New Jersey Board of Nursing

Advanced Practice Nurse FACTS:

Certification via the New Jersey Board of Nursing is required to be an Advance Practice Nurse in New Jersey. N.J.A.C. 13:37-7.1 (a) Any nurse who wishes to practice as a nurse practitioner/clinical nurse specialist, or present, call or represent himself or herself as a nurse practitioner/clinical nurse specialist must be certified by the Board.

On November 1, 1999, Advanced Practice Nurse became the title in New Jersey for Nurse Practitioners and Clinical Nurse Specialists.  Advanced Practice Nurses may sign their credentialing as R. N., A.P.N.  Presently, there are almost 4,000 Certified Advanced Practice Nurses in 17 specialties.  

An A.P.N. in New Jersey has prescriptive authority and is required to have a joint protocol with a collaborating physician who is licensed in New Jersey, prior to prescribing any medication or medical device.

Application Information:

Prior to requesting an Application to become an A.P.N., C.

Each applicant should read all applicable regulations regarding becoming an Advanced Practice Nurse in New Jersey as found in N.J.A.C. 13:37-7.1 et. seq.  Please note that presently, New Jersey certifies clinical nurse specialists, nurse practitioners and master's prepared certified registered nurse anesthetists as Advanced Practice Nurses. The regulations are located here, Subchapter 7.

To request an application:

If you are an RN licensed in New Jersey, and meet the educational and examination requirements to become an A.P.N. please submit your request for an application via e-mail.   In the e-mail please include the following:

1. Contact information:  Name, address, phone number (include the area code).
2. Highest college/university degree related to Advanced Practice Nursing.
3. Your specialty and type of certification.
4. The type of application you wish: Initial certification, Endorsement or Re-instatement.
   Send your e-mail request to  APN@dca.lps.state.nj.us  and afterwards an e-mail reply with an application for  download will be sent to you.

Application Requirements

Each applicant for certification shall submit to the Board:

1. Proof of a current New Jersey registered professional nurse license in good standing.
2. A completed, application form and nonrefundable, application fee of $100.00 payable by money order or check only.  (After the application process is completed there is also a certificate fee of $80.00/$160.00 depending on the expiration of your Registered Professional Nurse License.)
3. Original Official Transcript(s) as proof of compliance with the Board's education requirements.
   (These are to be sent directly from the university/college(s) to the Board of Nursing.)
4. Proof of passing the highest level national Advanced Practice Nurse Examination in the area of clinical specialty.  (Certification information must be sent directly to the Board of Nursing from the Certifying Body.)
5. Proof that all advanced nursing practice certification(s)/licensure(s) which you have held in other states are in good standing, expired, or in some other status.  (The verification form is in the application packet.)

Education Requirements (N.J.A.C. 13:37-7.2 and 7.4):

Official school transcript (s) must be mailed directly to the Board of Nursing providing evidence of the following:

1. Graduation from a master's-level program designed to educate and prepare nurse practitioners/clinical nurse specialists.  If you have graduated from a  Post-Master's Certificate program designed to prepare the Advanced Practice Nurse, you must have the school(s) submit your Post-Master's program transcript and the official transcript from your Master's in Nursing program;

2. Completion of a graduate level 3-credit course in Pharmacology from a school duly accredited by a national accrediting agency approved by the Board; or a pharmacology course of at least 45 hours integrated into the Master's in Nursing program.

   NOTE: For integrated pharmacology where the hours completed are not designated on your transcript, you are required to have the Dean/Director of your Advanced Nursing Practice program submit to the Board of Nursing the certification validating the number of hours of integrated pharmacology which you have completed.  The Certification form is included with the application.

3. Nurses who completed the graduate level three (3) credit pharmacology course more than five (5) years prior to filing an application must provide proof of meeting the pharmacology requirements listed below.  Please submit either of the following:

   1. A transcript for a graduate level 3-credit pharmacology course completed within five (5) years prior to the application for Advanced Practice certification in New Jersey.  The transcript must be submitted directly to the Board from a school duly accredited by any national accrediting agency approved by the Board; or

   2. Continuing education program certificate(s) for 30 contact hours in continuing professional education which:

      1. Are related to the applicant's advanced practice category's scope of practice;
      2. Include pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic principles and their clinical application;
      3. Include the use of pharmacological agents in the prevention of illness, restoration and maintenance of health; and
      4. Are obtained within five (5) years prior to the date of application for prescriptive authority.

   Examination Requirements (N.J.A.C. 13:37-7.3 AND 7.4):

   Each applicant for certification shall be required to successfully pass the highest level practice examination in the area of specialization approved by the Board.  Written verification that the applicant has successfully passed the exam is to be submitted directly by the national certifying agency to the Board. (This exam should be for nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, or nurse anesthetists.)

   Endorsement Requirements (N.J.A.C. 13:37-7.8):

   An Advanced Practice Nurse certified in any other state(s) who wishes to be certified to practice in New Jersey as an Advanced Practice Nurse, or present, call or represent himself or herself as an Advanced Practice Nurse must be certified by the New Jersey Board of Nursing.  Application information is provided above.

   Joint Protocol

   The regulation regarding a Joint Protocol with a Collaborating Physician, N.J.A.C 13:37-6.3, is located here, Subchapter 6.  

   Prescriptive Authority

   An A.P.N. in New Jersey has prescriptive authority and is required to have a joint protocol with a collaborating physician who is licensed in New Jersey, prior to prescribing any medication or device.

   Prescription Blanks

   Licensed prescribers of medications in New Jersey are required to use uniform prescription blanks (N.J.P.B.s) which may be purchased only from approved printers/vendors.

   A current N.J.P.B. "Uniform Prescription Blanks Programs" Approved Vendor List is by calling the consumer service center at 973-504-6558 or online here.

   D.E.A. and C.D.S.:   If you plan to prescribe controlled dangerous substances after you become an A.P.N., C. you will also need C.D.S. registration and D.E.A. certification.

   C.D.S.:  You may go to the C.D.S.  website or contact the Drug Control Unit at 973-504-6351 to obtain an application.  (You are a mid-level practitioner.)

   DEA: 80 Mulberry St., 2nd Fl. Newark, NJ 07102.

   Self Reporting (N.J.A.C. 13:37-5.9)

   Each licensee has a continuing obligation to report to the Board of Nursing any changes in information as required by N.J.A.C. 13:37-5.9.   This regulation is located here.

   Change of Address (N.J.A.C. 13:37-5.7)

   The Advanced Practice Nurse must notify the Board in writing of a change of address no later than 30 days following the change of address. This regulation is located here, Subchapter 5.