LSNA APPROVED PROVIDER APPLICATION CRITERIA AND GUIDELINES

The information contained within this document is based upon the “2015 ANCC Primary Accreditation Approver Application Manual” (2015) published by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation (ANCC COA). Some of the information is excerpted and directly quoted from the ANCC COA publication.

The awarding of Approved Provider status is the means by which the Louisiana State Nurses Association LSNA), an accredited approver of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation, grants public recognition to anApproved Provider Unit that has met the established standards for providing continuing nursing education (CNE) activities.

  1. The Approved Provider Unit must be administratively and operationally responsible for coordinating all aspects of the continuing nursing education – assessing education need, planning, implementing, and evaluating continuing nursing education activities – provided by an organization. An Approved Provider Unit may be either:

a. A single-focused organization devoted to offering continuing nursing education. A single-focused organization exists for the single purpose of providing education or,

b.A distinct, separate identified unit within a complex, multi-focused organization. A multi-focused organization exists for more than the purpose of providing education.

First time applicants must have an operational provider unit for at least six (6) months prior to submitting an Approved Provider application. The six (6) month time frame is measured by the date on the first individual activity approval letter.

  1. Organizations ineligible to become an Approved Provider Unit. The following two (2) types of organizations are ineligible for approval as an Approved Provider Unit.
  1. Commercial Interest is any entity either producing, marketing, re-selling, or distributing healthcare goods or services consumed by, or used on, patients or that is owned or controlled by an entity that produces, markets, re-sells, or distributes healthcare goods or services consumed by, or used on, patients.
  2. Multi-Regional Provider is an organization that targeted/marketed greater than 50% of their education activities provided in the previous calendar year to Registered Nurses in multiple regions based on the US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Regions. Activities offered over the internet could be considered to be targeted/marketed in multiple regions. LSNA falls within region 6.

These two (2) organization types should contact the national accrediting body – ANCC.

  1. First-time applicants: Application to become an Approved Provider Unit is permitted once the following milestones have been accomplished.
  1. The CNE provider unit applying has been operational a minimum of six (6) months. This time frame is measured by the date on the first LSNA individual activity approval letter.
  2. The applicant has planned, implemented, and evaluated at least three (3) individual activities under the auspices of a Nurse Planner. * The activities must be at least 1.0 contact hours and were approved by LSNA during the twelve (12) months prior to submitting the Approved Provider application. These activities may not be joint provided. They may not be three (3) sessions from the same conference.
  3. The applicant has met eligibility criteria – i.e. it is not either a commercial interest or a multi-regional provider.

*Nurse Planner: The Nurse Planner is responsible for adhering to ANCC/LSNA criteria in the provision of continuing nursing education. The Nurse Planner must be a Registered Nurse with a valid current RN license and a baccalaureate or higher degree in nursing. The Nurse Planner must demonstrate competence in the performance of his/her role.

  1. Re-applying Applicants for continuing Approved Provider status are required to submit two (2) education activities that have been presented under their Approved Provider status during the previous 12months. Documentation of these two (2) activities must meet LSNA and ANCC COA criteria and the definition of and criteria for continuing nursing education as established by Louisiana State Board of Nursing (LSBN). Each activity sample must be submitted on the appropriate LSNA Approved Provider Activity Form. The sample activities may be either Provider-Directed or Learner-Paced activities. If the applicant implements both types of education activities, one of each type must be submitted. If the Approved Provider Unit has joint provided an activity in the past 12 months, include a joint provided activity as a sample activity. If the Approved Provider Unit has received commercial support and/or sponsorship in the past 12 months, include a commercially supported and/or sponsored activity as a sample activity. Your sample activities should be reflective of the types of activities your Approved Provider Unit has provided in the past 12 months. One of the purposes of the activity samples is to demonstrate the Approved Provider Unit’s ability to plan, implement, and evaluate education activities based on the most current ANCC/LSNA standards. The Nurse Peer Reviewers may ask for a third activity file if needed.
  1. Approved Provider applications are accepted three (3)times per year. Upon receipt of the application, a two-member Nurse Peer Review team conducts an assessment. Each member independently evaluates the application and then submit their reviews to the Nurse Peer Review Leader. The Nurse Peer Reviewer Leader will review their recommendations and may contact the applicant to request additional materials, as necessary, based upon the reviews. A decision will be made – approved, denied, or pending.
  1. Approved Provider status is granted for a three-year period. Approved Providers are approved to offer continuing nursing education activities during this three-year period. CNE activities may not be offered beyond the expiration date of the Approved Provider status.

Approval as anApproved Provider is recognition of anApproved Provider Unit’s capacity to award contact hours for continuing nursing education activities, planned, implemented and evaluated by the Approved Provider Unit. The Approved Provider Unit may offer an unlimited number of education activities during the period of approval. Before applying for Approved Provider status, an applicant must meet the eligibility requirements and demonstrate knowledge of LSNA and ANCC COA criteria.

7.Approved Provider Units may repeat previously provided activities during the new Approved Provider cycle. Activities should be reviewed, at a minimum, every two years, for currency of information and updated to reflect current LSNA and ANCC COA criteria using the current Approved Provider Activity form.

8.Should Approved Provider status expire, all activities offered under that Approved Provider will cease to be available for the awarding of contact hours without approval through LSNA.

9. Valuable resources to have accessible when developing an Approved Provider Application for Continuing Nursing Education would include, but are not limited to: “Approved Provider Application Criteria and Guidelines”; “Scope and Standards for Practice for Nursing Professional Development”; and, if a re-applying applicant, your previous Approved Provider application. Also, download a copy of the Provider Manual at PROVIDERAPPLICATION SUBMISSION CRITERIA

Approved Provider applications are accepted three times a year and are due in the LSNA office by 5:00 pm on March 1, July 1 or November 1 for review. Late applications are not accepted and will be returned. THERE IS NO RETROACTIVE APPROVAL.

It is the responsibility of Approved Provider Units submitting re-applications to know their Approved Provider status expiration date and the appropriate application submission deadline. For Approved Providers with an approval period that expires on March 1st, applications must be in the LSNA office by 5:00 pm on November of the previous year. e same year. For Approved Providers with an approval period that expires on July 1st, applications must be in the LSNA office by 5:00 pm on March 1st, of the same year. For Approved Providers with an approval period that expires on November 1st, applications must be in the LSNA office by 5:00 pm on July 1st, of the same year. An updated Approved Provider List is on the web page with approval dates.

Directions: A Completed Application includes the Self-Study or application, Operational Requirement Attestation, and TWO activity files. The application consists of foursections and must be completed in its entirety. Information must be typed directly on the form in the space provided. If additional space is required to complete a required element, then clearly label where the information continues. Adding extra space to the application section is the preferred method and will facilitate review. Supplemental information such as organizational charts, position descriptions and the attestation should be placed in an appendix with each document clearly identified. A table of contents must be included with the application. Each page of the application, the appendices and the education activities, must be numbered in sequence from beginning to end, starting with page one (1).

The application must be sent electronically by email or a flash drive. The electronic submission should include individual pdf’s that reflect the core application and two (2) sample activities for a total of 3 pdf files. They should be bookmarked and clearly labeled as follows:

File 1 – Core Application

  • Table of Contents with page numbers
  • Eligibility Assessment
  • Demographics
  • Structural Capacity
  • Lines of Authority and Administrative Support
  • OO4 - Evidence
  • Organization Overview
  • Position Descriptions
  • Organization Charts
  • 12-month log or log for 3 activities
  • Educational Design Process
  • Quality Outcomes
  • QO3 - How, over the past 12 months, the Approved Provider Unit has enhanced nursing professional development
  • Operational Requirements Attestation
  • APU Forms

File 2 - Activity 1

File 3 - Activity 2

The Activity Files should be submitted according to the Recordkeeping criteria in Manual.

It is highly encouraged that you establish a process for proofreading your application prior to forwarding it to LSNA, monitoring for typographical errors, grammatical errors, etc.

Approval Period: The approval period for anApproved Provider Unit is three(3) years.

Fee: Always check the web page and include the payment form with your application

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APPROVED PROVIDER APPLICATION GUIDELINES

ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION

All applicants are required to submit the Eligibility Verification Form four months before submission of your application.

Section One includes Demographic Data and information on whether the applicant has ever been denied accreditation. The section address questions are related to past denial, suspension, or revocation situations that the Approved Provider Unit has had with ANCC, LSNA or another ANCC Accredited Approver. These questions must be responded to by all seeking Approved Provider status. There is a space to explain the circumstances in which the denial, suspension, or revocation occurred. These questions do not preclude acceptance of your Approved Provider Application. They are asked to ensure that we are not approving an organization that has underlying questions that are not readily noticed.

Section Two requires information on Nurse Planners for the applicant. These questions are related to past ensuring the Approved Provider Unit has the required personnel with the appropriate credentials – i.e. Nurse Planner(s) and a Primary Nurse Planner. The Nurse Planner must be a Registered Nurse with both a current, valid, unencumbered license and a baccalaureate or higher degree in nursing and must be actively involved in the planning, implementing, and evaluating of education activities. The Nurse Planner is ultimately responsible and accountable for the education activity and its application.

The Primary Nurse Planner must be a Registered Nursewith both a current, valid, unencumbered license and a baccalaureate or higher degree in nursing. The Primary Nurse Planner is ultimately responsible and accountable for the Approved Provider Unit’s compliance with ANCC/LSNA criteria.

The Primary Nurse Planner will be held responsible and accountable for the information contained within the “Approved Provider Application Criteria and Guidelines” document. Therefore, it is highly encouraged that the Primary Nurse Planner review the criteria and guidelines prior to beginning the application process and refer back to them as needed.

It is imperative that the Approved Provider Unit’s Primary Nurse Planner know where to find the most current forms related to developing, implementing and evaluating CNE activities within the Approved Provider Unit and to maintaining the Approved Provider Unit.

Sections Three, Four, Five and Six focuses on ELIGIBILITY ASSESSMENT

Determine if your organization is ineligible to become an Approved Provider Unit. The following two (2) types of organizations are ineligible for approval as an Approved Provider Unit.

Commercial Interest - any entity either producing, marketing, reselling, or distributing health care goods or services consumed by, or used on, patients; or that is owned or controlled by an entity that produces, markets, resells, or distributes health care goods or services consumed by, or used on patients.

Multi-Regional Provider - any organization that promotes/markets/advertises/targets more than 50% of their education activities in the past calendar year to Registered Nurses in multiple regions based on the Department of Health and Human Services regions (i.e. outside of region 6 and its contiguous states).

If you have any questions about whether your organization is eligible, please contact the LSNA Approver CE Coordinator at the LSNA office.

Operational Requirements Attestation. The Approved Provider Unit must implement the operational requirements throughout the three-year period of approval. The Primary Nurse Planner must sign the Operational Requirements Attestation. Submit the signed attestation with your application. Place it in the Appendix, with its page number clearly noted in the application.

THE APPLICATION (OR SELF-STUDY)

The first section Structural Capacity: Demographic/Eligibility. Demographic data is completed on the applicant and the titles of the two activity files. Other questions asked include:

  • URL for computer-based programs
  • Website
  • Is the Provider Unit part of a MFO?
  • Whether Nurse Planners have attended provider update program?

In addition, information on whether applicant is a new PU or renewing. If new, the applicant must have been operational for at least six months.

I. APPROVED PROVIDER ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW (OO)

The Organizational Overview (OO) is an essential component of the application process that provides a context for understanding the Approved Provider Unit, and, as appropriate, the organization it is a part of.

Structural Capacity

OO1. Demographics

  1. Describe features of the Approved Provider Unit that characterize the scope dimensions such as its size (number of people in the Approved Provider Unit), geographic range (outreach), RN target audience, content areas (topics you offer), and types of activities offered (Provider-Directed/Learner-Paced, joint provided, etc.).
  2. Is the Approved Provider part of a multi-focused organization? If yes,

a)Describe the multi-focused organization.

b)Describe how the dimensions listed in #1 above tie into and support the multi-focused organization.

OO2. Lines of Authority

An Approved Provider Unit may have more than one Nurse Planner. Each Nurse Planner must be a Registered Nurse with a current, valid, unencumberedRN license, have a minimum of a baccalaureate or higher degree in nursing, and experience/knowledge/expertise in ANCC/LSNA criteria. If the Approved Provider Unit has more than one Nurse Planner, one of the Nurse Planners must be designated as the Primary Nurse Planner. The Primary Nurse Planner has ultimate authority, accountability, and responsibility for the overall Approved Provider Unit. The Primary Nurse Planner is responsible for ensuring that the Approved Provider Unit implements and adheres to the operational requirements and also oversees and coordinates adherence to LSNA and ANCC COA criteria across all activities of the Approved Provider Unit. The Primary Nurse Planner is responsible for adherence to LSNA and ANCC COA criteria and assuring that all Nurse Planners receive orientation and ongoing preparation in order to maintain their responsibility for implementing LSNA and ANCC COA criteria in their performance of the Nurse Planner’s role. The Nurse Planner has ultimate authority, accountability, and responsibility for individual activities within the Approved Provider Unit. The Nurse Planner is (a) involved in the entire process of delivery from inception through evaluation and follow-up for every continuing nursing education activity offered by the Approved Provider Unit, and (b) guarantees that LSNA and ANCC COA criteria guide the development, implementation and evaluation of every continuing nursing education activity offered by the Approved Provider Unit. The unique roles of the Primary Nurse Planner and the Nurse Planner(s) must be clearly delineated in the position descriptions and throughout the entire application.

  1. Submit a list of personnel in the Approved Provider Unit. The information in the boxes should include names, degrees/credentials, positions, and titles of the following:
  2. Primary Nurse Planner
  3. Nurse Planner(s)
  4. Submit a position description for each person listed in #1 above.
  5. The position description for the Primary Nurse Planner must describe their qualifications (Registered Nurse with a minimum of a baccalaureate or higher degree in nursing), role in the Approved Provider Unit and clearly identify the Primary Nurse Planner’s job functions; addressing authority, accountability, and responsibility for the operations of the Approved Provider Unit; oversight for adherence to LSNA and ANCC COA criteria across all activities and the preparation, orientation and on-going preparation of all Nurse Planners. Be sure to clearly mark the portion of the position description that applies to the Primary Nurse Planner’s role in the Approved Provider Unit. If the institutional job/position description does not address the Primary Nurse Planner’s role in the Approved Provider Unit, then also submit a position description addendum that does so.

b.The position description for the Nurse Planners must describe their qualifications (Registered Nurse with a minimum of a baccalaureate or higherdegree in nursing), role in the Approved Provider Unit and clearly identify the Nurse Planner’s job functions; addressing authority, accountability, and responsibility for adherence to LSNA and ANCC COA criteria in individual education activities. Be sure to clearly mark the portion of the position description that applies to the Nurse Planner’s role in the Approved Provider Unit. If the institutional job/position description does not address the Nurse Planner’s role in the Approved Provider Unit, then also submit a position description addendum that does so.