Section 218.1 - Certified registered nurse practitioners; qualifications(a) The board may certify a licensed registered nurse as a certified registered nurse practitioner in a particular clinical specialty area if the nurse satisfies the requirements established by this act and regulations promulgated by the board. Certification of a nurse by the board shall expire on the same date as the license of that nurse expires.(b)(1) Beginning on the effective date of this section, a nurse shall not qualify for initial certification by the board under subsection (a) unless the nurse:(i) is a graduate of an accredited, board-approved master's or post-master's nurse practitioner program; and(ii) holds certification as a certified registered nurse practitioner from a board-recognized national certification organization which required passing of a national certifying examination in the particular clinical specialty area in which the nurse is seeking certification by the board.(2) This subsection shall not apply to a nurse who:(i) holds certification from the board as a certified registered nurse practitioner on the effective date of this subsection; or(ii) would otherwise qualify for certification as a certified registered nurse practitioner under section 7(b) . (3) In order to provide a transition period for persons who completed or were enrolled in an approved educational program on the effective date of this section and to permit those persons to apply for certification under the rules in existence immediately prior to the effective date of this section, the board shall issue initial certification to any person who, within two (2) years of the effective date of this section: (i) submits evidence of having completed or been enrolled in an approved educational program on the effective date of this section; and(ii) fulfills all administrative requirements of the board and possesses all of the other qualifications for certification in effect immediately prior to the effective date of this section.(c) As a condition for biennial renewal of certification by the board, a certified registered nurse practitioner must, in the two (2) years prior to renewal, complete at least thirty (30) hours of continuing education approved by the board. In the case of a certified registered nurse practitioner who is prescribing medical therapeutic or corrective measures pursuant to section 8.3, that continuing education must include at least sixteen (16) hours in pharmacology in that two-year period.1951, May 22, P.L. 317, No. 69, § 8.1 added 2002, Dec. 9, P.L. 1567, No. 206, § 3, effective in 60 days.