(1) The APRN is expected to engage in ongoing competence development. Competence development is the method by which an APRN gains, maintains, or refines practice, knowledge, skills, and abilities. This development can occur through formal education programs, continuing education, or clinical practice and is expected to continue throughout the APRN's career. Documentation of competence development activities should be retained by the APRN for a minimum of five years and must be made available to the board upon request. The APRN must:

(a) submit verification of national recertification to the board within 30 days of issuance; and

(b) complete 24 contact hours of continuing education during each two-year license renewal period as stated in ARM Title 24, subchapter 21, Renewals and Continuing Education; and

(i) At renewal, APRN licensees licensed less than two full years shall complete one contact hour per month licensed.

(ii) For the APRN who holds prescriptive authority, half of the contact hours must be in pharmacotherapeutics, where no more than two of these contact hours may concern the study of herbal or complementary therapies.

(c) maintain an individualized quality assurance plan that:

(i) is relevant to the APRN's role and population focus, practice setting, and level of experience;

(ii) may include peer review, institutional review, and/or self-assessment;

(iii) includes methods for maintaining continued competence in providing patient care and evaluating patient outcomes; and

(iv) meets the standards set by the APRN's national professional organization.