ACNP Education and Events Endorsement Program

The Australian College of Nurse Practitioners (ACNP) has a history of providing quality education for nurses in Australia. ACNP has expertise in developing and reviewing education specifically targeted at meeting the needs of the nursing profession. In addition, our strong academic governance structure ensures all our programs are quality assured.

ACNP is pleased to provide our endorsement service for continuing professional development (CPD) activities aimed at enhancing the knowledge of the nursing profession, leading to improved health outcomes for our community.

Endorsement provides a national benchmark for the Nurse Practitioner and Advanced Care Nurse Profession. The endorsement process is designed to allow ACNP and endorsed partners to display the endorsement logo.

Continuing Professional Development:

Participants of endorsed CPD activities will be eligible to claim CPD hours to assist in meeting the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia’s (NMBA) Registration Standard for Continuing Professional Development.

The NMBA registration standard for CPD requires nurses to complete a minimum number of CPD hours:

• Registered Nurse – 20 hours
• Nurse Practitioner – 10 additional hours relating to:
  • Prescribing and administration of medicines
  • Diagnostic and investigations
  • Consultation and referral

Activities Eligible for CPD Hours:

Education and Events include lectures, presentations, and meetings as well as distance education and self-directed learning and help to maintain, update and broaden the nursing knowledge of participants.

Activities could range from:

• Tertiary, vocational and other accredited courses including distance education (should relate to context of practice)
• Conferences, forums, seminars and symposia
• Short courses, workshops, seminars and discussion groups through a professional group or organisation who may issue a certificate of compliance/completion
• Mandatory learning activities in the workplace in the area of practice
• Self-directed learning, and
• Other structured learning activities

Educational and Events Standards

The following criteria are used to assess activities for accreditation:

1. Does the educational activity help to update knowledge and skills, review performance and/ or measure outcomes?
2. Does the activity relate to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia’s (NMBA) Registration Standards for Continuing Professional Development?
3. Are the planned educational strategies based on adult learning principles?
4. Does the application show that some impact evaluation (changes in knowledge, skill, attitude, practice, or patient outcome) is planned?
5. Does the educational activity offer knowledge and skills at the level of a Nurse Practitioner or Advanced Practice Nurse?

How does endorsement work?

• ACNP endorses your educational program as suitable, and of a standard acceptable for Nurse Practitioners. Endorsement period is 2 years, unless your activity has significant changes involving greater than 10% of content.

• Fees for endorsement are $450.00 (plus GST) per CPD activity (under 8 hours of content/delivery)

• Fees for endorsement are $800.00 (plus GST) per CPD activity (over 8 hours of content/delivery)

• For courses over 40 hours of content/delivery, please contact us for a quotation.

• Endorsement is specific, and only relates to the activity in the original application and may not be transferred to other events.

• If your educational event is not approved there is a $75.00 (plus GST) administration fee.