1. APRN Licensure, Certification and National Provider IdentifierBy
Olushola Alaka, DNP, ANP-BC

2. APRN Licensure
Application for APRN licensure to be obtained on the Georgia Board of Nursing (GBON) website.
Cost- $75.00 non-refundable
Request your national certifying body to submit verification of national certification to the GBON at time of application.
Official transcripts from your nursing education program which document graduation from an accredited APRN program should be submitted simultaneously.

3. APRN Licensure
Applicants for authorization as an APRN should have one of the following:
1) Graduation from an advanced practice nursing education program within four years of the date of application
2) Five hundred (500) hours of practice as an advanced practice registered nurse within the four years.
3) Completion of a Board approved advanced practice reentry program. As well as, have your employer complete the attached “Verification of Employment Form” or submit a copy of your transcripts documenting graduation from an accredited APRN education program to provide documentation of active practice within the four years preceding the date of this application.

4. APRN Licensure
Applicants must disclose all previous arrests, history of treatment for substance abuse or dependence and discipline. Provide treatment plan, practice recommendations and discharge summary as part of your application packet.
Sign and notarize application.
Applications are processed in the order in which they are received and are valid for one year from the date of submission.

5. APRN Licensure
******* REMINDER******* You MUST NOT engage in practice as an APRN in Georgia until you are authorized by the Georgia Board of Nursing. No matter how tempting it may be!

6. APRN Certification
You can become certified as an APRN through American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP).
ANCC board certification examination is a competency based examination that provides an entry-level assessment of clinical knowledge and skills of nurse practitioners.
This certification aligns with the Consensus Model for APRN Regulation: Licensure, Accreditation, Certification and Education. Once you complete eligibility requirements to take the certification examination and successfully pass the exam you will be certified.

7. APRN Certification ANCC credential is valid for 5 years.
Price for initial certification application ranges from $
ANCC provides a host of certification programs for NP, CNS and specialty nursing.

8. APRN Certification
AANP Certification Examinations are entry-level, examinations for nurse practitioners for each of the following Nurse Practitioner specialties:
Adult Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
AANP credential is valid for 5 years
Price for initial certification application ranges from $

9. What does NPI mean? What is the significance?
A National Provider Identifier or NPI is a unique 10- digit identification number.
issued to health care providers in the United States by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) mandated the adoption for health care providers and health plans.

10. National Provider Identifier
The purpose is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the electronic transmission of health information. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has developed the National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES) to assign these unique identifiers.
All health care providers that are considered covered entities under HIPAA, and those who file claims electronically or use a clearinghouse to bill insurance, are required to apply for an NPI.

11. References
American Nurses Credentialing Center (n.d.) Family NP.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (n.d) NPI: What you need to know. Education/Medicare-Learning-Network- MLN/MLNProducts/downloads/NPIBooklet.pdf
Georgia Board of Nursing (n.d) Application, Initial Authorization APRN. on%20-%20Initial%20Authorization%20(APRN).pdf