DISCLAIMER: This information is provided as general guidance. It is the learner’s responsibility to understand the requirements by the applicable association, state and/or specialty and adhere to them precisely. In addition, it is the learner’s responsibility to verify the type of credit awarded by looking in the course brochure, flyer, advertisement, handout, etc. for the applicable accreditation statement.
Pharmacology contact hours is not a type of credit (i.e., CNE, CME). Instead, it is a topic designation (i.e., content) and self-claimed by the learner. This is an important distinction because the topic of pharmacology is commonly embedded within a multi-topic conference or not explicit making it difficult to designate the relevant contact hours. For this reason, the UPMC Center for Continuing Education in the Health Sciences (CCEHS) does not typically specifically designate pharmacology contact hours for any Regularly Scheduled Series (i.e. grand rounds, case conferences, journal clubs). Beginning in 2021 with the implementation of a new feature in the CCEHS learning management system, activities approved for ANCC credit (i.e. CNE) and designed specifically for advanced practice nurses and include content that addresses pharmacology may be specifically designated on the learners transcript at the discretion of the course planning committee and facilitated by the course organizer. Said differently, the CCEHS learning management system has the ability to designate pharmacology contact hours but the planning committee makes the decision and the designation. In these instances, the designation including the number of hours will be included on the learner’s certificate and credit transcript.
Please note the following:
- Primary responsibility for documenting completion of the continuing education requirements rests with the individual. Please retain a copy of the activity agenda or other documentation as evidence to validate the relevant pharmacology contact hours.
- In Pennsylvania , at least 16 hours of Board-approved continuing education (e.g., CNE, CME) in pharmacology (as a topic) is required. According to the PA code, 49 Pa. Code Chapter 21. State Board Of Nursing (pacodeandbulletin.gov) the following provisions related to content apply.
- Continuing education activities must address the CRNP’s specialty.
- Pharmacology continuing education activities must provide the knowledge and skills to understand the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of broad categories of drugs or drugs used in the CRNP’s specialty and to analyze the relationship between pharmacologic agents and physiologic/pathologic response
- To view the ANCC guidelines visit FAQs | Accreditation | American Nurses Credentialing Center (nursingworld.org).