What are the costs to accredit a program for contact hours?

How do I determine contact hours and pharmacology hours?

Must I have the disclosure forms for all my speakers when I submit the application?

What must I submit to receive continuing education contact hours for my program?

What if we offer our program in different formats or change it to a new format (live, monograph, live webcast, archived webcast, CDRom, etc.)?

Why can’t we send a CV? (Why do you only accept a bio-sketch?).

How quickly can you accredit a program?

How do I renew an approved program for continuing education?

What is an AANP Approved Provider?

Will you list our program on your website?

What is a group member and do we qualify for free continuing education program reviews?

How can I submit my continuing education application (mail, email, fax)?

How long is a program accredited and can I ask for a longer period?

How long must I keep the records and what records must I keep?

When must I turn in my post-program reports and what must I send in (rosters, evaluation summaries)?

CEU VS CE

How do I list/recognize companies who provided monetary support for the CE program?

What are the costs to accredit a program for contact hours?

• Review fees are based on the number of contact hours the program is given.  Please see the fee schedule in the application packet to determine any fees due.

How do I determine contact hours and pharmacology hours?

• One contact hour equals 60-minutes of program (not including introductions, breaks, meals, time for program evaluations, etc.).  To receive contact hours for pharmacology, you must request this upfront (on the cover sheet of the application).  Pharmacology is determined by the objectives that address medications in regards to the program topic.  For example: A 2-hour program can be awarded 2 contact hours, which includes 1 hour of pharmacology.

Must I have the disclosure forms for all my speakers when I submit the application?

• We prefer to have all disclosures with the initial application. If the speaker plans to reference any off-label use or experimental/investigational use of drugs/device, that information must be presented to AANP for review PRIOR to the program. 
• Speakers must disclose any/all potential biases to the audience/participants at the program. 

What must I submit to receive continuing education contact hours for my program?

• You must send the AANP Application form with all required fees.  We must have the cover page of the application filled out completely, goals and objectives with time frames, a bio-sketch for each presenter (NO CVs Please) and disclosure, plus a copy of the certificate and evaluation form to be used.   Disclosure forms should be submitted with the application, but if unavailable, send as indicated above.  If you have everything in a different format, we will accept that in lieu of the AANP Application packet but we must have the cover sheet as previously stated.

What if we offer our program in different formats or change it to a new format (live, monograph, live webcast, archived webcast, CDRom, etc.)?

• A program may be offered in many formats on one application as long as everything is the same (same objectives, same time frames, same title, etc.).  Only one fee is due as we view this as one program offered in different ways.
• If you change the format:  As long the nothing has changed in the program itself (objectives and contact hours remain the same), all you must do is notify us of the new format and dates it is available as such. 
• If anything in the content of the program changes then it is considered a new program and requires a new application with applicable fees.  This includes adding a post-test (this adds time to the program, changing the contact hours). 

Why can’t we send a CV? (Why do you only accept a bio-sketch?).

• As a back up to your records and to ensure appropriate continuing education activities, AANP maintains program files for 6 years.  CVs are just too large to keep for the number of programs we accredit and are they not necessary for the review process.

How quickly can you accredit a program?

• We request 6 weeks to review a program before it is presented and do not accredit programs retroactively.  We will accept applications up to 2 weeks prior to the program’s first presentation.  Applications submitted by hard copy or fax, received under 6 weeks to 2 weeks before a program begins must pay an additional expedite fee (see fee schedule in the application packet).  These also incur a hard copy fee.  This time is 4 to 2 weeks for applications submitted via email.

How do I renew an approved program for continuing education?

• Send in a new application packet with a reference to the existing program id number.  We treat it as a new program and give it a new id number.  The old number is maintained as a ‘history’ for reference.

What is an AANP Approved Provider?

• AANP Approved Providers are groups or individuals who have demonstrated the ability to design, implement and evaluate CE Programs for NPs without individual program review.  

Will you list our program on your website?

• Only programs accredited by the AANP, an AANP Approved Provider or a Partner of AANP may be listed on the AANP Continuing Education Calendar and Independent Studies pages.   For more information concerning advertising your program thru the AANP (mailing lists, web ads and more) please contact Communications and Member Services at membership@aanp.org.

What is a group member and do we qualify for free continuing education program reviews?

• Since its creation in 1985, the purpose of the AANP Group membership category has been to offer a venue for nurse practitioners, nurse practitioner educational programs, and other nurse practitioner groups to join with AANP for networking, advocacy, and mutual support.  Group members receive 12 free continuing education program reviews for programs fewer than 9 contact hours as well as many other Group Membership Benefits.  You may contact Membership at membership@aanp.org for more information and an application.

How can I submit my continuing education application (mail, email, fax)?

• We prefer to receive applications electronically via email.  We accept applications by standard mail.  (You must send 2 complete copies with appropriate fees to: AANP, ATT: Stormy, 2600 Via Fortuna Ste 100, Austin, TX 78746).  You may fax you application to fax (512-442-6469) or email it to Ceapps@aanp.org .  Faxed and mailed applications must also pay a 'hard copy' fee.

How long is a program accredited and can I ask for a longer period?

• Programs are accredited for two years from the date of the approval, regardless of when the program actually begins.  You may request different start/end dates based on your first presentation date.  These requests must be made with the initial application.

How long must I keep the records and what records must I keep?

• Program providers must maintain records for at least six years. Records should include a copy of the approved program, any related announcement, program date/time, participant roster, credit awarded, evaluation summary, a certificate copy, etc.

When must I turn in my post-program reports and what must I send in (rosters, evaluation summaries)?

• Within one month of the program, a summary program evaluation and copy of attendance roster should be submitted to AANP. Original evaluation sheets will not be accepted in lieu of the summary. It is the responsibility of the program provider/sponsor to evaluate each educational activity.
• Rosters must include a count for total participants, total NP participants and a unique identifier for each individual. Please do NOT submit participants’ full social security numbers to AANP as identifiers.
• For repeated programs - submit the required reports at one month then again at one year.  The final report is due in the AANP office one month after the program's final presenation/expiration date.

CEU VS CE

• Most continuing education for nurse practitioners is given in contact hours (CH).  Contact hours and continuing education units (CEUs) are not interchangeable.  A CEU equals approximately 10 contact hours .

How do I list/recognize companies who provided monetary support for the CE program?

• Organizations may provide ‘unrestricted educational grants’ for CE programs.  They may be recognized in promotional materials, flyers, brochures, mailers, etc and this information should be disclosed at the program’s presentation