Ariz. Admin. Code § R4-19-309 - School Nurse Certification Requirements

A. An applicant for initial school nurse certification shall

1. hold a current license in good standing or multistate privilege to practice as a registered nurse in Arizona.

2. Submit a verified application to the Board on a form furnished by the Board that provides the following information about the applicant:

a. Full legal name and any former names used by the applicant;

b. Mailing address and telephone number;

c. Registered nurse license number;

d. Social security number;

e. A description of the applicant's educational background, including the number and location of schools attended, the number of years attended, the date of graduation, the type of degree or certificate awarded, and if applicable, evidence that the applicant has satisfied the requirements specified in subsection (B), (C) or (D);

f. Current employer, including address, telephone number, position type, dates of employment, and previous employer if the current employment is less than 12 months;

g. The name of any national certifying organization, specialty area, certification number and date of certification, if applicable; and for an applicant certified in as a nurse practitioner or clinical nurse specialist, the population of the certification;

h. Responses to questions regarding the applicant's background on the following subjects:

i. Current investigation or pending disciplinary action by a nursing regulatory agency in the United States or its territories or current investigation in another state or territory of the United States;

ii. Action taken on a nursing license by any other state;

iii. Undesignated offenses, felony charges, convictions and plea agreements, including deferred prosecution;

iv. Misdemeanor charges, convictions and plea agreements, including deferred prosecution, that are required to be reported under A.R.S. § 32-3208 :

v. Unprofessional conduct as defined in A.R.S. § 32-1601 ;

vi. Substance use disorder within the last five years; and

vii. Current participation in an alternative to discipline program in any other state;

i. Explanation and supporting documentation for each affirmative answer to questions regarding the applicant's background; and

j. E-mail address, ethnic category and marital status at the applicant's discretion.

3. Pay applicable fees.

B. National certification. In addition to the requirements of subsection (A), if an applicant provides evidence of current national certification as a school nurse or school nurse practitioner from an organization that meets the requirements of R4-19-310, the applicant qualifies for Arizona school nurse certification without meeting the requirements in subsection (C) for as long as the national certification remains current. The nurse shall provide evidence of continuing certification upon each renewal under subsection (D).

C. Initial certification

1. In addition to the requirements in subsection (A), the registered nurse applicant shall provide evidence of completion of all the following:

a. Three semester hours in school nurse practice course work;

b. Three semester hours in physical assessment of the school-aged child course work unless the applicant provides evidence of current national certification from an organization that meets the requirements of R4-19-310 as a pediatric nurse practitioner, family nurse practitioner, or pediatric clinical nurse specialist; and

c. Three semester hours in nursing care of the child with special needs.

2. An initial certificate expires six years after the issue date on the certificate.

D. Renewal of certification.

1. If the initial certificate of a school nurse has expired and the applicant, has met the requirements in subsections (B) or (C)(1) of this Section, the applicant is eligible to apply for re-certification. Within the application, the applicant shall provide evidence of completion of one of the following for renewal of certification:

a. Current national certification as a school nurse as specified in subsection (B),

b. A bachelor of science or graduate degree in nursing earned from an accredited institution as specified in R4-19-201(A) within the last six years, or

c. Evidence of completion of a minimum of 90 contact hours of continuing education activity, as defined in R4-19-101, related to school nursing practice and completed within the last six years.

2. Renewal of certification expires six years after the issue date on the certificate.

B. An initial or renewal of certificate expires six years after the issue date on the certificate.

E C. The Board shall grant a school nurse certificate to any applicant who meets the criteria established in statute and this Article. An applicant who is denied a school nurse certificate may request a hearing by filing a written request with the Board within 30 days of service of the Board's order denying the certificate. Hearings shall be conducted in accordance with A.R.S. Title 41, Chapter 6, Article 10.

Notes

Ariz. Admin. Code § R4-19-309

Former Section II, Part IX; Repealed effective February 20, 1980 (Supp. 80-1). Former Section R4-19-31 renumbered and amended as Section R4-19-32 effective May 9, 1984 (Supp. 84-3). Former Section R4-19-32 renumbered as Section R4-19-309 (Supp. 86-1). Repealed effective July 19, 1995 (Supp. 95-3). New Section made by final rulemaking at 8 A.A.R. 1813, effective March 20, 2002 (Supp. 02-1). Former Section R4-19-309 renumbered to R4-19-311; new Section R4-19-309 renumbered from R4-19-308 and amended by final rulemaking at 10 A.A.R. 792, effective April 3, 2004 (Supp. 04-1). Amended by final rulemaking at 19 A.A.R. 1308, effective July 6, 2013 (Supp. 13-2). Amended by final rulemaking at 25 A.A.R. 919, effective 6/3/2019.