Overview |  Eligibility |  Application Cycles |  Process |  Fees |  Contact Us |  Submit Your Application

Providing you with quality lifelong learning opportunities is our priority. Virginia Nurses Association is accredited as an Approver of Continuing Nursing Education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's (ANCC's) Commission on Accreditation. We review and approve organizations to provide quality educational nursing programs throughout Virginia and the nation. 

Overview

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.

Learn more about the Approved Provider unit by downloading the ANCC 2015 Primary Accreditation Approver Application Manual, by clicking here. Choose eBook from the menu to download a free copy of the manual. Chapter 5: Approving Organizations as Providers, discusses the process VNA uses to approve providers.

Eligibility
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.

Approved Providers (AP) are designated by the Virginia Nurses Association (VNA), an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation (ANCC). Approved Provider status means that your organization can independently plan, implement, and evaluate continuing nursing education (CNE) activities during your approval period.

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, more than 50% of your target audience is 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, more than 50% of your target audience is nurses within the geographic range 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.
• Disclose previous denials, suspensions, and/or revocations received from other ANCC accredited approver units and/or other accrediting/approving organizations.
• 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. 

Application Cycles

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Process
First, contact Lindsey Cardwell, Director of Professional Development, to discuss your intent to apply. Then submit the Approved Provider Intent to Apply & Eligibility Verification Form. You will 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.

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Application
Click here to download the PROVIDER APPLICATION.

Click here to submit your Provider Application.
Trouble downloading or submitting your application? Email Jackie Jester.
Questions or concerns related to completing the application? Contact Lindsey Cardwell, via email or by phone, 804-282-1808 ext. 4

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

Contact Us
We are happy to answer questions and work with you to ensure a smooth application process. If you have questions or require assistance, please contact our Continuing Education Approval Unit.

Lindsey Cardwell 

Direct line: 804.282.1808 ext. 4
Contact Lindsey directly if you are interested in becoming an Approved Provider and for questions related to Continuing Education Approval.

Jackie Jester
Special Projects Manager
jjester@virginianurses.com
Direct line: 804.282.1808 ext. 2
Contact Jackie directly for technical questions related to Continuing Education Approval.

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