Chapter 4. Continuing Education
Summing Up: 4 Easy Steps for CE
1. Complete the below forms below and send to Mariel Snyder, Membership and Chapter Coordinator.
a. Application for Continuing Education Units Form
b. Speaker/Faculty Biographical Sketch Form
c. CE Program Outline Form
d. CE Speaker Policy Disclosure
e. Continuing Education Planner Disclosure Form (if necessary)
f. Co-Providership Agreement Form (if necessary)
2. Mariel will send these forms to Suzy Hughes, Chief Learning Officer. Suzy will share the forms with the
Continuing Education Committee. The committee will review the forms and make sure your planned
program meets the minimum requirements. Keep in mind that although the CE committee is charged
with the review and assuring that the CE activity meets all of the AANP guidelines/requirements, PCNA
is not an approver. We are an approved provider. Together the national office and the CE committee
work with our chapters to offer high quality CE that meets all of the AANP criteria. Send all forms at
least 6-8 weeks prior to the date of your event!
3. Refer to the CE Check List and Necessary Documentation for PCNA CE Providership to make sure your
program meets these minimum requirements.
4. Once the CE portion of your event is ready to go, Mariel will send out a Save-the-Date to chapter
members.
PCNA Program Planning and Evaluation Guidelines
Thank you for your commitment to ensuring that PCNA develops high-quality continuing education programs.
Please reference the guidelines below when working with staff, committees, authors, and faculty in program
development. The following components are required for each educational program:
Needs Assessment
 Literature review demonstrates that a problem or educational/clinical practice gap exists
 Literature review shows that nurse-managed cases improve patient outcomes
 Survey data from PCNA members and program evaluations demonstrate educational needs
Target Audience
 Based on the findings in the needs assessment, determine who has a need for further education on the
topic
Objectives and Content Summaries
 Objectives and content summaries are developed based on the findings in the needs assessment
 All objectives are written in a manner in which, when evaluated by participants for having been achieved,
may be measured for effectiveness.
Effective verbs to use in writing measurable educational objectives include: Cite, Define, Identify, List,
Apply, Implement, Develop, Integrate, Summarize, Compare, Contrast, Categorize, Describe, Classify,
Explain, Calculate, Perform, Outline, Distinguish, Demonstrate
 All objectives and content summaries are free of commercial bias
 All objectives and content summaries demonstrate that this activity will exceed the learner’s basic NP
education
Learning Material/Presentation
 The activity exceeds the learner’s basic NP education
 The activity is designed to enhance the knowledge and skills of NPs to provide patient-centered,
evidenced-based care, and promote positive outcomes
 The learning materials and presentations are free of commercial bias, including no off-label discussion or
promotion of specific products, services, or devices
Authors/Faculty
 The authors/faculty selected are qualified to develop/present material to an NP or higher level audience,
including those identified as the target audience
 The authors/faculty selected to develop/present this material have no perceived conflicts of interest, such
as serving on an industry’s speakers bureau in the same general clinical area, or an employee of the
sponsoring company
In the case of perceived conflict of interest, the planning committee shall work with those involved in
development to determine if, upon further investigation the author/faculty member should be allowed to
continue or should be dismissed.
Program Evaluation
See form listed under Chapter 2. as Event Evaluation Form
Immediately following the program, an evaluation is conducted to determine:
 To what degree were the stated objectives achieved?
 Was the author/faculty knowledgeable and effective in communication of the topic?
 How much greater was the participants level of knowledge of the topic post-program?
 Will participants make practice changes based on what was learned at the program?
 Was the program free of commercial bias?
CE Checklist
This checklist has been created to assist the PCNA CE Committee in evaluating CE programs for content
required by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. These activities must ensure NP continuing
education content that is beyond the basic nursing and NP education. NP continuing education includes
information and activities designed to enhance, improve, or maintain NPs ability to provide high quality care.
In addition to clinical content, it may include related content in areas such as research, education, and
administration, among others.
 Nurse Practitioner on the program planning committee ______________________________
Required Materials:
 Basis for need
 Program outline
 Educational objectives
 Content summary
 Credit # appropriate (PCNA National Office calculation)
 Target audience
 Speaker information including name, credentials, biosketch
 Co-provider agreements (if necessary)
 Commercial or third-party support agreements (if necessary)
 Meeting Evaluation
Necessary Documentation for PCNA CE Providerships
All forms are available online on the Chapter Webpage, under Chapter Manual. If you need assistance locating
these forms, contact Mariel Snyder at msnyder@pcna.net

Before CE Event:
o Speaker/Faculty Biographical Sketch Form (for each presenter)
o CE Program Outline Form (outline, behavioral objectives, statement of need)
o CE Speaker Policy Disclosure (for each presenter, new one for each event)
o Co-Providership Agreement Form (if event is sponsored)
o Inform National of any sponsors
o Copy of any promotional material, or program announcement

During CE Event:
o Attendance must be taken including:
 First name
 Last name
 Suffix
 Address (including city, state & Zip)
 E-mail
 License #
 License State
o Disclosure statement must be included in slides and stated verbally
o All Attendees must fill out CE Evaluation Form with required information
o Distribute CE Certificates after collecting Evaluation Form

After CE Event scan and email, or mail the below:
o Provide national with attendee list
o Provide national office with all of the evaluations