RN-BC - General Nursing Practice Certification

The General Nursing Practice - Board Certified (RN-BC) credential offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) has been retired but can still be renewed by those who already hold it.

Eligibility

Available for renewal only by registered nurses (RNs) who maintain their license to practice and fulfill current certification renewal requirements.

RN-BC is valid for 5 years. RN-BCs can submit an online renewal application up to one year before expiration. To be eligible for renewal, applicants must:

• Have an active RN license

• Have a current, active RN-BC certification from the ANCC

• Complete 75 Continuing Education Units (CEUs)

• Complete one of the 8 professional development categories 

• Pay renewal fee

The professional development component includes mandatory 75 CE hours PLUS completion of at least one activity within the following 8 categories:

1. 75 CE hours in addition to the mandatory 75 CE hours

2. Academic credits: 5 semester credits or 6 quarter credits

3. One or more presentations totaling 5 hours

4. One Evidence-Based Practice (EBP), Quality Improvement Project (QI) or one qualifying publication or one Institutional Review Board research project, completed dissertation or thesis, or doctoral project

5. At least 120 hours as a preceptor for students in an academic program

6. Two or more consecutive years of volunteer service with an international, national, state, or local healthcare-related organization

7. 1,000 practice hours (not required to renew certification but an option to fulfill professional development)

8. Pass the current RN-BC exam

RN-BCs must complete the professional development section before completing the online renewal application.

Renewal Fees

• $250 American Nurses Association (ANA) Members

• $350 Nonmembers

• All fees include a $140 nonrefundable administrative fee

Part of the renewal process requires 75 Continuing Education Units (CEUs). All CEUs must be directly related to the RN-BC’s certification role and specialty. At least 60 CEUs must be formally approved CE hours, meaning they must meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Continuing nursing education (CNE) approved by an accredited provider of CNE

• Continuing medical education (CME) approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits

• Continuing education hours approved through the Joint Accreditation for Interprofessional Continuing Education

The ANCC also accepts other healthcare disciplines’ CEUs applicable to the RN-BC’s certification specialty. Repeat courses aren’t accepted for renewal. Renewal applicants may also convert academic coursework applicable to their certification specialty to CEUs. Besides the mandatory 75 CE hours, renewal applicants can complete 75 additional CE hours to fulfill the professional development requirement.

RN-BCs can Track Professional Development on the ANCC website as they complete each activity. Renewal applicants must use their account and complete the CE section of the Professional Development Record to document their CEUs. ANCC doesn’t accept certificates of completion in place of completing Professional Development entries.

• General Testing and Renewal Handbook

The ANCC also offers the following certifications:

• Ambulatory Care Nursing Certification (AMB-BC)

• Cardiac Vascular Nursing Certification (CV-BC)

• Gerontological Nursing Certification (GERO-BC)

• Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification (MEDSURG-BC)

• Pain Management Nursing Certification (PMGT-BC)

• Pediatric Nursing Certification (PED-BC)

• Informatics Nursing Certification (NI-BC)