Q: When is the deadline for recertification?
A: The recertification deadline is July 1st.
Q: How do I know when I am due to recertify?
A: You can view your status online anytime by visiting the CNOR Verification page. Type in your name as directed to find the beginning and end dates of your CNOR credential. Or call us at 888-257-2667 between the hours of 8am and 4pm MT.
Q: What are the requirements for CNOR recertification?
A: You must be currently licensed as a registered nurse, must be CNOR certified and employed in perioperative nursing. Additionally, you must have worked a minimum of 500 hours in perioperative nursing over the 5-year certification period.
Q: What does it mean to have “worked 500 hours in perioperative nursing?”
A: For the purposes of recertification, CCI has defined perioperative nursing to include a variety of direct and indirect patient care roles. Staff nurses, managers, researchers and educators who perform those duties within the perioperative environment are all eligible. Working in areas such as interventional radiology, perioperative informatics, and as a manager for central processing are also considered perioperative nursing rolesVisit the eligibility page for a full list of eligible positions.
Q: How do I provide proof of having worked 500 hours in perioperative nursing?
A: There is an honors statement for you to sign on the application attesting to the number of hours you have worked in the last 5 years. If you are chosen for an audit, CCI may call your supervisor or Human Resource Department. You may also provide a letter from your supervisor on facility letterhead stating you have worked the 500 hours.
Q: What continuing education can be counted towards my required 125 hours?
A: Any education offering accredited by a CCI-accepted provider (listed on our continuing education page) and earned in the correct time frame is acceptable for your CNOR recertification. A minimum of 75 of those 125 hours must be perioperative specific.
Q: What constitutes “perioperative specific” contact hours?
A: Examples of subject matter that would be considered perioperative-specific include:
- Nursing process
- Recommended Practices
- Surgical procedures
- Professional development
- Ethics
- Infection control
- AORN Congress programs and Journal Home Studies
- Disease management
This list is not all inclusive, but it demonstrates the wide range of topic areas that pertain to perioperative nursing. Please visit our contact hours information page for additional topics.
Q: What time period do I have to have earned these contact hours?
A: Hours must have been earned between January 1, 2005 through June 30, 2010. (Note that this eligibility period will change beginning in 2011. Those due to recertify beginning in 2011 should visit read our contact hours update for complete details.
Q: What methods are available for CNOR recertification, and what do they cost?
A: You can recertify by contact hours ($210 for AORN members; $280 for nonmembers), by Portfolio ($210 for AORN members; $280 for nonmembers), or by exam ($295 for AORN members; $375 for nonmembers). You can also choose inactive status ($95 for AORN members; $175 for nonmembers), or if you're retired, you can choose CNOR(E) for a one-time fee of $95.
Q: I'm due to recertify but haven't been working for the past few years. Is there any way to avoid losing my credential?
A: Yes and No. Yes, you can apply for CNOR inactive status, which gives you a three-year period to meet the recertification requirements. No, you may not use your credential until you reactivate it. Find out more about applying for inactive status.
Q: How many home studies can I use for CNOR recertification?
A: There's no limit to the number of home studies you can use for CNOR recertification as long as they're accredited by a CCI-accepted provider.
Q: I plan to use contact hours accrued at AORN's Congress toward my recertification. Do I have to list each offering I attend separately, or can I list the total congress hours?
A: You can list the total number of hours earned for each congress you have listed on your form. However, if you are chosen for audit, you must submit the certificate received from AORN's Congress.
Q: How many contact hours do I receive for CMEs?
A: The conversion is 1 CME = 1 contact hour.
Q: I went back to school. How can I use my class time toward recertification?
A: You can convert academic credits to contact hours using the conversion of 1 semester hour = 15 contact hours, or 1 quarter hour = 10 contact hours. One half (62.5) of the 125 contact hours required for recertification may be earned through academic credits. If you choose to recertify by Portfolio, you may use academic credits for one of the 12 professional activities listed. Additional information on the Portfolio can be found at our portfolio page.
Q: Do I need to send in a log of my contact-hours with my recertification application?
A: A contact hour log must accompany all recertification by contact hour applications. If you are audited you will also need to send in copies of your certificates. The log can be submitted online when you apply for recertification online. If you are mailing or faxing your application, you can print your database record from your browser and submit the printout with your application.
