(a) Requirements for certification. An applicant for certification as a clinical nurse specialist shall:

1. (1) submit an application, together with the required fee, to the department;
2. (2) hold an unrestricted license and current registration to practice as a registered professional nurse in New York State; and
3. (3) present evidence, satisfactory to the department, of meeting all applicable professional education and experience requirements for certification as a clinical nurse specialist.

(b) Professional education and experience criteria. To meet the professional education and experience requirements for certification as a clinical nurse specialist in this State, the applicant shall present evidence of having met the criteria in one of the four paragraphs of this subdivision:

1. (1) completion of a clinical nurse specialist education program registered by the department; or
2. (2) completion of an education program determined by the department to be equivalent to a clinical nurse specialist education program registered by the department and current certification as a clinical nurse specialist by a national certifying body acceptable to the department; or
3. (3) holding a license or certification as a clinical nurse specialist issued by another state or country and meeting the substantial equivalent of the New York State requirements for certification, as determined by the department; or

4. (4) submitting an application and the required fee for certification as a clinical nurse specialist to the department prior to September 15, 2015 and satisfactorily meeting, as determined by the department, the criteria set forth in subparagraph (i) or (ii) of this paragraph prior to September 15, 2017:

   1. (i) completion of a master’s degree program in clinical nursing practice, which is determined by the department to be substantially equivalent to the preparation provided by a registered clinical nurse specialist education program, and completion, on or after January 1, 2011, of at least 3,000 hours of clinical practice as a registered professional nurse in a clinical nurse specialty area in a general hospital licensed pursuant to article 28 of the Public Health Law; or

   2. (ii) current certification as a clinical nurse specialist by a national certifying body acceptable to the department.

      (c) Certificates.

5. (1) A clinical nurse specialist certificate issued to a registered professional nurse shall reflect the nurse’s specialty area of clinical nurse specialist academic preparation.
6. (2) A registered professional nurse may apply for certification as a clinical nurse specialist in more than one specialty area of practice. A complete application and fee shall be required for each certificate.