Credentials Awarded: APHN-BC

Eligibility Criteria
(Must meet all requirements for either Option A, B, or C)

Option A - Nurses who have completed a graduate degree in public or community health nursing

• Hold a current, active RN license in a state or territory of the United States or the professional, legally recognized equivalent in another country.
• Hold a graduate degree in public and/or community health nursing from a program accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC).

Note for Option A only: If your graduate program is a clinical nurse specialist program that meets the Masters Essentials criteria, you may request that the PHCNS-BC credential be awarded instead of the APHN-BC. To meet the Masters Essentials criteria, your program must include three separate courses, in advanced pathophysiology, advanced pharmacology, and advanced physical/health assessment. A minimum of 500 faculty-supervised clinical hours in the Public and/or Community Health CNS role and specialty must also be included in the educational program.

Option B: Nurses who have completed a master’s degree in public health (MPH)

• Hold a current, active RN license in a state or territory of the United States or the professional, legally recognized equivalent in another country.
• Hold a bachelor’s or higher degree in nursing.
• Hold a master’s in public health (MPH).

Option C: Nurses who have completed a graduate degree other than public/community health nursing (this option is valid until December 31, 2015)

• Hold a current, active RN license in a state or territory of the United States or the professional, legally recognized equivalent in another country.
• Hold a graduate degree in nursing or a related field. If the graduate degree is not in nursing, then the bachelor’s degree must be in nursing.
• Have completed a minimum of 2,000 practice hours of advanced public/community health nursing within the last 3 years. (This includes clinical teaching/supervision in an undergraduate or graduate-level public/community health nursing program.)