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 | Get your Graduate Degree in Connecticut |
 | Earn your National Certification in Connecticut |
 | Apply for your License in Connecticut |
 | Renewing your APRN License in Connecticut |
The Connecticut Department of Public Health, Board of Examiners for Nursing (860-509-7603 or [email protected] ) licenses registered nurses who meet the qualifications to work as advanced practice registered nurses (APRN) in the state.
Three types of APRNs may be licensed to practice in Connecticut:
You must hold an RN license in Connecticut before you may apply for APRN licensure.
The steps that follow explain how to become licensed as an advanced practice registered nurse in Connecticut.
In order to be licensed as an APRN, the Connecticut Board of Examiners for Nursing requires completion of a master’s degree at minimum in the area of practice and specialty in which you are nationally certified.
FIND SCHOOLS Sponsored ContentThe Connecticut Board of Examiners for Nursing defers to the national certifying agencies that it recognizes to determine the viability of advanced nursing programs:
Certifying agencies generally accept programs and institutions that have received accreditation from institutional and programmatic accrediting bodies recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDE).
Course Requirements
Within your graduate coursework in your APRN program, you must complete at least 30 hours of courses in pharmacology for APRNs.
Specialization for APRNs
If you decide to specialize in a particular patient population focus within your broader APRN category (i.e., NP or CNS), your graduate program must be specific to that specialization. In Connecticut, specialized population foci that you may work with include acute care; adults; adult, child or family psychiatric and mental health; family; geriatrics; pediatrics; neonatal; women’s health; and oncology.
Although your specialization will not be listed on your Connecticut APRN license, you may become nationally certified in one or more of these areas.
Graduate Status
If you have completed your master’s degree program in advanced practice nursing, you may apply for a temporary practice provision in Connecticut. This allows you to work for up to 120 days after graduation in a doctor’s office, hospital or other medical facility under the supervision of a licensed physician and/or licensed APRN.
In order to qualify for graduate status, you must have already applied to take your national certification examination. Additionally, while working in a graduate/temporary capacity, you may not prescribe nor dispense medications.
Contact the Department of Public Health for more information on obtaining a temporary practice permit.
The Connecticut Department of Public Health acknowledges three categories of APRN. You must become nationally certified within the category in which you intend to become licensed to practice. The Connecticut Department of Public Health issues licenses for three types of APRNs:
Independent national certification agencies each set their own requirements for certification in these respective categories, including education, experience, and examination.
If you choose to become nationally certified in a particular specialized patient population, this area of specialization will not be noted on your license. Your license will only indicate that you may practice as a NP, CRNA, or CNS.
Certification Programs
The Connecticut Department of Public Health recognizes the following national certification bodies for APRNs:
Your APRN license application must include your US social security number or Federal Tax ID number, as mandated by federal law. If you do not include your social security number on your application for licensure, it will be rejected. Contact the Department of Public Health at 860-509-7603 for more information.
One APRN application for licensure is used to license all recognized APRN categories in Connecticut (NP, CRNA and CNS).
Along with your application:
Send all documentation and fees to Connecticut Department of Public Health, APRN Licensure-Remittance Unit, 410 Capitol Ave, MS #12MQA APP, P.O. Box 340308, Hartford, CT 06134-0308.
Once your application has been received, the Department will take no longer than 10 business days to review it. You will be notified in writing of the licensure decision that is made, and if approved, you will receive written verification of your license number and its expiration date. During the third week in the month after your license is issued, you will receive your license in the mail.
Professional Liability Insurance
Once licensed as an APRN in Connecticut, you must maintain professional liability insurance in order to legally practice. This will provide you the coverage in the event of professional malpractice claims related to pharmacological or treatment complications. The amount of insurance you carry must be at least $500,000 for one person, per occurrence.
Controlled Substance Registration
If you are licensed and nationally certified as a CRNA in Connecticut and plan to prescribe, administer, and dispense controlled substances, you must apply for Connecticut Controlled Substance Registration. Contact the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection Drug Control Division at (860)-713-6065 or [email protected] for more information. After obtaining this registration, you must also apply for registration with the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration.
If you are licensed and nationally certified as a nurse practitioner (NP) or clinical nurse specialists (CNS), you may obtain prescriptive authority for pharmacological agents other than controlled substances, as long as you have a written collaborative agreement with a physician overseeing your practice.
Collaborative Agreement
As a licensed APRN, you must maintain a collaborative agreement with a physician who is educated or trained in the same area in which you specialize. This agreement must be in writing and specify:
Your Connecticut APRN license expires yearly at the same time your RN license expires. You may renew it online along with your RN license.
You will be mailed a license renewal notice 60 days prior to the expiration of your license. This notice will include a username and password so that you may access the online renewal system. Licenses may also be verified through this system.
