• Complete the MANDATORY 45 CEs and 1 or more of the 8 renewal categories within the three years preceding your renewal application submission.
• Hold a current AAHFN certification that is expiring within 12 months.
• Hold a current, active RN license in a state or territory of the United States or the professional, legally recognized equivalent in another country.
• Pay the renewal fee.

• Complete the MANDATORY 45 CEs and 1 or more of the 8 renewal categories within the three years preceding your renewal application submission.
• Hold a current AAHFN certification that is expiring within 12 months.
• Hold a current, active RN license in a state or territory of the United States or the professional, legally recognized equivalent in another country.
• Pay the reactivation fee.
• Note: If your certification has lapsed more than 2 years, you must complete the 45 CEs and Category 8, provided the exam is available. If the exam is not available, there is no option to renew your certification.

1. A minimum of 60 percent (27 hours) of the 45 CEs must be directly related to HF.
2. At least 40 percent (18 hours) of your 45 CEs must be formally approved continuing education hours. Formally approved hours must meet one of the criteria listed below:
   1. Continuing nursing education (CNE) approved for nursing contact hours by an accredited provider or approver of CNE
   2. Continuing medical education (CME) approved for continuing nursing education (CNE)
   3. Sponsored by organizations, agencies, or educational institutions accredited or approved by the ANCC, ACCME, AAHFN
3. Independent study and/or e-learning approved for CEs by one of the accepted continuing education providers may be used for 100% of the required CEs (e.g., independent study programs, online courses, articles from professional journals).
4. Other non-nursing healthcare disciplines CEs that are related to HF (e.g., dietician, medicine, emergency management, pharmacy, respiratory therapy) are acceptable.
5. Repeat courses are not accepted for certification renewal. You may claim credit for a specific course only once, even if you took that course multiple times during the past three years.

Documentation: Complete the CE section of the Professional Development Record to document the courses attended and the hours obtained. If the course title(s) do not reflect the content, you must provide a brief description of the content. Do not submit certificates in lieu of completing the form. These are not acceptable and will delay the evaluation of your application for certification renewal.

Audit: If your record is audited, you will be required to submit supporting documents, such as a copy of the completion certificate(s) showing the dates, title, number of contact hours, sponsoring organization, etc. In addition, you may be required to provide evidence of the applicability to HF. Please maintain supporting documentation for the entire 3-year certification cycle.

1. Complete three-semester credits of academic courses in the specialty of heart failure
2. If you do not have enough credits to complete this category, you may convert those credits to CEs and report them under CATEGORY 1 (1-semester credit = 15 CEs)
3. Repeat courses are not accepted for certification renewal. You may claim credit for a specific course only once, even if you took the course multiple times during the past three years.
4. Courses taken toward degree completion and academic independent study courses are accepted if they are applicable to the specialty of heart failure.
5. Academic credit received for a thesis or dissertation related to heart failure is acceptable. If you use your thesis or dissertation credits to meet CATEGORY 2, then you cannot use the same thesis or dissertation credits to meet CATEGORY 4.
   

Documentation: Complete the presentation section of the Professional Development Record.

Audit: If your certification record is audited, you will be required to submit supporting documents, such as a copy of the presentation outline, abstract, letter accepting your abstract, or letter inviting you to speak, as well as evidence that you presented the topic (e.g., a thank-you letter on official letterhead). Please maintain the supporting documentation for the 3-year certification cycle.

Complete one or more presentations totaling three clock hours in the certification specialty. The presentation may not be repeated. You must fulfill these additional criteria:

1. You were the primary presenter of a first-time presentation
2. The presentations were delivered in a structured teaching/learning framework to nurses, other healthcare providers, or the public as part of conferences, grand rounds, in-services, seminars, internet-based or other e-learning formats, teleconferences, patient/family teaching, or public education. Do not submit the following types of presentations, as they are not accepted toward your AAHFN certification renewal: repeat presentations of the same material or modifications of the same material, presentations or lectures that were a required part of your job, or presentations for which you served as a panel moderator.
   

Documentation: Complete the presentation section of the Professional Development Record.

Audit: If your certification record is audited, you will be required to submit supporting documents, such as a copy of the presentation outline, abstract, letter accepting your abstract, or letter inviting you to speak, as well as evidence that you presented the topic (e.g., a thank-you letter on official letterhead). Please maintain the supporting documentation for the 3-year certification cycle.

EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE OR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT

Complete one evidence-based practice (EBP) project or quality improvement (QI) project that demonstrates the use of a problem-solving approach using the best evidence to answer a defined question related to your certification. The project must be started and completed during the time frame of the certification renewal period.

Documentation: Complete the EBP/QI section of the Professional Development Record.

Audit: If your certification record is audited, please be prepared to submit the following supporting documents:

• Title of project
• Identification of the question
• Review and critique of the current evidence, research or data
• Evaluation of the current practice problem
• Identification of interventions or strategies to implement any changes
• Evaluation of the effectiveness of the translation of the evidence or intervention into practice
• Your role in the project
• Contact information and signature of the responsible project leader verifying your role on the project team

PUBLICATION

1. Publish one article in a peer-reviewed journal or a book chapter related to heart failure. You must be the author, co-author, editor, co-editor, or reviewer.

   Documentation: Complete the publication section of the Professional Development Record.

   Audit: If your certification record is audited, please be prepared to submit the following supporting documents:

   • A copy of the table of contents and a copy of the entire article or chapter, journal name with the date, and your name
   • If you were the editor, then a copy of the page from the journal identifying you as the editor or a letter from the publisher stating you were the editor
   • If you were the peer reviewer, then a letter from the publisher stating you reviewed the article and the date this occurred.

OR

2. Publish five different articles related to heart failure in a non-peer-reviewed journal and/or newsletter.

   Documentation: Complete the publication section of the Professional Development Record.

   Audit: If your certification record is audited, please be prepared to submit the following supporting documents:

   • Detailed outline of the content
   • Copies of the e-learning journal or newsletter articles that clearly state you were the primary author; and
   • Letters from the publishers stating that you were the primary author

   Note: These publications are generally not accepted: publication(s) that is a component of your job (e.g., patient education materials, course syllabi, letters to the editor)

RESEARCH

1. Serve as the primary grant writer for a federal, state, or national organization project, even if grant writing is not a primary component of your employment responsibilities. The purpose of the grant must be related to heart failure.

OR

2. Complete an IRB research project related to heart failure, during your 3-year certification period for which you are clearly identified as one of the primary researchers, although research is not a primary component of your employment responsibilities.

   Documentation: Complete the research section of the Professional Development Record.

   Audit: If your certification record is audited, please be prepared to submit a copy of the grant summary abstract and letter from the grant sponsor acknowledging receipt of your grant application. A copy of the IRB approval letter or IRB letter of exemption and a one-page abstract of no more than 250 words describing the research study and findings and the period when the research was conducted.

OR

3. Complete a dissertation, thesis, or graduate-level scholarly project (e.g., DNP project) related to heart failure.

   Documentation: Complete the research section of the Professional Development Record.

   Audit: If your certification record is audited, please be prepared to submit documents such as the dissertation, thesis, or scholarly project approval letter and a one-page abstract of no more than 250 words describing the dissertation, thesis, or scholarly project findings and the period when the dissertation, thesis, or scholarly project was conducted.

Complete a minimum of 72 hours as a preceptor in which you provided direct clinical supervision/teaching to students in an academic program that is related to heart failure.

OR

Provide a minimum of 72 hours of clinical supervision related to heart failure in a formal fellowship, residency, or internship program at the same practice level or higher

• RNs must precept RNs and CNS and NPs must precept APRN, physician, physician assistant in an academic program related to heart failure.
• Orientation preceptor hours are not accepted
• Preceptor hours cannot be counted toward your certification practice hour requirement
• Faculty may not utilize this category for clinical supervision of students in their educational program

Complete 15 months or more volunteer service during your certification period with an international, national, state, or local healthcare-related organization; accepted volunteer activities include serving on boards, task forces, and medical missions.

Documentation: Complete the service section of the Professional Development Record.

Audit: If your certification record is audited, please be prepared to submit an official description of your volunteer duties and a detailed, typewritten document of 500 words or less describing the impact of this service on your ability to obtain new knowledge in heart failure. In addition, you will be required to provide supporting documentation of your volunteer service (e.g., a copy of an official letter or other documents from the organization attesting to your service and the dates of service).

Practice hours must be completed within the three years preceding the date on your renewal application submission.

A minimum of 600 practice hours in heart failure within 3 years is required and can be completed either through employment or as a volunteer.

A faculty can use hours of direct clinical supervision of students for clinical practice. The direct clinical supervision must be in heart failure.

Audit: Submit a letter from your immediate supervisor, on organizational letterhead, stating that you have practiced a minimum of 600 hours in heart failure over your three-year certification period. You may submit multiple letters if you have changed jobs. If you are self-employed, please submit a statement attesting that you have practiced a minimum of 600 hours in heart failure over your three-year certification period. The statement must be notarized prior to submission.

Pass the assessment (exam or portfolio), if available.