Section R4-19-505. Requirements for Initial APRN Certification

A.      An applicant for certification as an advanced practice regis- tered nurse, shall:

1.        Hold a current Arizona registered nurse (RN) license in good standing or an RN license in good standing from a compact party state with multistate privileges; and

2.        Submit a verified application to the Board on a form pro- vided by the Board that provides all of the following:

a.         Full legal name and all former names used by the applicant;

b.        Current mailing address, including primary state of residence and telephone number;

c.         Place and date of birth:

d.        RN license number, application for RN license, or copy of a multistate compact RN license;

e.         Social security number for an applicant who lives or works in the United States;

f.         Current e-mail address;

g.        Educational background, including the  name and location of basic nursing program, the institution that awarded the highest degree held and any and all advanced practice registered nursing education pro- grams or schools attended including the number of years attended, the length of each program, the date of graduation or completion, and the type of degree or certificate awarded;

h.        Role and population focus, as applicable for which the applicant is applying;

i.         Current employer or practice setting, including address, position, and dates of service, if employed or practicing in nursing or health care;

j.         Evidence of national certification or recertification as an advanced practice registered nurse in the role and population focus, if applicable, of the applica- tion and by a certification program that meets the requirements of R4-19-501(C). The applicant shall include the name of the certifying organization, pop- ulation focus, certification number, date of certifica- tion, and expiration date;

k.        For applicants holding a multistate compact RN license in a state other than Arizona:

i.         State of original licensure and license number;

ii.        State of current compact RN license, license number and expiration date;

iii.      Date of taking RN licensure exam and name of exam;

iv.       Whether the applicant ever submitted an appli- cation for and was granted an Arizona license and, if applicable, the date of Arizona licen- sure;

v.        Other information related to the nurse’s prac- tice for the purpose of collecting nursing work- force data; and

vi.       State of licensure and license number of all RN licenses held,

l.         Responses regarding the applicant’s background on the following subjects:

i.         Current investigation or pending disciplinary action by a nursing regulatory agency in the United States or its territories;

ii.        Undesignated offense and felony charges, con- victions and plea agreements including deferred prosecution;

iii.      Misdemeanor charges, convictions, and plea agreements, including deferred prosecution, that are required to be reported under A.R.S. § 32-3208;

iv.       Actions taken on a nursing license by any other state;

v.        Unprofessional conduct as defined in A.R.S. § 32-1601;

vi.       Substance use disorder within the last five years;

vii.     Current participation in an alternative to disci- pline program in any other state; and

m.       Information that the applicant meets the criteria in R4-19-506(A) or (C).

3.        Submit a fingerprint card on a form provided by the Board or prints if the applicant has not submitted finger- prints to the Board within the last two years.

4.        Submit an official transcript from an institution accred- ited under A.R.S. § 32-1644 either sent directly from the institution or obtained from a Board-approved database that provides evidence of:

a.         A graduate degree with a major in nursing for RNP and CNS Applicants, or

b.        A graduate degree associated with a CRNA program for a CRNA applicant.

5.        The applicant shall cause the program to provide the Board with evidence of completion of an APRN program in the role and population focus of the application through submission of an official letter or other official program document sent either directly from the program, or from a Board-approved data base. The APRN program shall meet one of the following criteria during the period of the applicant’s attendance in the program:

a.         The program was part of a graduate degree, or post- masters program at an institution accredited under

A.R.S. § 32-1644; or

b.        The program was approved or recognized in the U.S jurisdiction of program location for the purpose granting APRN licensure or certification.

6.        For an applicant who completed an advanced practice or graduate program in a foreign jurisdiction, submit an evaluation from the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools or a Board-approved credential evalua- tion service that indicates the applicant's program is com- parable to a U.S. graduate nursing or APRN program.

7.        Submit the required fee.

B.       If the applicant satisfies all other requirements, the Board shall continue to certify:

1.        An RNP without a graduate degree with a major in nurs- ing if the applicant:

a.         Meets all other requirements for certification; and

b.        Ensures that the U.S. jurisdiction of an applicant’s previous RNP licensure or certification submits evi- dence of the applicant’s certification or licensure in the nurse practitioner role and population focus that either is current or was current at least six months before the application was received by the Board, and was originally issued:

i.         Before January 1, 2001, if the RNP applicant lacks a graduate degree; or

ii.        Before November 13, 2005 if the RNP's gradu- ate degree is in a health-related area other than nursing.

2.        An RNP or CNS applicant without evidence of national certification who received initial advanced practice certi- fication or licensure in another state not later than July 1, 2004 and provides evidence, directly from the jurisdic- tion, that the certification or licensure is current.

3.        A CNS applicant without evidence of completion of a CNS program who received initial  certification or advanced practice licensure in this or another state not later than November 13, 2005 and provides evidence, directly from the jurisdiction, that the certificate or license is current.

4.        A CRNA who completed a CRNA program before the effective date of this Section without evidence of a gradu- ate degree.

5.        A CNS applicant who completed a women’s health clini- cal nurse specialist program that was part of a graduate degree in nursing program under subsection (A), without evidence of national certification upon submission of the following:

a.         A description of the applicant's scope of practice that is consistent with A.R.S. § 32-1601(6);

b.        One of the following:

i.         A letter from a faculty member who supervised the applicant during the graduate program attesting to the applicant's competence to prac- tice within the defined scope of practice;

ii.        A letter from a current supervisor verifying the applicant's competence in the defined scope of practice; or

iii.      A letter from a physician, RNP, or CNS who has worked with the applicant within the past two years attesting to the applicant's compe- tence in the defined scope of practice; and

c.         A form verifying that the applicant has practiced a minimum of 500 hours in the population focus within the past two years, which may include clini- cal practice time in a CNS program.

C.      The Board shall issue a certificate to practice as an RNP in a population focus, a CNS in a population focus, or a registered nurse anesthetist to a registered nurse who meets the criteria in this Section. An applicant who is denied a certificate may request a hearing by filing a written request with the Board within 30 days of service of the Board's order denying certifi- cation. Hearings shall be conducted in accordance with A.R.S. Title 41, Chapter 6, Article 10 and 4 A.A.C. 19, Article 6.

Historical Note

Adopted effective February 20, 1980 (Supp. 80-1). For- mer Section R4-19-56 repealed, new Section R4-19-56 adopted effective July 16, 1984 (Supp. 84-4). Former Section R4-19-56 renumbered as Section R4-19-504 (Supp. 86-1). Former Section R4-19-504 renumbered to R4-19-505, new Section R4-19-504 adopted effective November 18, 1994 (Supp. 94-4). Former Section R4-19- 504 renumbered to Section R4-10-505; new Section R4- 19-504 renumbered from R4-19-503 and amended effec- tive November 25, 1996 (Supp. 96-4). Amended effective

January 10, 1997 (Supp. 97-1). Amended by final

rulemaking at 5 A.A.R. 3911, effective September 28, 1999 (Supp. 99-3). Former R4-19-505 renumbered to R4- 19-508; new R4-19-505 renumbered from R4-19-504 and amended by final rulemaking at 11 A.A.R. 3804, effec- tive November 12, 2005 (Supp. 05-3). Amended by final

rulemaking at 13 A.A.R. 1483, effective June 2, 2007

(Supp. 07-2). Pursuant to authority of A.R.S. § 41- 1011(C), Laws 2012, Ch. 152, § 1, provides for A.R.S. references to be corrected to reflect the renumbering of definitions. Therefore the A.R.S. citation in subsection (A)(7)(a) was updated. Agency request filed July 12, 2012, Office File No. M12-242 (Supp. 12-3). Amended by final rulemaking at 19 A.A.R. 1438, effective July 6, 2013 (Supp. 13-2).