CALIFORNIA BOARD OF REGISTERED NURSING PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE CERTIFICATE
Current regulations for public health nurse certification require that the nurse be a graduate of a BSN or MSN-ELM degree program accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
BSN & MSN-ELM Graduates
All BSN & MSN-ELM graduates of the MMD College of Nursing may be eligible to apply for the PHN Certificate.
After your degree has been posted:
- Submit your application online via your BreEZe account.
- Request your official transcripts from CDU via the Parchment transcripts request website: https://www.parchment.com/u/registration/39613/institution.
- Request CDU send the transcripts directly to the BRN. You must provide the BRN’s mailing address when requesting the transcripts online.
Nurses with a BSN, MSN, or doctoral nursing degree from another university
- Nurses with a BSN degree from another university may be deficient in the clinical hours necessary to receive a PHN Certificate. These students will need to take BSN 423 Community-based Role Performance which includes 90 hours of clinical.
- As a service to the community the MMD College of Nursing at CDU will offer this course as you can enroll as a non-matriculated student.
A. Eligibility Requirements
- Evidence of a permanent California RN license that is current, clear and active. (A temporary license or interim license is not acceptable.)
- Possession of a baccalaureate degree documented by one of the following:
- Official transcripts from a school accredited by the National League of Nursing (NLN) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), which includes coursework in public health nursing.
- Official transcripts from an accredited BSN foreign institution and completion of required CDU coursework with a minimum grade of “C” in each course. Foreign transcripts need to be evaluated by an approved international evaluation service.
Application Instructions for CDU:
- Apply to the CA BRN for the PHN Certificate https://www.rn.ca.gov/applicants/ad-pract.shtml#phn. If you are deficient in theory and clinical hours, the BRN will send you a Letter of Deficiency. Then you may move on to Step 2.
- Apply to CDU as a non-matriculated student. If you have a BSN, you will enroll in NUR417: Public, Community, and Global Health. If you have a MSN or higher nursing degree, you will enroll in NUR515: Population Health: Public, Community, & Global Nursing. You are required to upload a copy of your Letter of Deficiency when filling out the application. Applications will not be considered without a Letter of Deficiency.
- Your application and Letter of Deficiency will be reviewed and if acceptable, it will be forwarded on to the Prelicensure Nursing Program Leadership.
Once you have received a grade for NUR417 or NUR515:
- Download and fill out the top applicant portion of the “Request for Transcript” form and then email the form attached as a PDF to mmdconstudentaffairs@cdrewu.edu. Please wait to sign the form until we return it to you. Include your CDU student ID # in the email. No scans will be accepted.
- The MMDCON will email the signed form back to the student on the email. The student must then submit the documents online via their BreEZe account, or mail them to: PO BOX 944210, SACRAMENTO CA, 94244-2100
- Request your official transcripts from CDU via the Parchment transcripts request website: https://www.parchment.com/u/registration/39613/institution.
- Request CDU send the transcripts directly to the BRN. You must provide the BRN’s mailing address when requesting the transcripts online.
RNs without a BSN will have the opportunity to complete our RN-BSN program to qualify for the PHN Certificate
Foreign Nursing School Graduates: If you are currently licensed as a registered nurse in the U.S. and have earned a BSN from a school outside the United States, you must contact the BRN directly at (916) 322-1988. Go to the BRN’s website http://www.rn.ca.gov/ for details.