Approved Provider Definition

An approved provider may be an individual, institution, organization or agency responsible for the development, implementation, evaluation, financing, record keeping and quality of Nursing Continuing Professional Development (NCPD) activities. Rather than submit an application for a single event, you submit an application to become a provider of nursing continuing professional development. An approved provider is authorized to award contact hours for NCPD activities for their organization through adherence to ANCC standards. Examples of provider include:

  • C/SNA of ANA
  • University or Community College
  • Healthcare Facility
  • Professional Association
  • Educational Groups

A commercial interest organization, one that produces, markets, sells or distributes health care goods or services consumed by or used on patients, cannot be an Approved Provider. An approved provider may award contact hours for an unlimited number of educational activities during its three-year approval period. An approved provider may NOT approve NCPD activities for other entities.  

The Approved Provider Process Manual outlines the steps of becoming an approved provider of nursing continuing professional development.

The first step in the process is to submit the Online Eligibility Form.

Once the CNA Accredited Approver Unit has reviewed your eligibility, we will notify you that you may proceed with the approval application process. If there are any questions about your eligibility, you may be asked to submit further information for review.

All applications need to be completed in one session, there is no longer a way to save applications to be completed at a later date. Please be prepared with all documentation and attachments before starting the application process

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Step 1: 

Review the Approved Provider Process Manual and/or view the video, Navigating the Approved Provider Application, which is posted at the bottom of this page

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Step 2: 

Submit the Online Eligibility Form

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Step 3: 

Review the paper form and consider completion of the Approved Provider Application in the Word document before completing the online version (step 5 below).  You may then cut-and-paste content to online form

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Step 4: 

Make sure you have completed 3 Individual Activities that meet the Activity File Requirements to be included in your Application/Self-Study

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Step 5: 

Complete the Approved Provider Application Online Form and Payment 

If you’ve previously started an application before June 2024 and are returning to complete it, kindly utilize this link Approved Provider Application

Fees

The self-study fee is based on your organizational characteristics:

Contact Hours Cost
Single Facility Provider self-study Application $2,000
System Provider self-study Application $3,000
Multi-System (6 or more Facilities) self-study Application $4,800

Applications will not be reviewed until application fee is received.

Eligibility to apply criteria must be met prior to submitting your self-study. If questions, please contact CNA at 720-457-1194.

All fees must be submitted to CNA with Approved Provider self-study Documentation forms. 

Your self-study will not be reviewed until all fees are submitted.

The fees are related to the costs of conducting a nurse peer review of the ANCC Approved Provider criteria and does not guarantee approval of the self-study.

Colorado Nurses Association is accredited as an approver of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.