Eighty (80) continuing education hours must be earned during the five (5) year certification period:

  1. A minimum of fifty (50) continuing education hours must be gerontological health care specific topics
  2. The remaining thirty (30) continuing education hours can be a combination of general nursing, health care and academic

A: Gerontological Health Care continuing education (minimum of 50 hours)

  1. Continuing education hours awarded for attendance at seminars and conferences with content specific for gerontological health care and are accredited as an approver/provider of continuing education, such as the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), a state board of nursing, nursing association or Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP)
  2. Nursing and professional publications and presentations specific to gerontological health care:
  3. Independent study (home study) by an accredited approver/provider of continuing education within the 5-year certification period – 1 contact hour is equivalent to 1 continuing education hour.
  4. CME – 1 continuing medical education credit is equivalent to 1 continuing education hour.
  5. Membership on a national or local board or committee – a 1-hour meeting or conference call is equivalent to 1 continuing education hour, maximum 10 hours per recertification period.
  6. GNCC Test Development Committee or task force participant – a one day session is equivalent to 3 continuing education hours, maximum 9 hours per recertification period.
  7. Preceptor hours – 120 preceptor hours is equivalent to 20 continuing education hours, maximum 20 hours per recertification period.

B: General Nursing, Health Care, and Academic continuing education (maximum of 30 hours)

  1. Academic courses must be focused on older adults – each academic semester hour is equivalent to 15 continuing education hours, each quarter hour is equivalent to 10 continuing education hours.
  2. Continuing education hours earned for general nursing or health care are awarded at the same rate as gerontological health care continuing education hours.
  3. CME – 1 continuing medical education credit is equivalent to 1 continuing education hour.

Continuing education hours must be documented with:

  1. Copies of certificates of attendance at approved seminars or conferences.
  2. Copies of published materials, presentations, or multimedia productions (i.e., video, audio tapes, or computer-generated discs).