Planning Your Program
Q: Why are CERPs awarded instead of CE?
A: Because of regulations on ethical and commercial bias, AACN offers CERPs (Continuing Education Recognition Points) so that we can allow a wider range of learning activities that otherwise would be restricted and provide nurses who hold AACN certifications the opportunity to for renewal.
Q. When can I start advertising my program?
A: Medical Device Companies may publish the following statement only after approval has been granted:
“This program has been approved by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) for _____ CERPs, Synergy CERP Category _____, File Number _____.”
Statements such as “Approval is pending” or “This program has been submitted to AACN for CERP approval” may NOT be used in advertising. Once approved, sponsors may use the AACN logo and program materials.
Submitting Your Application
Q: How much time should I allow for my completed online CERP program application to be reviewed and approved?
A: Please submit your completed application at least 20 business days prior to the presentation date of your program
Q: What information will I need to complete the online CERP program approval application?
A: The following information is needed:
- AACN login information (Customer ID or Email address)
- Medical Device Company name, address, phone number and email address
- Contact person’s name, address, phone number, email address
- Basic program information with learning outcomes
- CERPs Requested
- Program Flyer
- Individual Presentation Info and Presenter(s) name and credentials
Q: How do I submit payment for my CERP program approval application?
A. When completing the CERP program approval application online, after you have clicked on the submit button an invoice screen will appear and you can click on the “Make Payment” button.
CERP Certificate
Q: What information needs to be on the CERP certificate?
A: The CERP certificate is essential to verify attendance and should be awarded to all individuals attending an approved presentation. Certificates provide evidence of CERP activities to employers, peers, professional associations, boards of nursing and the healthcare consumer. The Nurse Planner (or designee), instructor or program coordinator is responsible for distributing one certificate to each participant at the conclusion of the presentation in return for a completed program learning evaluation. For your convenience, a CERP certificate template is available under Resources on the Program Approval Medical Device Company page on our website.
A complete certificate should contain the following:
- The name of the participant
- The name/address of the provider
- The title/date of the presentation
- AACN approved program file number
- The number of CERPs awarded
- Synergy CERP Category type
- The official accreditation statement (which stands alone on a separate line)
- Signature of Nurse Planner, instructor or program coordinator
Record Keeping
Q. What documentation am I required to keep for my program?
A. For each program, the following documentation must be maintained in a secure and confidential manner for four years:
- Title, location and date of the presentation
- All evaluation tools used
- Participant names and addresses
- Copy of the presentation
- Sample certificate of completion
- CV of each presenter
Additional Information
Q: What documentation do I need to submit if a presenter(s) changes after the program has been approved?
A: AACN does not require the presenter changes to be submitted but you will need to keep a copy of the presenter change along with their CV for your records for a period of four years.