The document provides instructions for obtaining continuing education (CE) approval from the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN). It outlines a 12-step process for submitting a CE activity for approval, including planning committees, objectives, presenter qualifications, commercial support disclosure, and post-activity reporting requirements. AORN reviews applications according to specific criteria to determine if an activity meets the definition of continuing nursing education.

1. Path to Nursing CE
Contact Hour Approval 5
The Association of periOperative Registered Nurses, Inc. is accredited
as an approver of continuing nursing education by the American
Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation (ANCC). 3 5. CONTENT
Must be directly related to the objective and
www.aorn.org/Education/CEApprovalProcess/ 3. PURPOSE/GOAL written as a topic outline or list of the
Note:
STATEMENT material to be presented to support the
One Contact Hour (CH) = 60 min.
1 2 See Instructions p. 10
ANCC doesn’t recognize CEUs; intended outcome and to justify allotted
timeframe. Please don’t just restate your
1. PLANNING 2. PRESENTER/AUTHOR Hint: Keep it objective. See Instructions p. 13
COMMITTEE See Instructions p. 7 concise. Please don’t
Must have at least two resate objectives. 4
members, one with BSN. CORRECT SAMPLE
See Instructions p. 4 4. OBJECTIVES
Hint: Presenter employed by Describe expected learner-oriented Objective Content
Hint: Include ANCC industry may present certain, 1. Describe the a. Arthritis – restricted
planning expertise
outcomes in measurable terms (using
unrelated topics only. symptoms a movement hip
measurable verbs). Specify a single
person who b. Pain not relieved by
action or outcome per objective, requires a non-steriodal anti-
CONFLICT OF INTEREST See Instructions pp. 11-12 total hip inflammatory
All planners and presenters must declare whether or not they replacement medications
have a conflict of interest. A “conflict of interest” exists when an may exhibit. c. Pain not relieved by
Hint: Examples of physical therapy
individual with a financial relationship to a commercial interest commonly used measurable INCORRECT SAMPLE d. Impact on ADL
can influence nursing CE content. A presenter with a conflict of behavioral verbs include:
2. Discuss the
interest must specify what that conflict is and how it was classify, compare, contrast, Objective Content possible a. Nerve damage
resolved. A verbal announcement must be made at the demonstrate, describe,
1. Describing The major complications b. Infection
beginning of the event or a written notification distributed to develop, differentiate,
discuss, explain, identify, the symptoms symptoms following total c. Failure of prosthetic
each participant prior to the beginning of the program. See list, and name. and risk for a for a hip device
Instructions p. 8. candidate for a candidate for replacement.
total hip total hip
replacement. replacement

2. WHAT DESIGNATES A COMMERCIAL INTEREST?
A Commercial Interest : Note: Continuing Education: Augment
1. Produces, markets, sells or distributes health care goods knowledge, skills, and attitudes, enriching
or services consumed by or used on patients; nurses’ contributions to quality health care.
2. Is owned or operated, in whole or in part, by any entity
that produces, markets, sells or distributes health care 6
goods or services consumed by or used on patients.
3. Is not a non-profit 503(c) organization, government, or a
6. TEACHING STRATEGIES
non-healthcare entity
Lecture, discussion,
Hint: Industry contributions PowerPoint slides, question &
used to pay all or part of the answer, demonstration, etc.
costs of CE activity. See Instructions p. 16
7 NOTE: Activity topics which do
7. COMMERCIAL SUPPORT
COMMERCIAL SUPPORT not support the definition of
Keep education separate from
continuing nursing education
If you are receiving commercial support, you must submit a promotional activities and are not permitted, including
Written Agreement for Commercial Support (see disclose all commercial support programs on financial planning
application). of educational activities. See and retirement, as identified by
Instructions p. 10 ANCC.

3. 8 8. MARKETING MATERIAL REVIEW STATUS CATEGORIES Hint: All of your programs
ANCC accreditation Approved: Program approved are stored in the
Approved pending changes: Most applications are My Applications area at
statement must be on all
sent back for changes that meet ANCC criteria. Please /www.aorn.org/applications/CEA
promotional material C/index
make changes and resubmit for final approval.
BEFORE approval can be
Denied: Program denied approval
granted. See Instructions
p. 18 11. PROGRAM APPROVAL
All programs are 13
Hint: ANCC considers its 10. PROGRAM REVIEW approved for two (2) years
accreditation statement The Continuing Education from approval date. 13. POST ACTIVITY
its BRAND statement. Records for each approved
Approval Committee Submit Post reports
(CEAC) members review educational activity will be online 30 days after
ANCC STATEMENT kept for six (6) years
This activity has been submitted to the applications according to presentation or
specific ANCC criteria; online. monthly for repeated
Association of periOperative Registered Nurses,
Inc. for approval to award contact hours. The 9. SUBMIT YOUR • Review time – programs.
Association of periOperative Registered Nurses, 3-4 weeks. 11 12
APPLICATION
Inc. is accredited as an approver of continuing Credit card payment • Rush reviews –less
nursing education by the American Nurses than 3 weeks 12. PRINT CERTIFICATE OF ATTENDANCE
required. See Fee
Credentialing Center’s Commission on AND EVALUATION FORMS
Schedule.
Accreditation. Once your application has been approved, you may print
out the Certificates of Attendance and Evaluation forms.
Activities that are approved by AORN are 9 10 Access your application by clicking on “Submit your
recognized as continuing education for application” button as you did before. Click on
registered nurses. This recognition does not NOTE: Review Notification sent via email. Be sure to “Eval/COA Forms” button.
imply that AORN or the ANCC Commission on include your correct email address in your
Accreditation approves or endorses any product application Hint: All of your programs
included in the presentation. are stored in the
My Applications area at
/www.aorn.org/applications/CEA
C/index
Copyright AORN, Inc. 2009