HPPC will host its Annual Certification Luncheon on Thursday, February 26, from 12:00-1:15 during the 2015 AAHPM/HPNA Annual Assembly held in Philadelphia, PA. The keynote speaker is Pamela Hinds, PhD, RN, FAAN, Director of Nursing Research at Children's National Medical Center. Her presentation is "The Institute of Medicine, Hospice and Palliative Certification and the Health of a Nation." The 2015 Certificant of the Year Awards and the 2015 Employer of the Year Award will also be presented during the luncheon. Reserve your place today at www.goHPCC.org. 

Exam Schedule:

The 2015 testing windows are March, June, September and December. The online application deadline for the March 2015 testing window is February 15, 2015. Full details for application deadlines are at www.goHPCC.org.

Candidate Handbooks:

The updated 2015 Candidate Handbooks are now available online at www.goHPCC.org. Each exam has a separate handbook. The Candidate Handbooks contain information about fees, eligibility, and schedules, as well as a detailed test content outline and suggested resources for study.  

New for APRNs:

For 2015 testing, you now have a choice of applying online or mailing a paper application for the ACHPN exam. Transcripts must still be mailed. 

Certification Exam Fees:

Exam fees are posted at www.goHPCC.org under Competence/Resources. HPNA members continue to receive substantial exam discounts as a membership benefit. Keep your HPNA membership current to receive this as well as many other benefits. If you are interested in HPNA membership, please visit www.goHPCC.org and look under Leadership.

Testing Sites:

Applied Measurement Professionals (AMP), our testing service, strives to provide the best possible service to candidates.  An important part of this is the maintenance and growth of their network of over 200 test sites.  New testing sites were opened this year in Lakewood, WA; Oakland, CA; and Charleston, SC. 

Hospice and Palliative Accrual for Recertification (HPAR) is renewal through contact hours and professional development activities. HPAR for ACHPNs and CHPNs is now an online submission process only, through software known as LearningBuilder. The process and point requirements have been updated.

HPAR for CHPPNs, CHPLNs, and CHPCAs continues as a paper process.

In 2015, all ACHPNs must renew by the HPAR method. CHPNs, CHPPNs, CHPLNs, and CHPCAs have the option to submit an HPAR application or sit for the exam.  

NOTE:  The submission date and accrual period for points for 2015 HPAR has also been extended. The period in which you can earn points for 2015 renewal is January 1, 2011 through the time that you submit your application.  The deadline for HPAR submission is October 31, 2015 for the standard recertification fee.  If you collect points and/or submit your application during the extended deadline period between November 1 and December 31, 2015, an additional application fee will be assessed. 

CHPNA renewal is by exam only.

www.goHPCC.org

under Competence, then Continuing Competence. 

Response to Feedback on 2015/2016 Recertification Requirements

The HPCC Staff and Board appreciate the feedback we've received from certificants and employers about the new recertification process.  We are working on finalizing information that will enhance certificants' ability to successfully meet 2015 and 2016 recertification requirements.  These recertification updates will be released at the end of January/beginning of February by email and on our website.

Grateful for your feedback,

Kathie Kobler, MS, APN, PCNS-BC, CHPPN
2014 HPCC President


Susan Koff, MSN, ARNP, ACHPN, CRRN
2015 HPCC President 

HPNA announces 2015 ELNEC Train-the-Trainer Courses

ELNEC-Core Train-the-Trainer Course

May 20-21, 2015 - Scottsdale AZ

July 28-29, 2015 - Atlanta GA

October 14-15, 2015 - Houston TX

ELNEC-Pediatric Palliative Care Train-the-Trainer Course

July 28-29, 2015 - Atlanta GA

The End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) project is a national educational initiative to improve palliative care.  The course provides nurses with education in palliative care preparing them to teach the information to practicing nurses and other healthcare professionals.  ELNEC Trainers are given tools to provide this specialized care and to positively impact the lives of patients and families facing serious illness or the end of life. 

CE's - 12.75 / designated pharmacology hours - 2.25  

HPNA Members receive registration discount!

Click here for details and to Register!

Reserve your hotel room early to receive special event pricing.

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Start your new year off to a great start......order the newest 2014 HPNA Publication!

Take the Uncertainty out of APRN Reimbursement, Billing, and Coding

Look to A Primer of Reimbursement, Billing, and Coding: Essential Information for the Hospice and Palliative Advanced Practice Registered Nurse and companion Pocket Guide. Written by Connie Dahlin, ANP-BC, ACHPN, FPCN, FAAN, an expert in advanced practice registered nurse billing, the primer contains the source documents from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The primer has been reviewed by APRNs expert in the different areas of practice, and within both hospice and palliative billing and coding. The primer includes the Pocket Guide, containing individual appendices most valuable to you when working on site. The Pocket Guide is also sold separately.

Ordering information and excerpts can be found at www.goHPNA.org. Visit the SHOP.  

Congratulations to Akiko Morimoto, RN, BSN, CHPN. RN Case Manager at  Silverado Hospice in Irvine, CA. She received an HPNF Certification Scholarship at the CHPN level. Akiko shares:

The mission of HPNF is to advance expert care in serious illness. HPNF supports the professional development of HPNA members and HPCC certificants by providing scholarships for education, conferences and professional certification along with nursing research grants and leadership awards. HPNF depends on the generous spirit of individuals, families, organizations and corporations to fund this program of scholarships, grants and awards. We hope that we can count on your financial support. For more information and to donate, please visit www.goHPNF.org.