ONC-A - Orthopaedic Nurses Certification - Advanced Certification

The Orthopaedic Nurses Certification Board (ONCB) offers the Orthopaedic Nurses Certification - Advanced Certification (ONC-A), which validates the knowledge and skills of nurses who work with orthopedic patients. ONC-A certification isn’t exam-based, instead it includes a review of the nurse's professional portfolio, including:

• Clinical experience

• Advanced education

• Professional development activities

• Poster and podium presentations

• Publication writing

• Research

• Volunteer work and other professional activities

Eligibility

To be eligible for the Orthopaedic Nurses Certification - Advanced Certification by portfolio, nurses must:

• Hold a valid, unrestricted registered nurse (RN) license

• Have worked for three years as an RN

• Have earned a master's degree in nursing or a related discipline involving orthopedics

• Demonstrate 2,500 hours of orthopedic clinical experience

Nurse practitioners aren’t eligible for the ONC-A designation but are encouraged to pursue the Orthopaedic Nurse Practitioner-Certified (ONP-C) certification.

Cost:

• $340 for American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), National Association of Orthopaedic Nurses (NAON), Nurses Organization of Veterans Affairs (NOVA), or Canadian Orthopaedic Nurses Association (CONA) members

• $455 non-members

Portfolio Evaluation

The ONC-A requires an evaluation of an RN’s professional portfolio. Prospective candidates must complete several documents detailing their education and clinical experience, including:

• 2,500 clinical hours in orthopedic practice

• A continuing education (CE) record exhibiting at least 35 contact hours in orthopedic nursing

• Documentation of 65 points of qualifying professional development activities

• A resume listing professional goals, experience, education, professional memberships, licenses, certifications, and awards

• A statement of up to 1,500 words describing how they meet the requirements of orthopedic nursing practice excellence

  • The ONCB refers to this statement as an Exemplar

Continuing Education

All CE used for the ONC-A application must be related to orthopedics and can’t be more than five years old. An accredited provider must approve continuing nursing education (CNE) or continuing medical education (CME). Candidates may only use each CE course once, and documentation of the completed course must accompany the application.

Professional Development Activities

In addition to CE hours, candidates must earn 65 points from professional development activities in the previous five years. All activities must be related to orthopedics. Different activities receive various point values. Approved activities include:

• Podium presentations at nursing conferences

• Poster presentations offered for CE credit

• Hospital presentations

• Books or articles published by the candidate

• Graduate theses and dissertations

• Original research

• Serving in leadership roles in nursing organizations

• Chairing local community organizations

• Precepting RN students

Two months before applying for the ONC-A, candidates must send an official transcript with all graduate-level coursework to the ONCB. Once the ONCB notifies the candidate that they received their transcripts, candidates must send a completed application form and certification fee along with the following:

• Copy of their RN license

• Verification of Practice Hours form signed by a supervisor

• Continuing Education Record

• All CE certificates

• Professional Development Record

• Supporting documentation for the Professional Development Record

• Professional Resume

• Exemplar

The ONCB notifies candidates of their certification status within 6 weeks if approved.

Orthopaedic Nurses Certification - Advanced Certification is good for 5 years, after which the nurse must recertify. To renew the ONC-A, applicants must have the following:

• A current, unrestricted RN license

• 1,000 hours of orthopedic nursing practice in the past five years

• 75 CE hours, 50 of which must be related to orthopedic nursing

To renew, the candidate must submit a completed application with supporting documentation and the recertification fee. ONC-A recertification fees are:

• $285 NAON members or $400 non-members with online submissions

• $335 NAON members or $450 non-members with paper submissions

Additional resources that may be helpful for nurses interested in the ONC-A certification include:

• ONC-A Candidate Handbook and Application

• ONCB's Retest for Success Program

• ONCB's Recertification Videos

The ONCB also offers the following certifications:

• Orthopaedic Nurse Certified (ONC)

• Orthopaedic Nurse Practitioner-Certified (ONP-C)