CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

1. (a) Initial certification. An applicant for initial certification shall meet the following requirements:

   1. (1) Registered nurse license. An applicant for certification shall hold a current, unrestricted license as a professional nurse in this Commonwealth.
   2. (2) Education. An applicant for certification shall have completed an accredited, Board-approved master’s or postmaster’s nurse practitioner program or other Board-approved program that awarded an advanced degree or a course of study considered by the Board to be equivalent to that required for certification in this Commonwealth at the time the course was completed.
   3. (3) National certification. An applicant for initial certification after February 7, 2005, shall hold current National certification in the specialty in which the professional nurse is seeking certification.
   4. (4) Mandatory training in child abuse recognition and reporting. An applicant for initial certification shall have completed at least 3 hours of approved training in child abuse recognition and reporting in accordance with § 21.508(a) (relating to child abuse recognition and reporting—mandatory training requirement) as a condition of certification.
2. (b) Certification by endorsement. An applicant for certification who holds a current, unrestricted license or certificate as a nurse practitioner from another state, territory or possession of the United States or a foreign country, shall meet the certification requirements that were effective at the time the applicant was licensed or certified as a nurse practitioner by the other jurisdiction. Applicants who were initially licensed or certified by another state, territory or possession of the United States or a foreign country after February 7, 2005, shall hold current National certification in the specialty in which the nurse is seeking certification. Nurse practitioners applying for certification from a jurisdiction that does not designate the nurse practitioner’s specialty will be required to present evidence satisfactory to the Board to demonstrate the nurse practitioner’s specialty. An applicant for initial certification by endorsement shall have completed at least 3 hours of approved training in child abuse recognition and reporting in accordance with § 21.508(a) as a condition of certification.
3. (c) Addition of a specialty. A CRNP who holds an unrestricted certification to practice may apply for certification in an additional specialty. To be granted certification in an additional specialty, the CRNP shall meet the educational and National certification requirements for the specialty in which the CRNP is applying for certification.

Authority

The provisions of this § 21.271 amended under section 2.1(k) of the Professional Nursing Law (63 P.S. § 222.1(k)); section 17.6 of the Practical Nurse Law (63 P.S. § 667.6); and 23 Pa.C.S. § 6383(b)(2).

Source

The provisions of this § 21.271 adopted July 22, 1977, effective July 23, 1977, 7 Pa.B. 2063; amended December 11, 2009, effective December 12, 2009, 39 Pa.B. 6994; amended March 25, 2022, effective March 26, 2022, 52 Pa.B. 1916. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (396901) and (385205).

Cross References

This section cited in 49 Pa. Code § 21.273 (relating to application for certification); 49 Pa. Code § 21.332a (relating to inactive status and reactivation); and 49 Pa. Code § 21.1102 (relating to licensure by endorsement under 63 Pa.C.S. § 3111).