Activities
Things you can do to earn contact hours.
You can use the following activities to earn contact hours. The CMSRN Certification Handbook explains how many contact hours you may earn for each activity and how to record the hours in your recertification application.
We advise you to save all documentation related to these activities, as you will need to submit them at the time of your application. You cannot claim contact hours for the same activity completed multiple times.
Continuing Education
Continuing education from an accredited provider or approver of NCPDs. Continuing education certificates must include your name, date and name of program, number of NCPDs awarded and accreditation statement.
Preceptor/Mentor
Provide medical-surgical focused clinical supervision to baccalaureate, master's, or doctoral degree students or newly hired nurses. Include in your recertification application with a preceptorship form.
Academics
Academic courses related to nursing successfully completed while enrolled in an accredited baccalaureate, master’s, or doctoral degree program. Include in your recertification application with an unofficial transcript.
Presentations
Preparation and presentation of content for academic courses or NCPD programs. Presentations must award to participants either academic credit or contact hours by an accredited provider or approver of NCPDs.
Publications
Author, co-author, or editor of a book, book chapter, or published article. The article must be a manuscript or research paper, and any publication must be published by a recognized publisher or professional journal.
Conference Poster
The poster must be relevant to medical-surgical nursing and presented at a regional or national meeting.
Multimedia Program
The development of program content for audiovisual or other multimedia.
Research
Research project approved by the Investigational Review Board (IRB) of a healthcare facility in which you are one of the primary investigators. Include in your recertification application with the research proposal submitted to the facility's IRB.
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.
Board or Committee
Board member or committee chair of a national nursing organization.
Test Development
Members of MSNCB Test Development Committees 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.
Recertification Committee
Members of MSNCB Recertification Committee 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 Unit
Members of most AMSN Volunteer Units may count active participation time. 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.