Overview of Approval Criteria

Overview of Approval Criteria

Approval ProcessApproval Process

Qualified PlannersEach educational activity is planned collaboratively by at least one designated Nurse Planner and one other planner

Nurse planner must have at least a BSN

At least one member declares expertise using ANCC criteria

Must have representation in these areas:

Relevant content expertise; target audience; adherence to ANCC criteria

Presenter(s)

Expertise in subject matter based on education, professional achievements and credentials, work experience, honors, awards, professional publications

Expertise drives who may present

Cannot be employed by a commercial interest as a sales representative (con’t)

An entity HAS a commercial interest if it:

a) Produces, markets, sells or distributes health care goods or services consumed by or used on patients

b) Is owned or operated, in whole or in part, by any entity that produces, markets, sells or

c) distributes health care goods or services consumed by or used on patients.

An entity is NOT a commercial interest if it is:

a. A government entity;

b. A non-profit (503(c)) organization; or

c. A non-healthcare related entity.

Contact HoursOne contact hour = 60 minutes

Activities are approved to award contact hours for 2 years

Least amount that can be awarded: 0.5 contact hours

Contact hours may not be awarded retrospectively

If rounding occurs, must round down

Accreditation Statement

Must appear on all documents related to approved activity

Must stand alone

(con’t)

Accreditation StatementPrior to approval:

This activity has been submitted to the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) to award contact hours. AORN is accredited as an approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

Accreditation StatementAfter approval:

This continuing nursing education activity was approved by the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN), an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

(con’t)

Accreditation StatementAORN’s waiver in a separate paragraph below the ANCC accreditation statement:

Activities that are approved by AORN are recognized as continuing education for registered nurses. This recognition does not imply that AORN or the ANCC commission on Accreditation approves or endorses any product included in the presentation.

Effective Design Principles

Description of how the activity will enrich the nurse’s contributions to quality health care, or

Description of what the outcome of the activity will be.

Preferably one or two sentences

Not a restatement of objectives

Purpose/Goal Statement

Effective Design Principles Objectives

Learner-oriented

Measurable

Begins with a behavioral verb (see list under resources)

Example: Describe the symptoms a person who requires a total hip replacement may exhibit.

Effective Design Principles

Written in a topic outline

Should not be a restatement of objective

Adequate to justify allotted timeframe

Collaborative process between planners and presenter(s)

Content

Effective Design PrinciplesIndependent Study Description must contain:

How the effectiveness of the independent study was evaluated

The results of the evaluation The changes made based on the

evaluation Standard evaluation includes category

of evaluation.

Effective Design PrinciplesIndependent Study Method for calculating the contact hours

is described

Supportive documentation on the rationale used to determine the number of contact hours to be awarded is identified

Program materials are provided for review

Conflict of InterestSignificant financial interest in a product relevant to activity

An employee of a company with a real or perceived financial interest in activity

Planners and presenters must disclose the presence or absence of COI for each activity.

Commercial Support Definition: financial, or in-kind, contributions given by a commercial interest, which is used to pay all or part of the costs of a continuing nursing education activity.

Not considered commercial companies:

Providers of clinical service directly to patients

Software companies

Education companies

Non-profit organizations

Commercial Support

Education must be kept separate from promotional activities

Commercially-supplied funds for an educational activity such as grants or in-kind assistance should be acknowledged in brochures or other printed material.

Applications with commercial support must be submitted with a signed Written Agreement of Commercial Support

Commercial Support• NOTE: A presenter is ineligible for

approval if he or she is employed by a commercial interest as defined in the ANCC Standards for Commercial Support. A presenter employed by a commercial interest may present on topics unrelated to the commercial interest, such as leadership or mentoring.

Disclosures

Notice of requirements for successful completion

Conflicts of Interest

Sponsorship/Commercial Support

Non-endorsement of products

Off-label use

Criteria Checklist

Use the Criteria Checklist to help you review