Renew Your Certification

You've met all the eligibility requirements and now you're ready to renew with contact hours.

Entering Contact Hours

A few things to remember when reporting contact hours:

• We recommend entering your contact hours as you earn them.
• Allow up to 10 business days for self-reported contact hours to be reviewed and verified.
• Spell out uncommon acronyms.
• Activities may be recategorized upon verification.
• Complete the "Learning Outcome" field to describe CE activity/course content.
• Contact hours you earned through AMSN automatically populate in your Renewal Tracker.

Reporting Preceptor and Academic Hours
When reporting preceptor and/or academic hours, be sure to submit your preceptor form and/or an unofficial transcript. Log academic courses that are related to the exam blueprint for med-surg credit. Contact us to obtain the preceptor form.

Begin Your Certification Renewal

Sample Activity Entries

View a Sample  CE Activity Entry or Sample non-CE  Activity Entry (both will open in a new window)  or learn about AMSN's Renewal Tracking capability — an AMSN member benefit.

Renewing your CMSRN certification by taking the CMSRN exam is an option!

• You may test up to one (1) year in advance of the expiration of current certification.
• Exam application should be completed online and no later than 30 days prior to certification expiration date.
• Exam must be taken by your certification expiration date.
• You must meet the CMSRN exam eligibility criteria.
• You’ll pay the exam application fee, and if you pass, you have completed the renewal. Check your tracker to claim your badge and print a certificate. Congratulations!.

Begin Your Certification Renewal

Why You Should Attain the CMSRN Credential

If you are currently certified as a medical-surgical nurse through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), you may be eligible to earn the CMSRN credential-without having to take another exam!

With the CMSRN credential, you will be recognized as a medical-surgical nurse because the CMSRN designation clearly identifies the specialty in which you are certified.

This is the only medical-surgical certification endorsed by the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses (AMSN), the only professional association solely representing medical-surgical nurses.

How Will CMSRN Certification Affect My RN-BC Certification?

CMSRN certification will not affect your RN-BC certification. Some medical-surgical nurses keep both credentials, and that is your choice. MSNCB is a separate organization from ANCC and we do not notify ANCC of your CMSRN certification.

Exam Exemption Application Process

At the time of application, you must be in the last year of your current medical-surgical certification and meet the renewal eligibility.

1. Hold a current med-surg RN-BC nursing certification with ANCC, and
2. Hold an unencumbered and current license as a Registered Nurse (RN) in the United States, it's territories, or Canada and
3. Have accrued 1000 practice hours in a medical-surgical setting in the last 5 years, and
4. Have earned 90 contact hours in the last 5 years.

If you meet the eligibility requirements, you may apply to become a CMSRN!

Apply for Exam Exemption

If you still have questions after reviewing these sections, feel free to contact us or call (866) 877-2676.

We understand that life happens, and you may not able to meet the certification renewal requirements right away. Others are starting a new chapter in their lives and want to hold on to their certification status.

Inactive Status

Have you had a "life happens" situation that prevented you from earning the necessary contact hours?

CMSRNs unable to meet the requirements for certification renewal may apply for Inactive Status. Inactive status is for one 3-year period only and is a one-time option. There are no exceptions or extensions to this time frame.

Inactive Status lasts for three years, during which the certificante may not use the CMSRN credential. Nurses on Inactive Status will be notified in the last year of Inactive Status and must meet then current certification renewal requirements to maintain their credential.

During or at the end of the three-year Inactive Status, the nurse may reinstate the certification by applying for certification renewal by continuing education or by exam. The practice hours and contact hours must be within the immediately preceding years. If approved, the new certification period will be effective for five years from time of reactivation.

Review the Policy and Procedure for Inactive Status

Retired Status

CMSRNs who have retired within the current certification period but wish to stay connected with other CMSRNs may apply for Retired Status.

CMSRN Retired designation is renewable every five years. The retired nurse may use CMSRN Retired on a resume or below their name and credential on a business card but may NOT use CMSRN after your signature (e.g. patient chart, name badge).

If a CMSRN Retired nurse re-enters the nursing workforce within three years from the date of retirement status, the nurse may regain the CMSRN credential via continuing education. If the CMSRN-Retired nurse reenters the nursing workforce after three years from the date of retirement status, the nurse must regain CMSRN by examination.

Review the Policy and Procedure for Retired Status

Applying for Inactive or Retired Status

(Not applicable for exam exempt applicants)
To apply for Inactive or Retired Status, login to your account and select “Certification Applications” on the right side under “My Account” link. If you meet the eligibility requirements and it is 90 days prior to certification expiration, you will find the application available to you. If you do not see an application button, you are ineligible.