As a certificant, you are required to recertify every five years to keep your CMSRN credential. Recertification allows you to maintain all of the benefits of CMSRN certification.
How to Recertify
You can recertify by contact hours or exam. Choose the avenue most appropriate for you.
Eligibility Requirements
- You must hold a CMSRN certification that expires within one year.
- You must hold an unencumbered and current license as an RN in the United States, its territories, or Canada. International nurses are also eligible.
- You must have worked 1,000 practice hours in a medical-surgical setting in the last five years. Practice may be as a clinical nurse, as a manager, or as an educator.
Fees
| Recertify by Contact Hours |
Recertify by Exam |
| AMSN Member: $195 |
AMSN Member: $267 |
|
Standard Fee: $303
|
Standard Fee: $394 |
Note: All applications include a $90 non-refundable processing fee. Fees are subject to change at anytime without notice.
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Recertify by Contact Hours
Earn contact hours by completing continuing education and professional activities. To recertify, simply document these activities in the Certification Portal.
To recertify by contact hours, you must have earned 90 verified contact hours in the last five years. Sixty-eight of those contact hours must be designated as medical-surgical. Only 22 contact hours may be designated as "Professional Development".
Contact Hour Domains
| Medical-Surgical Contact Hours |
Professional Development Contact Hours |
|
Must relate to the domains of medical-surgical practice:
At least 68 med-surg contact hours are required.
|
Related to the broad area of health care and general nursing, or other non-medical-surgical topics. Includes topics related to:
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Accepted Contact Hour Activities
| Activity |
Required Information to Use in Recertification Application |
Conversion and Max Contact Hours (CH) Accepted |
| Continuing education from an accredited provider or approver of nursing continuing professional development (NCPD) contact hours |
Certificates must include your name, date, name of program, number of contact hours, and accreditation statement. |
1 NCPD = 1 CH
90 CH
|
| Preceptor/Mentor |
Must provide medical-surgical focused clinical supervision to baccalaureate, master's, or doctoral degree students or newly hired nurses.
Download the preceptor/mentor form.
|
6 hours = 1 CH
20 CH
|
| Academic Courses |
Completed while enrolled in an accredited baccalaureate, master’s, or doctoral degree program. Must include an unofficial transcript from the program. |
1 credit = 15 CH
75 CH
|
| Presentations |
Preparation and presentation of content for academic courses or NCPD programs.
Must award to participants either academic credit or contact hours by an accredited provider or approver of NCPDs. |
1 hour = 3 CH
45 CH
|
| Publications |
Author, co-author, or editor of a book, book chapter, or published article. Article must be a manuscript or research paper, and any publication must be published by a recognized publisher or professional journal. |
Book = 25 CH
Chapter = 10 CH
Article = 5 CH
25 CH
|
| Conference Poster |
The poster must be relevant to medical-surgical nursing and presented at a regional or national meeting. |
1 poster = 5 CH
20 CH
|
| Development of program content for audiovisual or other multimedia |
Proof of multimedia content. |
1 hour program = 5 CH
20 CH
|
| Research |
Research project approved by the Investigational Review Board (IRB) of a healthcare facility in which you are one of the primary investigators. Must include the research proposal submitted to the IRB facility in recertification application.
Evidence-based practice projects that have been given exempt status by the IRB or have been implemented in your healthcare facility and are reflected in its policies, procedures, or clinical guidelines. You must have been involved in the development, implementation, and evaluation of the project. Include in your recertification application with a copy of the research proposal.
|
Research = 30 CH
EBP = 15 CH
30 CH
|
| Board member or committee chair of a national nursing organization |
Proof of position.
MSNCB Test Development and Recertification Committees: Committee members may count active participation time. These hours will be automatically reported on your behalf and can be seen in the AMSN Reported Contact Hours section of your application.
AMSN Volunteer: Contact hour amount and designation are to be determined at the discretion of the AMSN committee chair and staff liaison. These hours will be automatically reported on your behalf and can be seen in the AMSN Reported Contact Hours section of your application. |
1 term = 5 CH
1 MSNCB workshop = 5 CH
20 CH
|
How to Upload Contact Hours
Watch this step-by-step video explaining how to upload contact hours to recertify.
Recertify by Exam
If you have not earned enough contact hours during your accrual period, you may recertify by passing the certification exam.
View the Test Taker FAQs and CMSRN Certification pages for more information.
Audit of Recertification Applications
Ten percent of all recertification applications are randomly selected for audit. Audited applicants must submit documentation for all contact hours within 30 days of notification. If you decline, fail, or miss the deadline for the audit, your recertification application fees are nonrefundable and your CMSRN credential will be revoked. You may be required to earn more contact hours before you can pass the audit.
Recertify After Expiration
You may apply for recertification by contact hours during your grace period, which lasts for one year after your CMSRN expires. Your contact hours must have been earned in the five-year period immediately preceding the date you submit your recertification application.