Ala. Admin. Code r. 610-X-4-.08

Current through Register Vol. 43, No. 1, October 31, 2024

Section 610-X-4-.08 - Renewal Of License

(1) License Periods:

(a) The Alabama single state registered nurse license shall be valid for two years beginning January 1 of each odd-numbered year and expiring December 31 of each even-numbered year.

(b) The Alabama multistate registered nurse license shall be valid for two years beginning January 1 of each even-numbered year and expiring December 31 of each odd-numbered year.

(c) All practical nurse licenses shall be valid for two years beginning January 1 of each even-numbered year and expiring December 31 of each odd-numbered year.

(2) Continuing Education Earning Period: Period of time during which contact hours shall be accrued. Begins upon initial licensure or renewal of an individual nurse's license during the renewal period and ends upon renewal of the individual nurse's license during the next renewal period.

(3) Renewal of License

(a) Beginning in 2022, the renewal period shall be from 8:00 a.m. on September 1 to 4:30 p.m. on December 31 of the year the license expires.

(b) Renewal notices may be transmitted electronically.

(c) To be eligible for renewal, the applicant shall:

1. Hold a valid, active Alabama license.

2. Submit a completed electronic renewal application and required fee(s).

3. Meet continuing education requirements.

(i) A licensed nurse shall, for the first license renewal, earn four contact hours of Board-provided continuing education related to statutory and administrative frameworks for nursing regulation, scope of practice, and standards of practice and one contact hour for each calendar month remaining in the earning period up to a maximum of 24 contact hours including the four hours of Board-provided continuing education referenced in the section.

(ii) A licensed nurse shall earn in each earning period not less than 24 contact hours of Board-approved or Board-recognized continuing education as a condition for renewal of license for the subsequent license period.

(iii) Failure to meet the continuing education requirement shall be cause for the license to lapse.

(4) An active license is required to practice nursing. The licensee shall have evidence of the active license available for employer inspection by January 1 of the new license period.

(5) Failure to receive the renewal application or notice shall not relieve the licensee of the responsibility of renewing the license by the expiration date.

(6) Any license not renewed as of December 31 of the renewal period shall lapse. Any individual who practices with a lapsed license shall be subject to penalties established under 610-X-8.

(7) Advanced practice nurses holding Alabama RN licenses shall renew approval to practice at the time of license renewal. Advanced practice nurses holding multistate RN licenses issued by party states shall renew approval to practice between September 1 and December 31 of odd-numbered years. Failure to meet the requirements of Chapter 610-X-5 or Chapter 610-X-9, as applicable, shall result in lapse of the advanced practice approval. The advanced practice approval shall expire prior to the RN license if the advanced practice nurse's national certification expires during the license period.

(a) Alabama-licensed Certified Registered Nurse Practitioners (CRNP) and Certified Nurse Midwives (CNM) with prescriptive authority shall earn, as part of the required twenty-four (24) Board-approved or Board-recognized continuing education contact hours for license renewal, six contact hours of pharmacology content specific to prescriptive practice in the approved area for collaborative practice. Graduate pharmacology academic credit earned during the nurse practitioner or nurse midwife educational program prior to initial approval as a CRNP or CNM does not qualify as pharmacology continuing education for renewal of approval as a CRNP or CNM.

(b) Alabama-licensed Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA) shall earn, as part of the required twenty-four (24) Board-approved or Board-recognized continuing education contact hours for license renewal, six contact hours of pharmacology. Graduate pharmacology academic credit earned during the nurse anesthetist educational program prior to initial approval as a CRNA does not qualify as pharmacology continuing education for renewal of approval as a CRNA.

(c) Alabama-licensed Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNSs) shall earn, as part of the required twenty-four (24) Board-approved or Board-recognized continuing education contact hours for license renewal, six contact hours of pharmacology. Graduate pharmacology academic credit earned during the clinical nurse specialist program prior to initial approval as a CNS does not qualify as pharmacology continuing education for renewal of approval as a CNS.

(d) If one year or less remains in the license period at the time of initial approval, continuing education contact hours specific to pharmacology are not required for the first advanced practice renewal.

(e) If the applicant for advanced practice approval holding an Alabama single state RN license is granted approval during the renewal period for single state licensed registered nurses, the approval will expire at the end of the next even-numbered year license period or the national certification period, whichever comes first.

(f) If the applicant for advanced practice approval holding a multistate registered nurse license is granted approval during the renewal period for multistate licensed registered nurses, the approval will expire at the end of the next odd-numbered year license period or the national certification period, whichever comes first.

(8) No later than June 30, 2020, Alabama-approved advanced practice nurses holding multistate licenses issued by party states other than Alabama shall notify the Board of their home state licensure status. Such nurses shall not be required to renew advanced practice approval in 2020; advanced practice approval must be renewed between September 1 and December 31 of every odd-numbered year thereafter.

(9) If an advanced practice nurse holding a multistate registered nurse license issued by a party state other than Alabama fails to maintain RN licensure in his or her home state, the advanced practice approval shall immediately lapse.

(10) Beginning January 1, 2020, and ending July 1, 2020, any eligible licensed practical nurse holding an Alabama single state license may elect to pay a one-time fee to convert the single state license to a multistate license. Following conversion, the multistate license shall be subject to all conditions of multistate licensure. Conversion from single state to multistate licensure shall not occur after July 1, 2020.

(11) A licensed nurse may apply to convert his or her single state license to a multistate license during the single state license renewal period; however, the conversion application is not complete until all elements of the application are received by the Board, including, but not limited to, the criminal history record information report and required continuing education. If the application for conversion to a multistate license filed during the single state license renewal period is not complete prior to the end of the single state license renewal period, but the nurse's application otherwise satisfies all requirements for renewal of the nurse's single state license, the single state license may be renewed, at the discretion of the Board, pending completion of the conversion process.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 610-X-4-.08

Filed September 29, 1982. Amended: Filed August 9, 1988; effective September 15, 1988. Amended: Filed February 15, 1991; effective March 22, 1991. Repealed and New Rule: Filed May 29, 2001; effective July 3, 2001. Repealed and New Rule: Filed September 29, 2004; effective November 1, 2004. Amended: Filed November 26, 2007; effective December 31, 2007. Amended: Filed May 16, 2008; effective June 20, 2008. Amended: Filed June 19, 2009; effective July 24, 2009. Amended: Filed November 19, 2010; effective December 24, 2010.

Amended by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XXXIV, Issue No. 07, April 29, 2016, eff. 6/6/2016.

Amended by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XXXV, Issue No. 02, November 30, 2016, eff. 1/5/2017.

Amended by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XXXVI, Issue No. 06, March 30, 2018, eff. 5/4/2018.

Amended by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XXXVI, Issue No. 10, July 31, 2018, eff. 9/3/2018.

Amended by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XXXVII, Issue No. 11, August 30, 2019, eff. 9/9/2019; operative 1/1/2020.

Amended by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XXXVIII, Issue No. 04, January 31, 2020, eff. 3/16/2020.

Amended by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XXXIX, Issue No. 02, November 30, 2020, eff. 1/14/2021.

Amended by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XL, Issue No. 02, November 30, 2021, eff. 1/14/2022.

Amended by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XL, Issue No. 10, July 29, 2022, eff. 9/12/2022.

Author: Alabama Board of Nursing

Statutory Authority:Code of Ala. 1975, § 34-21-23; Act 89-243.