Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Requirements in Michigan
Michigan’s graduate level clinical nurses are licensed as RNs. They receive specialty certification from the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA).
Although Michigan recognizes only three categories of nursing specialty, nurses can be state-certified based on training and examination in any of four advanced nursing roles: as nurse midwife, nurse anesthetist, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist. The state does not distinguish between nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists; both are certified as nurse practitioners.
State certification is based on national certification standards. Other assessments of qualification, such as criminal background checks and screenings of out-of-state credentials, are carried out when the nurse applies for an RN license. A nurse who is not licensed as an RN in Michigan will need to apply to the Board. Michigan is not party to the nurse license compact but does license out-of-state nurses by endorsement.
Select a Michigan Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Topic:
- APRN Education and Certification Requirements in Michigan
- APRN Application Materials and Process
- APRN License Renewal Requirements
- Nursing Board, Contacts, Associations and Additional Information
Education and Certification Requirements
Michigan Public Health Code dictates that specialty certification be dependent on “advanced education”. Educational requirements for advanced practice roles are those set by third party certification agencies (Nurse Practitioner programs in Michigan).
According to Michigan administrative code, standards set by the following organizations are adopted by reference:
- American College of Nurse Midwives Certification Council http://www.amcbmidwife.org/
- American Nurses Credentialing Center http://www.nursecredentialing.org/
- National Certification Board of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners and Nurses http://www.pncb.org/ptistore/control/index
- American Academy of Nurse Practitioners http://www.aanpcert.org/
- National Certification Corporation for Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing Specialties http://www.nccwebsite.org/
- Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation http://www.oncc.org/
National certifying agencies screen academic qualifications before approving candidates for examination. Nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists, and nurse midwives can expect to pursue their education at the graduate level. They will provide documents such as transcripts to their certification agency. Nurses may also need to verify clinical practicum or specialized experience. The timeline will vary. A prospective certification holder can visit the site of the certifying agency for details about the credential review and examination process.
Choice of certifying agency will be based on role and target population. Some approved certification organizations offer multiple certifications. Not all, however, may be appropriate for nurse practitioners.
The current Michigan application form lists a number of approved American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) certifications, some designed for clinical nurse specialists, others for nurse practitioners.
The following NP certifications are accepted:
- Adult
- Family
- Gerontological
- Pediatric
- Adult Acute Care
- Adult Psychiatric and Mental Health
Diabetes Management, Advanced
The following CNS certifications can be accepted:
- Adult Health
- Pediatric Nursing
- Gerontological Nursing
- Public/ Community Health Nursing
- Adult Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing
- Child/ Adolescent Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing
Approved National Certification Corporation (NCC) certifications include neonatal nurse practitioner and women’s health nurse practitioner.
Applicants should be aware that the national certifications themselves are subject to periodic review and change. Some certifications cited by the Minnesota Board may no longer be available to new applicants.
The Application Process
Michigan does not issue temporary permits to advanced practice nurses; they will be expected to meet all requirements before credentialing.
Applications are available for download from the Board website (http://www.michigan.gov/lara/0,4601,7-154-72600_72603_27529_27542—,00.html).
The nurse will need to verify certification status. The licensing agency has provided a form for this purpose. It is category-specific; individuals certified as clinical specialists will use the nurse practitioner form. The applicant will fill out the top portion and submit it to his or her certification agency. The licensing agency can also accept certification verification sent by email; it must come directly from the certifying agency.
Fees are based on the date when the qualifying RN license expires.
An applicant will receive a confirmation letter and customer number after about three weeks. At this point, application status can be monitored online.
An open application is considered valid for two years.
Renewal Requirements
The Michigan specialty credential is normally renewed every two years. The first renewal period, however, may be shorter.
Continuing education standards for advanced practice are, in most cases, set by the certifying agency. The specialty nurse will verify continuing certification. A nurse midwife will be enrolled in a continuing competency/ certificate maintenance program through his or her certification agency. New certificate holders will enroll in the certificate maintenance program of the American Midwifery Certification Board, or AMCB. (The AMCB is the successor to the American College of Nurse Midwives Certification Council, which is referenced in state administrative code.)
The specialty nurse will need to meet a separate set of requirements to renew his or her RN license.
Additional Information
The Michigan Board of Nursing is under the banner of the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (http://www.michigan.gov/lara/0,4601,7-154-72600_72603_27529_27542—,00.html). The Board can be reached by telephone at (517) 335-0918.
Michigan has multiple specialty nursing organizations, including the following:
- Michigan Council of Nurse Practitioners http://micnp.org/
- Michigan Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists http://www.mi-cns.org/
- Michigan Association of Nurse Anesthetists http://www.miana.org/
- Michigan Affiliate of the American College of Nurse-Midwives http://michigan.midwife.org/
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