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If your organization plans many educational activities and wishes to forego the individual activity approval process each time you plan and implement an activity, you may want to consider applying to be an Approved Provider Unit. Once you are approved to function as an Approved Provider, you can deliver as many activities as you like to as many learners as possible for the three-year approval period following ANCC educational design requirements.

The first step in the application process is to fill out the Approved Provider Intent to Apply & Eligibility Verification Form to determine whether you are eligible to be an Approved Provider. This must be submitted 90 days prior to the application cycle you intend to apply in.

To be eligible to apply for Approved Provider status, an organization must:

• Be operational for a minimum of 6 months prior to application.
• If your provider unit is based in Virginia, the majority (51%) of your CNE activities must be targeted to nurses within the HHS Region 3 (DC, DE, MD, PA, VA, WV) and its contiguous states.
• If your provider unit is based outside of Virginia, the majority (51%) of your CNE activities must be targeted to nurses within the HHS Region of your provider unit and its contiguous states. Check here for the identification of your region plus the states contiguous to your region.
• Have a clearly defined unit or department administratively and operationally responsible for coordinating the entire process of planning, implementing, and delivering CNE.
• Identify one Nurse Planner, with knowledge of adult learning and ANCC Accreditation criteria, who will act as the Primary Nurse Planner and serve as the liaison between VNA and the AP unit.
• Have a Primary Nurse Planner who holds a current, valid license as an RN and a BSN or higher.
• Have a Primary Nurse Planner who has authority within the organization to ensure compliance with VNA and ANCC accreditation criteria in the provision of CNE.
• Have a Primary Nurse Planner who is responsible for providing orientation on VNA and ANCC criteria to all Nurse Planners and key personnel in their organization.
• Ensure that all other Nurse Planners in the AP unit hold current, valid licenses as RNs with a BSN or higher.
• Ensure that each CNE activity has a qualified Nurse Planner who is an active participant in the planning, implementation, and evaluation process.
• Not be a commercial interest as defined by ANCC.
• Be in compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations that affect the organization’s ability to meet VNA and ANCC accreditation criteria.
• Complete the Approved Provider Intent to Apply/ Eligibility Verification Form (with Commercial Interest Addendum if necessary) and have received confirmation from VNA of eligibility to apply.

Note: If you are new to the process, you must first meet criteria by planning a minimum of 3 Individual Activities that adhere to ANCC criteria. The planning, implementation, and evaluation of these activities must occur within a 12 month period. We highly recommend you submit these for individual activity approval with VNA. Your provider unit must also be operational for 6 months prior to application. 

Contact Kate Hildreth, ANCC Approver Unit Program Director, to discuss your intent to apply.

Submit the Approved Provider Intent to Apply & Eligibility Verification Form.

Submit your completed application along with your payment according to the review cycle you are assigned by VNA. Please note that we do not begin the approval process until payment has been received.

Please see our application cycle chart for more information.

Download the Approved Provider Application

Submit your Provider Application.

Please see our chart of fees to calculate your application fee. 

Kate Hildreth, MSN, RN, CPN, NPD-BC
Nursing Professional Development Specialist, ANCC Accredited Approver Program Director
khildreth@virginianurses.org
Direct line: 804.282.1808 ext. 5