1. (a) Initial:

   1. (1) Submission of an application for full independent practice authority;
   2. (2) Submission of two (2) letters of recommendation;
   3. (3) Hold an active, unencumbered Arkansas certified nurse practitioner or clinical nurse specialist license;
   4. (4) Hold an unencumbered prescriptive authority certificate or equivalent in the state of licensure;

   5. (5) Submission of documentation showing a minimum of six thousand two hundred forty (6,240) hours of practice:

      1. (A)

2. (i) Under a board-required agreement with a physician.

   1. (ii) Such documentation shall include:

3. (a)

   1. (1) (a)(1) An affidavit from a collaborating physician attesting to the number of hours the certified nurse practitioner practiced under a collaborative practice agreement with the physician.
   2. (2) (2) Multiple attestations are acceptable; or

4. (b)

   1. (1) (b)(1) Other evidence of meeting the qualifications for full independent practice and an affidavit signed by the nurse practitioner, in the event a collaborating physician has died, become disabled, retired, relocated to another state, or any other circumstance that inhibits the ability of the nurse practitioner from obtaining an affidavit.
   2. (2) (2) Other evidence may include employment records, military service, Medicare or Medicaid reimbursement records, or other similar records that verify clinical practice in the population foci for which the nurse practitioner is licensed and certified.

   3. (3) (3) The burden shall be on the nurse practitioner to provide sufficient evidence to support the nurse practitioner's inability to obtain an affidavit from a collaborating physician; or

      1. (B) In another state, territory, or foreign country that authorizes a certified nurse practitioner or a clinical nurse specialist to practice with prescriptive authority if the certified nurse practitioner or clinical nurse specialist provides proof of:

         1. (i) Holding prescriptive authority in the state; and
         2. (ii) The APRN license is in good standing; and
   4. (6) Submission of any other relevant documents requested by the committee in support of the application.

5. (b) Renewal:

   1. (1) The certificate for full independent practice authority shall be renewed every three (3) years by submitting the required application and corresponding fee; and
   2. (2) Renewal applicants must hold an active, unencumbered Arkansas certified nurse practitioner or clinical nurse specialist license.

Codification Notes: This section as promulgated prior to codification into the Code of Arkansas Rules provided as follows: "Amended: June 15, 2024"