What resources for NCPD are available through CNA and how does NCPD connect to the Colorado Nurses Association (CNA), specifically?
Starting with the global association, membership in the American Nurses Association (ANA) offers multiple tools through the website: www.nursingworld.org
You begin with the American Nurse publication, the Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, and the SmartBrief emails. You also have access to CINAHL, Drug Name Error Finder Tool, and a Global Disease Alert Map. There are multiple downloadable guidelines for medication management and other tools related to consumer safety. Membership entitles you to discounts at the Magnet conferences, personal certification prep tools, and a reduction in the actual exam fees. ANA offers information on Nursing Wellbeing, connections to national issues with Make Your Voice Heard, and more.
ANA offers over 150 contact hour online courses and more than 15% of these are free, the rest are discounted for members when you are logged in.
Continuing Education (CE) Opportunities for Nurses | ANA
Accessed November 30, 2024.
Locally, CNA is accredited as an Approver Unit by the American Nurses Credentialing Centers (ANCC) Commission on Accreditation (COA). This means that CNA can support nursing professional development through two avenues. First, we accept Individual Activity Applications. These are submitted to CNA through our website (with an appropriate fee payment). The activities are evaluated for adherence to ANCC (gold standard measures) criteria by nurse peer reviewer volunteers and the program director. Once all criteria have been met, the applicant receives an approval letter with the statement that they can use on their disclosure and the activity certificate statement. The approval statement notifies learners that this NCPD has met ANCC criteria. CNA approved over 70 individual activities in 2024.
The other way CNA supports NCPD is through the approval of Provider Units. These agencies also apply and pay fees with a written “self-study” document explaining how they meet ANCC criteria in providing programs, courses, and activities for their learners. Again, the approval requires the review of a nurse peer and the program director. Approved Providers receive a 3-year approval and can receive support from the program director along with other provider unit networking opportunities at meetings and via emails. Provider units can plan and deliver NCPD for their organization or to the general nursing public. Currently, there are 16 Approved Provider Units with CNA. 2024 data shows that the Colorado Nurses Association has supported over 700 nursing activities with these units. The final numbers will be available in spring 2025.
If you have an interest in supporting this work, the Approver unit is always interested in connecting volunteer nurses with a BSN or higher, who have an active nursing license, and a passion for supporting nurses in all arenas with the reviews of these applications. Please join us. The time commitment is generally 5-10 hours per month. One-on-one training is available.
Contact Nan Morgan, MS, RN at programdirector@ColoradoNurses.org for more information, any questions you have or to apply by sending an email.
Nursing Continuing Professional Development Advisory Council – Colorado Nurses Association
