Advanced Practice Licensure & Professional Certification
Nurse Practitioner License and Registration in New York
Students who have completed all Columbia Nursing and specialty requirements are eligible to register in New York State as a Nurse Practitioner (except for Midwifery and Anesthesia students) in that specialty. Students must submit an application for licensure to NYS. Part of the application requires the school’s attestation of professional education – students should submit this part of their licensure application, NYS Nurse Practitioner Form 2 to the Office of Academic Affairs. The Office of Academic Affairs will request the student’s transcript to accompany the form. Completion of specialty program requirements is verified on the transcripts. Please account for at least 5-10 business days for the form to be completed by the Office of Academic Affairs.
Nurse Practitioner License in State Other Than New York
Most states require that candidates have their degree conferred and reflected on their transcript for licensure/registration as an Advanced Practice Nurse. Students should check with specific state requirements. When requesting transcripts through SSOL to accompany licensure paperwork, students should send all Columbia University School of Nursing transcripts (undergraduate and graduate). Students should submit state licensure forms that require verification of education to the Office of Academic Affairs for completion. All forms are completed by the Office of Academic Affairs, not the program directors. The Office of Academic Affairs submits all forms directly to the state. Forms will not be returned to students.
Additional Resources:
LPN/LVN and Registered Nurse License Information by State
Prescriptive Privileges for Nurse Practitioner Licensure in California
Columbia Nursing’s Advanced Pharmacology courses (N8102 and N8661) contain the content that the state of CA requires in Advanced Pharmacology courses. However, the CA Board of Nursing requires NP applicants educated outside of CA to complete an approved module regarding CA laws and regulations in order to prescribe schedule II controlled substances. Students can contact the CA Board of Nursing for a roster of approved modules. Approved modules can be taken online at any time before, during or after the nurse practitioner application is submitted to CA Board of Nursing. If such a course does not accompany the NP application, it can be taken at any time in order to get prescriptive privileges.
The California Association for Nurse Practitioners (CANP) offers a three hour online Controlled Substance II course that meets the CA Board of Nursing requirement.
Prescriptive Privileges for Nurse Practitioners in Other States
Many states have their own state specific requirements for prescriptive privileges. Please contact the state directly to confirm if any additional education may be required to obtain your prescriptive privileges. Students should submit state licensure forms that require verification of pharmacology education to the Office of Academic Affairs for completion. Academic Affairs can be contacted at 212-342-3920 or son-ocas@cumc.columbia.edu. The Office of Academic Affairs submits all forms directly to the state. Forms will not be returned to students.
Midwifery License in New York State
Students who have completed all Columbia Nursing and specialty requirements for a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree or Post MS Certificate are eligible to register in New York State as a Midwife. Students must submit an application for licensure to NYS. Part of the application requires certification of professional education – students should submit this part of their licensure application, Midwife Form 2, to the Office of Academic Affairs. This form will be sent after the Conferral of the Degree or Certificate. The Office of Academic Affairs will request the student’s transcript to accompany the form. Completion of specialty program requirements is verified on transcripts. Midwifery students must also sit for and pass their boards in order to receive their midwifery license.
Professional Certification
Graduates of Master’s degree, Doctor of Nursing Practice degree or Post MS Certificate programs are eligible to take a professional certification examination in the area of their clinical specialty.
All states require professional certification for practice as a nurse-anesthetist or nurse-midwife. Graduates in these clinical majors are eligible to take the national certification examinations offered by the Council on Certification of Nurse Anesthesia and the American College of Nurse-Midwifery.
Further information regarding certification for specialist practice should be sought from faculty advisors and the specific nurse practitioner certification organization. When requesting transcripts be sent to certification bodies through SSOL, students should send all Columbia University School of Nursing transcripts (undergraduate and graduate, if applicable).
The following professional organization certification bodies will schedule certification exams for students who have completed the requirements of the school and the specialty. Degree conferral is not a requirement to sit for the exam, however certification may not be issued until the degree is conferred and final official transcripts are received:
ANCC (American Nurse Credentialing Corporation)
Eligibility
Candidates may be authorized to sit for the examination after all coursework and
faculty-supervised clinical practice hours for the degree are complete, prior to degree
conferral and graduation, provided that all other eligibility requirements are met. Please
note, the Validation of Education form and official/unofficial transcripts showing that
coursework (and faculty-supervised clinical practice hours) is completed are
required before authorization to test will be issued. ANCC will retain the candidate’s
exam result and will issue certification on the date the final, degree-conferred and
official transcript is received, all other eligibility requirements are met, and a passing
result is on file.
Additional Resources:
Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Certification (AGACNP-BC)
Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Certification (AGPCNP-BC)
Family Nurse Practitioner Certification (FNP-BC)
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (Across the Lifespan) Certification (PMHNP-BC)
AACN-AG (American Association of Critical-Care Nurses)
Eligibility
A current, unencumbered U.S. RN or APRN license is required.
An unencumbered license is not currently being subjected to formal discipline by any
state board of nursing and has no provisions or conditions that limit the nurse’s practice
in any way. Nurses who do not hold an unencumbered license should email AACN
at APRNcert@aacn.org.
Candidates must complete a graduate-level advanced practice education program as an
adult-gerontology ACNP at a nationally accredited school of nursing. The school’s
curriculum must include supervised clinical and didactic coursework consistent with
competencies of adult-gerontology ACNP practice.
PNCB (Pediatric Nursing Certification Board: PNP-PC)
Licensure
Current, active, unencumbered RN license issued by a US state, US territory, or Canada
and meet educational requirement below
Education
Graduation from an accredited college or university that offers a ACEN or CCNE
accredited nursing master's or doctoral degree with a concentration in pediatric primary
care as a nurse practitioner or formal dual primary/acute care program
OR
Graduation from a post master's pediatric primary care nurse practitioner certificate program from an accredited college or university
Your transcript must document completion of all requirements for a nursing postgraduate
certificate or master's, BSN-DNP, or post-master’s DNP degree with a
concentration in pediatric primary care or dual primary/acute care as a nurse
practitioner.
AANP (American Academy of Nurse Practitioners: AGNP/FNP)
Eligibility
Current U.S. or Canadian RN licensure is required.
An individual’s educational preparation must be congruent with the corresponding
national certification examination/process.
Candidates may obtain a Preliminary Pass or Fail status at the testing center upon
completion of the examination. A preliminary report of Pass from the testing site is not
official notification, does not indicate active certification status, and may NOT be used
for employment or licensure as an NP.
An official final transcript showing degree conferred and date awarded by the
educational program must be received and processed before a score report is released
to any candidate.
Additional Information for Candidates enrolled in a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program
- Applicants enrolled in a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program may begin the application process as early as 1 year prior to completion of their program.
- Candidates enrolled in a DNP program must complete all of their NP program didactic courses and requirements including the faculty-supervised clinical practice hours required for the program before they will be eligible to sit for the certification examination in the area of their specialty.
- Exam scores of DNP candidates who take the examination do not expire.
- An official transcript showing DNP degree awarded and conferral date is required to release a score.
- The certification start date will be the date the score is released, not the date the examination was taken.
AMCB (American Midwifery Certification Board: MIDW)
Eligibility
A. Proof of licensure, active on the date of the examination, as a U.S. Registered Nurse
B. Satisfactory completion of a graduate degree or has met the institutional
requirements for a graduate degree from a program accredited by or with pre-accreditation
status from the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education
(ACME).
C. Verification by the director of the nurse-midwifery program confirming the candidate
has met the institutional requirements for a graduate degree, and the date it was
completed.
D. Attestation by the director of the nurse-midwifery program that the candidate is
performing at the level of a safe, beginning practitioner.
Students should contact their faculty advisor with any questions, and for completion of
certification forms.