Applicants for Mississippi Board of Nursing (Board) APRN certification must be currently licensed as a Registered Nurse in Mississippi, or hold an active unrestricted Registered Nurse multi-state Compact license.  

APRNs who are changing primary residency to Mississippi from another state will need to apply for an RN endorsement prior to the APRN application.  If you currently  have an RN Compact license from another state and are not  changing primary residency to Mississippi, you would need to register your RN Compact license by completing the RN Compact Application for the state of Mississippi.  There is no fee to register the RN Compact with MS.   APRNs must have an active RN or RN Compact license to obtain an APRN License.  All APRNs must complete the initial APRN application.  APRN licenses are NOT endorsed from another state.  

Instructions for Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN)

1.    SUBMIT APPLICATION:  Submit online.  Log in to the Nurse Gateway by  clicking on the “Gateway” tab in the middle of the website home page.

2.    First time users- Click the “Register Now” button.   
This will allow you to create a profile, create a new username and password. 
      
3.    Existing nurses- enter the username and password to get entry to Nurse Gateway.
4.    Forgot Username or Password- Click on “Forgot username/password” button.  

5.    After you have login using your username and password select applications located at the 
6.    top to get started with the process.  

7.    FEES: All fees are non-refundable.

APRN Certification- Initial CNP, CRNA, CNM and Reinstatement: $100.00

Criminal Background Check: $ 75.00

Controlled Substance Prescriptive Authority (CSPA):$100.00

Practice Site and Collaborative Physician: $25.00 (each)

Renewal even numbered years: $100.00

 

8.    PRIMARY STATE OF RESIDENCY: If your primary state of residence is a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC), you will need to provide proof of multi-state licensure in that Compact state in order to be granted APRN privilege in Mississippi. A complete listing of eNLC states is available at https://www.ncsbn.org/nurse-licensure-compact.htm

9.    APRN PRACTICE GUIDELINES: Read the Mississippi Nursing Practice Law and 30 Mississippi Administrative Code. APRN guidelines are outlined in §73-15-20 of the Mississippi Nursing Practice Law and 30 Mississippi Administrative Code Part 2840. Accessible at  https://www.msbn.ms.gov/

10.    POPULATION FOCUS: Indicate your area of population focus. Population focus can be family/individual across the life span, adult/gerontology, pediatric, neonatal, women's health, psychiatric/mental health.

11.    EVIDENCE OF NATIONAL APRN CERTIFICATION:  Submit current proof of national APRN certification to following email address: APRN@msbn.ms.gov   

• Nationally Certified Practitioners - Submit a copy of a current certification from the national certification organization.
• New Graduate APRN - Request evidence of certification be submitted directly to the Board of Nursing from the national certification organization.
• Submit a copy of each additional specialty certification (i.e., first assistant, wound care, etc.)

12.    TRANSCRIPT: Submit an official transcript from one of the following:

• An accredited masters or higher degree program of nursing that prepares  nurses for one of the APRN role designation  of  Certified  Nurse-Midwife (CNM),Certified Nurse  Practitioner  (CNP),  and Certified  Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA).
• APRN applicants who graduate from a nurse practitioner program and were nationally certified as a nurse
• practitioner prior to December 31, 1993 may submit evidence of graduation from an accredited educational program for registered nurses.
• APRN applicants graduating from a nurse practitioner program after December 31, 1998, will be required to submit official evidence of graduation from a graduate program with a concentration in the applicant's respective advanced practice nursing specialty.

• You must request your nursing program to submit an official transcript to the MS Board of Nursing. The Board will accept transcripts sent

  • electronically through Parchment transcript service (the recipient will be MS Board of Nursing)
  • National Clearinghouse, the email is transcripts@msbn.ms.gov or
  • mailed directly from the registers office of your nursing program to the MS Board of Nursing (see address below).
  • Choose only one of the above methods to send transcripts. Transcripts cannot be mailed by the applicant to the Board, hand delivered, faxed, or emailed to Board staff.  
    • 713 Pear Orchard Suite 300  Ridgeland, MS 39157

13.    PRACTICE SITE DOCUMENATION:  Submit documentation of practice site, type, and specialty. Submit evidence of any additional training or certification in the area of specialty you are applying for board approval.  You can upload this documentation under the collaborative agreement area of the BON Portal.  You are able to get an APRN license without a practice site and collaborating physician, but you MAY NOT begin work until you have an approved practice site, collaborating physician of compatible practice and a collaborative agreement.   

Practice Sites:  Only Mississippi practice sites need to be listed on the BON gateway portal.  There is no need to list any practice sites outside of Mississippi as the MS BON has no authority out of state and cannot approve them.  If you work for a company that has a headquarters out of state, you must list the physical practice site in Mississippi from where you will work.  This cannot be a PO box or a “fake physical address”.  The site can be your home, but it cannot be the patient’s home (even if you are doing home visits).  Many out of state agencies have a “satellite office” in Mississippi.  Basically, if there is a complaint regarding the services you provided to a patient, the investigator must have a physical location to go to in order to obtain records or serve subpoenas.  You can renew license without a physical practice site in Mississippi if you do not work in Mississippi.  You would simply leave that area blank on the renewal application.  However, before you could begin work in Mississippi, you would need an approved practice site, approved collaborating physician and approved collaborative agreement.  Please consider where your feet are and where the patient’s feet are and be properly licensed in both states as each state requires.  Even if the patients that you will see via telehealth are outside of Mississippi, if you are physically in Mississippi providing the care via telehealth etc., you must be licensed and meet all BON requirements.  There are no APRN Compact states at this time.  There is a “how to” power point on the BON website under “practice site and collaborating physician” that will take you screen by screen as how to add or delete a practice site or collaborative physician.   Remember, there is a $25.00 fee to add a new practice site.  There is no charge to delete a practice site.  All practice sites have to be verified manually which may take a couple of days during a regular time, but in high volume times such as license renewal may take 10-14 days.  If your APRN license lapses, the practice sites and collaborative physicians may become inactive on your portal and have to be added back.  This seems to be true especially if the license lapses for several days. 

14.    COLLABORATING/CONSULTING PHYSICIAN(S):  Indicate and provide the requested information on the verification of protocol/practice for each physician with whom you have entered into a collaborative practice agreement in accordance with 30 Miss. Admin, Code, Pt. 2840, R. 2.3. It is recommended that you have a signed protocol by the APRN and collaborative physician for proof of agreement for possible audit.

Collaborative Physician:   All APRNs (NPs, CRNAs, and CNMs) must have at least one collaborative physician for each practice site.  This is true even if the APRN is “only providing an assessment or evaluation for benefits, insurance etc. and not actually diagnosing or prescribing any medications” It can be the same collaborative physician for all sites or different physicians for each site.  The physician must have an unencumbered license in Mississippi with a compatible practice to the APRN.   The practices must align.  For example, if you see children as patients then the physician must see children as part of their regular practice.  That physician must be readily available to you when you are working 24/7/365 weekends, nights and holidays.  In that, many APRNs do opt to have secondary or back-up physicians.  In order to be considered a collaborative physician, the physician must be listed and approved on your gateway portal.  Otherwise, that physician is simply a co-worker having no duty as a collaborating physician.  The MS BOML has a full chapter on collaborating with NPs for physicians within their administrative code on their website.  There are both mileage and work hours in MS (telehealth and chart review time do not count) requirements for the physician.  The physician would want to verify compliance with the MS BOML and also list you as an APRN on the MS BOML portal.   There is a “how to” power point on the BON website under “practice site and collaborative physician” that will take you screen by screen as how to add or delete a practice site or collaborative physician.  Remember, there is a $25.00 fee to add a collaborative physician (unique physician license number).  There is no fee to delete a practice site or collaborating physician.  As you add a new physician, do remember that the physician will receive an email from the BON letting them know that they have been selected to serve as a collaborating physician.  At times, the physician has been unaware that an APRN would be adding them to the portal and have reached out to report that no collaborative agreement has been signed and they have not agreed to any collaborative relationship.  IF the physician does make such a report, the BON does remove them as your collaborating physician.  Please be certain before adding any physician as a collaborating physician that the physician is in agreement and that a collaborative agreement has been signed.   .  All collaborative physicians have to be verified manually for an unencumbered BOML license and compatibility with APRN practice which may take a couple of days during a regular time, but in high volume times such as license renewal may take 10-14 days.  If your APRN license lapses, the practice sites and collaborative physicians may become inactive on your portal and have to be added back.  This seems to be true especially if the license lapses for several days. 

15.    CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE PRESCRIPTIVE AUTHORITY (CSPA): https://player.hourone.ai/352f6623dac34e36b63f51e9f790a4fel 

Select if you wish or do not wish to apply for CSPA. If you are applying for CSPA include an additional fee of $100.00. Every certified APRN authorized to practice in Mississippi who prescribes any controlled substances (Schedules II, Ill, IV, or V) within Mississippi or who proposes to engage in the prescribing of any controlled substance within Mississippi must be registered with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in compliance with Title 21 CFR Part 1301 Food and Drugs, and must also apply for this privilege with the Mississippi Board of Nursing. CSPA is not automatically granted with an APRN license in
Mississippi. To register with the DEA see instructions below. For additional questions concerning DEA application, please call DEA Customer Service 1-800-882-9539.  DEA will be notified by the board of nursing once CSPA has been approved. Your DEA number will then (and only then) be sent to your home address directly from the DEA office. Submit a copy of your DEA number and registration to the Board office.

16.    REGISTRATION WITH THE U.S.DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION

• Do Not apply for a DEA registration prior to being issued prescriptive authority by the MBON
• Register online at https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov after you have been issued prescriptive authority by the Mississippi Board of Nursing, select Registration, and Registration Applications. 
• Pay applicable fee by Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover. 
• When completing the DEA registration application you should enter your APRN license number. You will not have a state controlled substance number.

During APRN License Renewal:

CSPA/DEA license:  You do not have to have a DEA license to be licensed as an APRN in Mississippi.   IF you do have a DEA license, make sure that it shows current and active as you renew APRN license.  You must complete the CSPA and pay the $100.00 fee at initial DEA license and at renewal of DEA license (every three years).   DEA/CSPA renewal does not fall with the APRN licensure renewal.  Given the DEA renewal is every three years and can be any day of any month, you would want to complete the CSPA, pay the fee and upload the new DEA license as soon as you renew that DEA license. Do not wait until APRN license renewal time to update if you received that new DEA license earlier in the year.  You must have the CSPA (state’s approval) and the current DEA license in order to prescribe scheduled medication.  Do not upload any DEA licenses that are affiliated with out of state practice sites.  Only DEAs that are affiliated with physical practice sites in Mississippi need to be uploaded.  There is a “how to” power point on the BON website under the “Controlled Substance Prescriptive Authority” area that takes you screen by screen through the CSPA application, payment and upload of the new DEA license. 

PMP:  You are required to register for the MS Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) if you are licensed as an APRN (CRNA, NP or CNM) in Mississippi, even if you do not actually practice in Mississippi or do not have a DEA.  You must register for the PMP to simply have an APRN license in Mississippi. 

Please email Joanna Carpenter, jcarpenter@msbn.ms.gov to schedule your appointment with your name, email with the date of your choosing. Orientations are offered 2-3 times per month and is held virtually beginning at 9:00 am- 1:00 pm.  

2024 Orientation Dates for APRN Orientation

November 12^th and 21st 

December 3rd

2025 APRN Orientation Dates:

January 7  &  23 

February 11  &  25

March  4  &  27

April  17  &  29

May  6  &  22

June  10  &  26

July  8  &  24

August  5  & 28

September  11 &  23

Oct  14 & 30

Nov  6  &  25

Dec  11  &  30

 

APRN  QA/QI Examples

Quality Assurance/Quality Improvement (QA/QI) Plan: A formal quality assurance/ quality improvement plan to be utilized by the advanced practice registered nurse, as required by Miss. Code Ann. § 73-15-20.
Admin Code Part 2840, Rule 1.3 Practice Requirements states:
Each APRN shall participate in a formal quality assurance/quality improvement (QA/QI) program which shall be maintained on site and shall be available for inspection by representatives of the Board. 

1. The QA/QI program must be sufficient to provide a valid evaluation of the practice and be a valid basis for change, if any. 
2. QA/QI shall encompass Board-approved components according to specific areas of practice.

The Board of Nursing does not dictate specifics of the APRN’s QA/QI plan. The Board has compiled several suggested QA/QI Component examples below. This list is not inclusive of all the possible plans.

• Any MIPS component specific to APRN’s area of practice
• Any PQRS component specific to APRN’s area of practice
• Any Meaningful Use component specific to APRN’s area of practice
• Any MACRA component specific to  APRN’s area of practice
• Area Specific health care parameters meeting target goals such as A1C%, Lipids, BMI, vaccine compliance in both pediatric and adult, post-surgical  MRSA rates, etc.
• Patient Satisfaction surveys
• Patient engaged screenings (Depression, alcohol use, fall risks, violence in the home, etc)
• Use of patient reported outcome tools (PQH-9, PQH-2, PROMIS, etc)
• Timely Communication of Abnormal Lab/Radiology testing results 
• Timely referrals to specialists
• Timely  care coordination & active referral management tracking
• Timely integration of recommendations from Specialist into patient care plan
• Diabetes screening for patients using antipsychotic medication that can elevate A1C%
• Children’s Health Care Quality Measures for Medicaid & CHIP Core Set examples
• https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/quality-of-care/downloads/performance-measurement/2020-child-core-set.pdf
• Well-care visits annually
• Contraceptive Care Effective Methods among adolescents and young adults
• Behavioral Health Measures for Medicaid and CHIP examples https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/quality-of-care/downloads/performance-measurement/2020-bh-core-set.pdf
• Children’s Asthma care performance measures (hospitalizations rate, medication ratio, suboptimal asthma control, absence of controller therapy available)
• Use of PMP greater than 75% of time prior to prescribing Control Substance opioid or Benzodiazepine
• Initiation of early prenatal care in early pregnancy
• Door-in-Door-out time in critical illness management
• Time to Primary PCI Among Transferred Patients
• Chart Review of 10% or 20 charts by collaborative physician
• Quarterly face-to-face meetings with collaborative physician

 

 

Division of Nursing, W-910 MS University for Women

Columbus, MS 39701

Phone: (662) 329-7299

www.muw.edu

School of Nursing, Alcorn State University

P. O. Box 18399

Natchez, MS 39121

Phone: (601) 304-4300

www.alcorn.edu

School of Nursing, Delta State University

P.O. Box 3343

Cleveland, MS 39733

Phone: (662) 846-4268

www.deltast.edu

School of Nursing, University of Mississippi Medical Center

2500 N. State St.

JACKSON, MS 39216-4505

Phone: (601) 984-6220

www.umsmed.edu

School of Nursing, University of Southern Mississippi

P.O. Box 5095

Hattiesburg, MS 39406-5095

Phone: (601) 266-5527

www.usm.edu

 

 

Although the Monitored Practice Hours requirement for the APRN was temporarily suspended by the Board in 2021, please be advised that such temporary suspension has now expired.  As such, compliance with 30 Miss. Admin Code Pt 2840, Rule 1.3 will be required of the APRN who acquired their degree on or after August 1, 2024. 

For any additional questions please email Rebecca Cagle at rcagle@msbn.ms.gov    601-957-6259 or 601-337-1578  

On the BON website under the section for the BON journal/magazine is an article in the Fall 2024 issue regarding monitored hours that explains the process in detail.

Any additional questions, please contact the following:

Rebecca Cagle
rcagle@msbn.ms.gov
601-957-6259 or 601-337-1578

Monitored Hours Documentation

Disclaimer these samples are only as a guide in assisting you to create your own.  Often the facility or department has a collaborative agreement that is used   Please remember to include the name of the facility on the document.  If the same collaborative agreement is used for multiple settings, please list all of the facilities covered and you then you need only to upload the collaborative agreement one time. 

Sample Nurse Practitioner/Certified Nurse Mid-wife

Sample Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist

PMHNP Collaboration with Non-Psychiatrist

Questionnaire for PMHNPs to Collaborate with Primary Care Physicians e-mail rcagle@msbn.ms.gov

Once completed, please upload your detailed collaborative agreement to the Gateway Portal located in the area where you add practice sites and physicians. Remember that both you and the collaborative physician(s) should have signed the document.  If the one collaborative agreement covers all of your collaborative sites, then you need only upload it once.  If you have different collaborating physicians or duties at various sites, upload the proper one for each practice site.  Remember to review your collaborative agreements each licensing cycle and verify that you have the most current collaborative agreement on file.  

Collaborative Agreement:  As you are aware, all APRNs (NPs, CRNAs, and CNMs) must have a detailed collaborative agreement protocol that covers active practice sites in Mississippi.  In that, you would want to delete any old practice sites or facilities where you no longer work before renewing your APRN license so that the system doesn’t ask for a collaborative agreement for a site in which you no longer work.   Many facilities have developed their own collaborative agreements over the years and that agreement would be fine to use and upload to the BON portal.  The BON does provide a sample collaborative agreement on the website if needed to ‘go by’ in developing your own.   You do not have to use the one on the BON website.  It is just an example and not a “print and sign” document.  As most facilities re-credential APRNs every two years, the collaborative agreement is often a part of that credentialing packet.  You can simply use that agreement for the BON agreement.  The BON wants your latest and most accurate collaborative agreement to be the one on file as you renew every two years.  The collaborative agreement must be signed by both the APRN and the collaborating physicians.  The signature can be an electronic signature.   Please do not use “white out” or other such products on your collaborative agreements.   Some licensees will need to update the collaborative agreements during the year as changes may occur.  The collaborative agreement must be signed by both the APRN licensee and the collaborative physicians listed.  The “collaborative agreement” that you print from the BON gateway portal for third party payers such as Medicaid which lists the practice sites and collaborative physicians and prints on BON letterhead is NOT the detailed collaborative agreement protocol that the BON wants uploaded to the BON gateway.    The collaborative agreements are uploaded in the area where you add the practice site, collaborative physician and then the icon is there to upload the collaborative agreement.  There is a “how to” power point that takes you screen by screen as how to print the document for Medicaid and third party payers from the practice site area of the BON gateway portal.  There is no fee to upload a collaborative agreement or download/print your collaborative agreement for third party payers. 

The Board of Nursing may grant controlled substance prescriptive authority in entirety Schedules II through V.

APRNs may prescribe any schedule of controlled substance after the following has occurred IN THIS ORDER.  Application for a DEA registration is not connected to monitored practice hours as of 01/01/2018:

1. Log in to the nurse gateway at https://gateway.licensure.msbn.ms.gov/index.aspx
2. Complete Mississippi Board of Nursing Controlled Substance Prescriptive Authority (CSPA) application by clicking on the blue “Add DEA Certification” button to the right of your screen just below the APRN name. If you have a current DEA number to add, select yes and provide the information requested, if you don’t have a DEA number yet, select “NO” from the drop-down box.
3. Answer the attestation question and submit. At the top of the screen a red banner will appear. Click the link in the red bar to submit your payment of $100.00.  The fee for this privilege to the BON is non-refundable.
4. If you do not currently have a DEA number to submit, the APRN must then register with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to complete application and pay applicable fees to DEA.gov;
5. The APRN has received a Uniform Controlled Substances Registration Certificate from the DEA.
6. A copy of the DEA licensure received from DEA must be submitted to the BON for validation and to complete the BON application process. A copy of renewals must also be submitted to the BON for continued CSPA.  The MS BON can only accept Mississippi DEAs.  Please do not upload a DEA from another state. 
7. When the DEA green bar shows “Completed” the APRN is qualified to write for controlled substances.

Note: 

• The APRN may be granted controlled substance privilege provided the nurse practitioner has graduated from a​n accredited school of nursing, a masters program or higher which contained a separate pharmacology course, and then the APRN is eligible to apply for controlled substance privilege. These will be granted as Class II-V inclusive only with all the appropriate fees due to both the Board of Nursing and the DEA.  CRNAs do not have prescriptive authority in MS.
• The APRN (NP, CRNA and CNM) is required to maintain 5 hours of continuing education for controlled substances/scheduled medications regardless of whether or not the APRN holds a DEA registration.  Documentation (the CEU certificate) of the 5 hours of CEU must be uploaded into CE Broker every licensing cycle.

Certification and Licensure Applications
In order to be licensed as an APRN in the state of Mississippi you must have:

• Graduated from a nationally approved school of nursing with a masters degree or higher;
• Taken and passed a national certification exam in the area of your practice;
• Submitted an initial application with all appropriate documents approved prior to practicing;
• APRN Application along with RN application renewed every two (2) years September - December of even numbered years.

Miss Code Ann. Section§ 73-15-17 (Q); 73-15-19; and 73-15-21, authorizes the Mississippi Board of Nursing (MSBN) to undergo a fingerprint-based criminal background history check of the Mississippi central criminal data base and the Federal Bureau of Investigations criminal history for licensure. Please follow the instructions below to complete the CBC process.

• You must complete the application for Advanced Practice Registered Nurse  before registering for the CBC.
• Complete the CBC registration using the exact name as used on the application. If you have undergone a name change different from the name on your photo identification, you must present the necessary legal documents (i.e., marriage certificate, divorce decree, or other legal name change document) as proof at the time of fingerprinting.
• The CBC application will give you the option to schedule an appointment online to come to the MS Board of Nursing office to have fingerprints completed or the option to have a fingerprint card mailed to applicant’s address
• Only the fingerprints and CBC performed by the Mississippi Board of Nursing will be accepted
• If you answered yes to any of the discipline questions, please allow additional time for the CBC process to be completed because of additional follow-up by board staff

 

New CDC Recommended Guidelines for Pain Management - Genesis Reference Labs

 

Certification and Licensure Applications
In order to be licensed as an APRN in the state of Mississippi you must have:

• Graduated from a nationally approved school of nursing with a masters degree or higher;
• Taken and passed a national certification exam in the area of your practice;
• Submitted an initial application with all appropriate documents approved prior to practicing;
• APRN Application along with RN application renewed every two (2) years September - December of even numbered years.

 

• The APRN is recommended to register for a basic user account with CE Broker to manage continuing education documents. Learn more about CE Broker and create your account.
• Upload the National Board Certification information and document PDF
• Complete a minimum of five (5) contact hours of continuing education directly related to controlled substances per State Certification Period. This requirement applies to all APRNs, irrespective of controlled substance prescriptive authority.
• Upload CE certificates in PDF format as evidence of having completed the five (5) contact hours related to controlled substances within the renewal cycle 01/01 of the odd year to 12/31 of the even year.

The Board may conduct periodic audits to ensure compliance. Upon notification of audit by the Board, the APRN shall submit to the Board any certificates, transcripts, or other documentation evidencing compliance with these rules, within ten (10) business days of receiving such notification. Failure to comply with this rule may subject the APRN to disciplinary action or other administrative sanction. 

CE instructional video link.

CEU requirements:   All APRNs (NPs, CRNAs and CNMs) must complete 5 hours of controlled substance CEUs every licensing cycle (Jan 1 of odd year—Dec 31 of even year).   These are not simply pharmacology hours, but CEUs directly related to controlled substances/scheduled medications.  It does not matter if you are actually working as an APRN or not, the CEU requirements are for all licensed APRNs in Mississippi.  Please upload the certificates for these hours into CE Broker.  You will also need to upload your current National Certification as an NP, CRNA or CNM into CE Broker every licensing cycle.  Even if you upload your new national certification that doesn’t expire for 5 years, you have to upload it into each unique licensing year as it does not “carry over” from one licensing cycle to another.  Be certain that the national certificate that you upload will be in date on close of business December 31, even year.  Please DO NOT upload all of your CEUs onto the CE Broker.  Only that 5 hours of controlled substance/scheduled medication CEUs are required to be uploaded.   If you have any technological issues, you can reach out to CE Broker at support@cebroker.com or via live chat.  There is no longer telephone support via an 800 number for basic accounts.  

The APRN is responsible for maintaining documentation of current national certification as an APRN in a designated area of practice by a national certification organization recognized by the Board. In the case of a lapse in national certification, the APRN must notify the Mississippi Board of Nursing. The APRN must stop practicing immediately until such time as the national certification is renewed.  (Miss. Admin. Code, Part 2840, Rule 1.2 B (5)). 

How to update National Certification video link.

National Certification Verification:  National certification and state licensure are not the same thing and they have different expiration dates.  You must have both.  The national certification is your “boards” for use of an old term and lasts 2-5 years based on the certifying body.  The state licensure as an APRN is unique to each state.  There are no APRN compact states at this time.   In MS all APRNs renew every two years, December 31 on the even year.  You must have a state license as an APRN for those states in which you work.  In MS, you must also have a current RN/RN Compact License.  As you do renew your MS APRN license, please also verify that your national certification as an APRN (NP, CRNA or CNM) is current on the BON portal.  You cannot work as an APRN without a current national certification.  .  If it is not current or shows expired, that will hinder you from renewing your APRN license, adding practice sites, adding collaborative physicians and adding collaborative agreements.  There is an area on the gateway portal to update the national certification.  This update should occur as soon as that new national certification is received which could be any month of any year.  The national certification expiration date does not fall on the MS License expiration date.  When you do renew that national certification please submit renewal documents to the certifying body (AANP, ANCC, NCC, NCRNA etc.) early.  The renewal time is often a time that one is audited for CEUs by the certifying body.  The process may take weeks to complete.  Trying to renew the APRN National Certification online the week before it expires generally results in you not getting it renewed before expiration and not being able to work for weeks until it is processed.  If you work with an expired national certification you are in violation of the Nurse Practice Act.  Beginning with the 2026 licensing cycle, there will be a hard stop for national certification just like there is the hard stop for the RN/RN Compact license.   Your APRN license will not renew if the National Certification for your particular APRN Certification is not current. 

 

The APRN is responsible for gaining approval for practice site & collaborative physician through Board of Nursing prior to beginning to practice. The designated physical location in Mississippi which is the usual practice location as reported to the Board where the Board can conduct a site visit to evaluate the delivery of care by a licensee and compliance with laws and regulations regarding delivery of care by a licensee. This shall not include the patient's home. (Miss. Admin. Code Part 2840, Rule 1.2 (L)

How to update practice site & collaborative physician link.

Practice Sites:  Only Mississippi practice sites need to be listed on the BON gateway portal.  There is no need to list any practice sites outside of Mississippi as the MS BON has no authority out of state and cannot approve them.  If you work for a company that has a headquarters out of state, you must list the physical practice site in Mississippi from where you will work.  This cannot be a PO box or a “fake physical address”.  The site can be your home, but it cannot be the patient’s home (even if you are doing home visits).  Many out of state agencies have a “satellite office” in Mississippi.  Basically, if there is a complaint regarding the services you provided to a patient, the investigator must have a physical location to go to in order to obtain records or serve subpoenas.  You can renew license without a physical practice site in Mississippi if you do not work in Mississippi.  You would simply leave that area blank on the renewal application.  However, before you could begin work in Mississippi, you would need an approved practice site, approved collaborating physician and approved collaborative agreement.  Please consider where your feet are and where the patient’s feet are and be properly licensed in both states as each state requires.  Even if the patients that you will see via telehealth are outside of Mississippi, if you are physically in Mississippi providing the care via telehealth etc., you must be licensed and meet all BON requirements.  There are no APRN Compact states at this time.  There is a “how to” power point on the BON website under “practice site and collaborating physician” that will take you screen by screen as how to add or delete a practice site or collaborative physician.   Remember, there is a $25.00 fee to add a new practice site.  There is no charge to delete a practice site.  All practice sites have to be verified manually which may take a couple of days during a regular time, but in high volume times such as license renewal may take 10-14 days.  If your APRN license lapses, the practice sites and collaborative physicians may become inactive on your portal and have to be added back.  This seems to be true especially if the license lapses for several days. 

 

Collaborative Physician:   All APRNs (NPs, CRNAs, and CNMs) must have at least one collaborative physician for each practice site.  This is true even if the APRN is “only providing an assessment or evaluation for benefits, insurance etc. and not actually diagnosing or prescribing any medications” It can be the same collaborative physician for all sites or different physicians for each site.  The physician must have an unencumbered license in Mississippi with a compatible practice to the APRN.   The practices must align.  For example, if you see children as patients then the physician must see children as part of their regular practice.  That physician must be readily available to you when you are working 24/7/365 weekends, nights and holidays.  In that, many APRNs do opt to have secondary or back-up physicians.  In order to be considered a collaborative physician, the physician must be listed and approved on your gateway portal.  Otherwise, that physician is simply a co-worker having no duty as a collaborating physician.  The MS BOML has a full chapter on collaborating with NPs for physicians within their administrative code on their website.  There are both mileage and work hours in MS (telehealth and chart review time do not count) requirements for the physician.  The physician would want to verify compliance with the MS BOML and also list you as an APRN on the MS BOML portal.   There is a “how to” power point on the BON website under “practice site and collaborative physician” that will take you screen by screen as how to add or delete a practice site or collaborative physician.  Remember, there is a $25.00 fee to add a collaborative physician (unique physician license number).  There is no fee to delete a practice site or collaborating physician.  As you add a new physician, do remember that the physician will receive an email from the BON letting them know that they have been selected to serve as a collaborating physician.  At times, the physician has been unaware that an APRN would be adding them to the portal and have reached out to report that no collaborative agreement has been signed and they have not agreed to any collaborative relationship.  IF the physician does make such a report, the BON does remove them as your collaborating physician.  Please be certain before adding any physician as a collaborating physician that the physician is in agreement and that a collaborative agreement has been signed.   All collaborative physicians have to be verified manually for an unencumbered BOML license and compatibility with APRN practice which may take a couple of days during a regular time, but in high volume times such as license renewal may take 10-14 days.  If your APRN license lapses, the practice sites and collaborative physicians may become inactive on your portal and have to be added back.  This seems to be true especially if the license lapses for several days. 

We are implementing a standardized approach to support your decision-making process for special procedures.

This initiative aims to enhance patient safety, improve consistency in care, and ensure compliance with regulatory standards.

The Mississippi Board of Nursing encourages the use of the decision-making model as a valuable tool for navigating the decision-making process during special procedures. Decision making models provide a structured and systematic approach, guiding you through key considerations and actions to be taken at each step of the procedure.

The APRN will complete the Decision-Making Model and obtain support information.  If the procedure, skill, role, activity, task or intervention is appropriate for that APRN then the APRN will comply with the following: 

1. APRNs requesting special privileges previously approved by the APC must keep associated documents on file at their office or practice site.
2. Policy and procedure, patient logs, competency verification and training certificates must also be kept on file and readily available for inspection at any site visit, audit or investigation.
3. Collaborating physicians do not need to write a letter of request to the BON.
4. Special privilege letters will not be sent to the licensee moving forward.
5. All signed and executed collaborative agreements must be uploaded into the BON Gateway portal and should include any additional procedures. 
6. APRNs may now select CEU courses for education and training for aesthetic procedures that aligns with the process for all other procedures.
7. A separate “approved training course list” will not be used.   However, a course that provides both didactic and practicum from a reputable organization is required.
8. Collaborating physician check-off for competency validation must be kept on site with the APRN (5 successful check-offs for each procedure).
9. All documentation of education, training, and competency (attainment and maintenance) must be maintained per the APRN.
10. All devices used for procedures must be FDA approved or cleared and manufacturer’s guidelines used.

Please keep in mind laser hair removal is an approved procedure. However, the MS BOML has a statement regarding the use of laser, IPL etc. in their administrative code that requires a physician to be present.

 

Mississippi Board of Nursing Decision Tree Model

 

Medical Cannabis Certification

The rules contained in this Part 2840, Chapter 1: Section II, are promulgated by the Mississippi Board of Nursing to implement the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act Miss. Code Ann §§. These rules shall apply to all licenses who are registered as certifying practitioners, or who are applying, or re-applying, to register as certifying practitioners. Nothing in these shall be construed to require any licensee to issue any written certification pursuant to the Act. Part 2840, Chapter 1: Section II Cannabis Certification link.

Medical Cannabis provider certifiers:  It is the MSDH that oversees the medical cannabis programs.  They have the required/approved CEU listed on their website and have the applications for you to become or to renew the provider certification.  You do not have to tell the BON that you are going to be a medical cannabis certifier or register that with us.  You do have to list any practice sites, collaborative physicians and upload the collaborative agreement for the site as you would for any practice site.

RENEWAL OF APRN LICENSE

General Information:

Please verify that your contact information on the BON gateway portal is accurate including your telephone/cell, physical address, mailing address and e-mail address.  You may want to consider updating now, well before the next renewal cycle as often reminder emails or important information is often sent to you.  In regard to your e-mail, you would want to use an email that you are able to access and do access routinely.  Often licensees have used an “old work or personal e-mail” and did not receive communication from the board.  All of the BON gateway portal information is protected by your username and password.  Please make certain that you are able to access the gateway portal before license renewal time. 

Renew Early:   The renewal process opens for RNs/APRNs September 1 of each even year for the two- year renewal cycle.  Please renew as early as possible and do not wait until the last minute to renew as there may be glitches that prevent the renewal from going through properly.  Sometimes the log in and password may not work properly or you get an error message and you need to reset.  One of the primary reasons for the APRN license not to process properly is not having a current RN compact license on file on the BON gateway portal (for those who work off of an RN compact).  While your RN compact may be current in the state which is your primary state of residence, it will appear expired to the MS BON if you have not updated your compact on the MS BON website.  This is not just emailing us a copy of your compact license, but rather, it is going into the BON gateway portal and updating the information in that RN Compact Update Area.   That information then goes to the APRN licensing officer’s queue, who must verify it within NURSYS.  You cannot be licensed as an APRN or work as an APRN without a current RN/RN Compact license.  Be certain that you renew both the RN and APRN if both licenses are from Mississippi.  Some licensees accidently renewed only one or the other.  Be certain to verify on the BON portal that both your RN and APRN licenses processed to the new expiration date and that your payment source shows both license payments processing.  Several have been caught off guard at the last minute with the APRN license not renewing if there was an expired RN compact on the BON gateway portal. 

RN/RN Compact License:  Please make certain that your RN or RN compact license is always current on the MS BON gateway.  If it is not current or shows expired, that will hinder you from renewing your APRN license, adding practice sites, adding collaborative physicians and adding collaborative agreements.  You must have an active RN/RN compact license to practice as an APRN in Mississippi.  You must go to the BON website and update under the RN Compact area and not simply email us a copy of your RN from your primary state of residence where your RN Compact originates.   If you live in Mississippi and have a MS RN Compact license, remember that if you move out of state and change your primary state of residency outside of Mississippi that you cannot renew the Mississippi RN Compact.  All RN Compacts must originate from the primary state of residency that is recorded with the BON/NURSYS.  You would have to have a single state Mississippi if you no longer live in Mississippi or would need to get an RN Compact from your new state of residency (if that state is part of the RN Compact).   There is no fee to update the RN Compact on the BON gateway portal.