty -primary hours?
Specialty content is defined by the content that is tested on the NCC certification examination for each specialty area.
What is Specialty Content?
NOTE: Any NCC Self Assessment Module meets primary specialty hour requirements for core certifications but not certificates of added qualification. Click on the Self Assessment tab for current offerings. Discounts for Core certifications are afforded on maintenance fees if at least 15 hours of continuing education credit is earned by using the NCC Self Assessment modules.
Specialty Content Designation Tools
To assist you in correctly designating specialty content, please refer to the following documents:
Content Topic Lists
Do you want to know if the CE course you attended meets the specialty hour requirements? View the content lists. The topics are in alphabetical order. If the topic is listed, it is considered specialty content for your certification. Lists are provided for each certification area. This is provided to give guidance on determining specialty content.
Specialty Code Assignment According to Certification Specialty
Derived from the content outline, this provides a listing of content topics that is pertinent to the specific certification specialty area. It lists the associated specialty codes for certification.
For CE that is representative of multiple specialty content, for example AWHONN or NANN annual convention, select the specialty topic code that most represents the content of the sessions you attended
Competency statements or role descriptions
This will assist you in determining the practice focus and/or setting to which the CE must be related.
Content Outlines
This provides the general outline for each specialty certification examination. CE used for maintenance must reflect this content for primary hours in 2008 and for all maintenance CE in 2009.
Content that would NOT be applicable includes any content in general nursing management, e.g., IV maintenance, general patient safety, use of restraints, bioterrorism protocols or nursing content that would be expected of any nurse regardless of specialty.
Universal Hours
The following topics are considered universal and may be used as primary hours for any core certification: Core certifications are those that lead to the NCC RNC or NP certification credential and listed on the front of this publication.
• Legal or ethical issue relative to professional nursing practice
• Nursing research
• HIV/AIDS
• Resuscitation and stabilization (maternal or neonatal)
• Pharmacology
special note for holders of certificates of added qualification
All required CE must be related to your subspecialty area of your certificate of added qualification. See specifics under the Certification of Added Qualification section (see left hand column).