What are the requirements to become registered for Autonomous Practice?
Eligibility for registration as an autonomous APRN includes the following:
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At least 3,000 clinical practice hours under the supervision of an allopathic or osteopathic physician within the past five years. These hours may consist of clinical instructional hours.
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Three graduate-level semester hours or 45 practitioner-level hours in differential diagnosis and three graduate-level semester hours or 45 practitioner-level hours in pharmacology completed within the past five years (documentation required); and
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not be subject to disciplinary action as specified in Section 456.072 F.S. or Section 464.018 F.S., or any similar disciplinary action in any state or jurisdiction within the past five years.
Do the 45 hours in each subject area have to be approved by the Florida Board of Nursing?
No, these courses must be offered by an educational provider approved by one of the following national organizations:
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Council on Certification of Nurse Anesthetists, or Council on Recertification of Nurse Anesthetists, or their predecessors
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American College of Nurse Midwives
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American Nurses Association (American Nurses Credentialing Center) Nurse Practitioner level examinations only
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National Certification Corporation for OB/GYN, Neonatal Nursing Specialties (nurse practitioner level examination only)
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National Board of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners and Associates (Pediatric Nurse Associate/Practitioner level examinations only)
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National Board for Certification of Hospice and Palliative Nurses
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American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (nurse practitioner level examination only)
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Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation
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American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN Certification Corporation)
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Adult Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Certification (ACNPC)
Where can I find the courses to fulfill the initial requirements?
There is a list of approved courses in C.E. Broker's course search:
How do I provide proof of graduate-level courses or CE completed for the autonomous registration?
You may upload a transcript or certificates of completed graduate-level courses or C.E. in your online MQA account while applying for the registration or under "Application Status" once you have submitted your registration application. Documents may also be emailed to MQA.NursingAppstatus@flhealth.gov or mailed to the Florida Board of Nursing, 4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin C-02, Tallahassee, FL 32399.
Please note that a course description may be requested if the title does not state "Pharmacology" or "Differential Diagnosis."
Will the information that I am registered be displayed on my license and within C.E. Broker?
Yes, there will be a notation on your license on the MQA license verification site and within your CE Broker account.
Do I need additional CE hours to maintain my autonomous practice registration?
You must complete 10 additional practitioner/graduate-level hours each license cycle. These hours are in addition to the standard CE requirements.
Can the initial certification courses also count towards the ten extra CE hours if completed within the license cycle I am registered for?
Yes, those hours will fulfill the 10 autonomous practice CE hours. Excess hours in the autonomous practice subject area will roll over to the general subject area.
For the latest information on the autonomous practice registration application, please visit the Florida Board of Nursing's website 👍