Individual Educational Activity Process
If you are planning an educational activity that is being designed to increase/change/improve the knowledge, skills and/or practice of nurses, you can apply to NCNA for approval to award contact hours for the education.
APPROVAL PROCESS: If you are planning an educational activity and would like to be able to offer nursing contact hours for this single activity you would use this section. Once approved, this activity can be offered at your discretion during the approval period. Please note there is a strict acceptance deadline of a minimum of eight (8) weeks before the scheduled start date of the activity. This is explained further within the section.
The North Carolina Nurses Association is accredited as an approver of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.
To apply for approval to award contact hours:
- Complete an Individual Educational Activity Application: Please select the appropriate application to submit. For all content related to the care and treatment of patients please use the Clinical Individual Educational Activity Application (IAA) (Revised June 2023). For all other content please use the Non Clinical Individual Educational Activity Application (IAA) (Revised June 2023). Note: if you are planning a multi-session activity that includes both clinical and non-clinical sessions, please use the Clinical Individual Education Activity Application. Presenters who are only involved in presenting non-clinical topics and are not in a position to control content for the clinical portions of the activity though do not need to be assessed for relevant financial relationships.
- Be sure to include any additional materials/forms/attachments required/requested within the application.
- Please be sure to also complete/review the educational materials and the Application Attachments that are located after the Fee Schedule.
- Once completed, submit your application via email to CE@ncnurses.org. Please submit as one file.
- If you plan to submit more than one application at the same time it is important that you still submit each application as a separate, complete item. Please email each application separately.
- To ensure adequate time for the application's review and approval process, applicants are encouraged to submit their application least 8 weeks in advance of the planned delivery date. (If we receive the application at NCNA less than 8 weeks out from the start date, you must have added the required late fees to the cost for the contact hours to the total fee amount.) (See fee chart below.)
After submission to NCNA:
- The submitted activity application is sent to Nurse Peer Reviewers to evaluate whether or not the application is complete, and if it meets all the ANCC/NCNA criteria for awarding contact hours.
- If any additional documentation or clarifications are requested as a result of the review process, applicants are responsible for successfully completing and submitting the additional information requested, and by the stated due date, before NCNA can consider approving the activity to award contact hours.
- All approved individual activities are granted approval for a two year period (unless a shorter period is requested in the application).
- After approval the activity can be delivered as often as desired within the approval period of time.
Application Submission and Fee
- Normal application submission 8 weeks (56 or more days) before activity begins:
1.0 – 3.0 contact hours:
$150.00
3.1 or more contact hours:
$150.00 + $25.00 for each contact hour (or portion of an hour) over 3.0 hours
Example: 4.5 contact hours (that arrive at NCNA at least 8 weeks out from start date) would be $200 ($150 + $25 + $25 = $200)
- Late fees (rush fees) for application submission under 8 weeks before activity begins (to be added to the above fee schedule calculation under A)
Late Fee Example:
Requesting 4.5 CHs = fee of $200
Based on your timing, mailing, and start date, NCNA will receive the app 38-47 days out from
start date. Your late fee will be $500
Add CH Fee ($200) to Late Fee ($500) for total fee due.
$200 + $500 = $700 total fee due
| Timeframe |
Credit Hours |
Additional Cost |
| 48-55 days |
≤ 3.0 |
$150 |
| |
≥ 3.1 ≤ 6.0 |
$300 |
| |
≥ 6.1 |
$500 |
| 38-47 days |
≤ 3.0 |
$325 |
| |
≥ 3.1 ≤ 6.0 |
$500 |
| |
≥ 6.1 |
$750 |
| 30-37 days |
≤ 3.0 |
$500 |
| |
≥ 3.1 ≤ 6.0 |
$750 |
| |
≥ 6.1 |
$900 |
| 15-29 days |
≤ 3.0 |
$900 |
| |
≥ 3.1 ≤ 6.0 |
$1150 |
| |
≥ 6.1 |
$1500 |
Application Attachments
DISCLOSURE TOOLS - For ALL Clinical Individual Activity applications, the Relevant Financial Relationship tool must be completed for all those in control of content – this includes all planning committee members and speakers/authors.
NCNA Financial Disclosure Form (2015 Criteria) (Revised Aug 2023)
LEARNER DISCLOSURES -
Clinical Education Applications: Disclosures must be shared with the learner sometime prior to the beginning of the educational activity. Required disclosures include:
- All criteria for completion (what the participant must do/meet to earn the contact hours),
- A statement regarding the presence or absence of any relevant financial relationships for those in a position to control the content of the activity,
- And the NCNA nursing continuing professional development approval statement.
Sample Disclosure Form - Clinical Activity (REV 12.2021)
Other required disclosures when applicable:
- If the planned education activity has a joint provider, then the name of the joint provider(s) must be disclosed to the learner prior to the start of the education.
- If the planned education activity has received any kind of commercial support from an ineligible organization, then the name of that organization must be disclosed to learners prior to the start of the education. Ineligible organizations are those that make, sell, resell, produce or distribute goods used on or by patients. See ANCC/ACCME Standards for Independence and Integrity for Accredited Education Info Package.
- If the activity is available to the learner as an enduring material, then an expiration date (last date available to earn contact hours) needs to be disclosed to the learner prior to the start of the education.
Non Clinical Education Applications: Disclosures must be shared with the learner sometime prior to the beginning of the educational activity. Required disclosures include:
- All criteria for completion (what the participant must do/meet to earn the contact hours)
- The NCNA nursing continuing professional development approval statement.
Sample Disclosure Form - Non Clinical (REV 12.2021)
Other required disclosures when applicable:
- If the planned education activity has a joint provider, then the name of the joint provider(s) must be disclosed to the learner prior to the start of the education.
- If the planned education activity has received any kind of commercial support then the name of the commercial support organization must be disclosed to learners prior to the start of the education. See ANCC content integrity standards.
- If the activity is available to the learner as an enduring material, then an expiration date (last date available to earn contact hours) needs to be disclosed to the learner prior to the start of the education.
CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION - The certificate must contain the name/address of the organization providing the contact hours, space for the name of the attendee, title of educational activity, date education completed, number of contact hours awarded, and the NCNA approval statement. If the activity contains any contact hours for Advance Practice Nurses on pharmacotherapeutics, then those hours needs to be included on the certificate.
EVALUATION - Every activity must be evaluated following the completion of the activity. 2015 ANCC criteria require the evaluation of whether or not the desired learning outcomes were met.
Sample Evaluation Tool
Required Written Agreement (If Applicable)
Commercial Support Agreement (2015 Criteria) (Revised Dec 2021)
Additional Information
PNP and NP Roles (Rev. May 2023)
Financial Disclosure Determination Decision Making Model
Responsibilities of the Nurse Planner (Rev. Dec. 2021)
Quality Outcome Measures for Individual Activity Level (2.4.19)
CNE Record Keeping Requirements (April 2016)
Gap Analysis Tool
Educational Planning Table - Live & Enduring Material (Rev July 2016)
ANCC/ACCME Standards for Independence and Integrity for Accredited Education Info Package
ANCC-Principles of Adult Learning Theory
