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The Montana Board of Nursing (406-841-2340 or [email protected]) licenses advanced practice registered nurses (APRN) to practice within the state.
The Board licenses APRNs in four roles: nurse practitioner (NP), clinical nurse specialist (CNS), certified nurse midwife (CNM), and certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA).
You must possess a current, valid Montana registered nurse (RN) license before the Board will consider you for APRN licensure. If you do not already have one, follow the appropriate method below to obtain one:
Montana Job Statistics
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- If this is your first time applying for an RN license in any state, use the Application for Licensure by Examination as a Registered Nurse.
- If you already hold an RN license in another state, use the Application for Licensure by Endorsement as a Registered Nurse.
- If you completed your RN training in a foreign country, you must have an official, course-by-course evaluation report conducted by a Board-approved credential evaluation service prior to applying for Montana RN licensure. Contact the Board for a list of approved foreign credential evaluation service.
- If your Montana RN license is currently inactive, use the RN Renewal Process to re-activate it.
Once you have obtained a current, valid Montana RN license, follow these steps to become a licensed APRN in the state.
Step 1. Get Your Graduate Degree
The Montana Board of Nursing requires that you hold a master’s degree, post-graduate certificate, or doctorate from a nationally accredited advanced practice nursing program in order to become a licensed APRN in the state. Your program must be at least one year in length.
Qualified Graduate Programs
The Montana Board of Nursing requires that the graduate nursing program you choose be nationally accredited by an institutional, specialized, or programmatic accreditation agency recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDE).
Course Requirements
The Montana Board of Nursing administrative rules state that your APRN education program must include the following:
- At least 250 hours of didactic instruction
- At least 500 hours of preceptorship
Additionally, specific courses are required for specific APRN roles, based upon the scope of practice for each:
Nurse Practitioner– coursework must cover:
- Advanced health assessment
- Continuity of care
- Diagnosis
- Interpreting diagnostic test results
- Disease prevention and wellness programs
- Counseling/instructing clients and families
- Collaboration with and referral to other health care providers
Certified Nurse Midwife– coursework must meet the standards of the American Midwifery Certification Board, and include:
- Health promotion and risk reduction
- Antepartum care in women
- Intrapartum, postpartum and newborn care
- High-risk perinatal nursing
- Well woman and gynecological care
- Collaboration with and referral to other health care providers
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist– coursework must meet the standards of the National Board of Certification & Recertification of Nurse Anesthetists, and include:
- Anesthesia physiology and pathophysiology
- Physics/chemistry of anesthesia
- Health assessment
- Perioperative technology
- Pharmacology for the practice of nurse anesthesia
Clinical Nurse Specialist– coursework must cover:
- Advanced health assessment
- Diagnosis
- Health promotion and disease prevention
- Therapeutic interventions including:
- Direct nursing care
- Ordering durable medical equipment
- Ordering nonpharmacological treatment
- Prescribing medications
- Diagnostic procedures
- Counseling/teaching clients/families
- Collaboration with and referral to other health care providers
Psychiatric/Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist- coursework must cover:
- Pharmacology
- Advanced health assessment
- Continuity of mental health care
- Management of therapeutic regimens
- Ordering of treatments and modalities
- Interpreting diagnostic test results
- Promotion of mental health wellness and psychiatric disease prevention
- Collaboration with and referral to other health care providers
Prescriptive Authority
As a licensed APRN in Montana, you may apply for prescriptive authority (except if you are a regular clinical nurse specialist, in which case you are not eligible). You must be able to document the completion of certain courses, including:
- 45 contact hours in pharmacology, pharmacotherapeutics, and the clinical management of drug therapy related to your APRN specialty, completed within three years of applying for prescriptive authority
- No more than 6 of these contact hours may cover herbal or complementary therapies
- 18 of these contact hours must have been completed within two years of applying for prescriptive authority
- 15 of these contact hours must be from face-to-face or interactive instruction
Information on applying for prescriptive authority will be discussed in Step 3.
Specialization
Although as a Montana APRN you will not be licensed in a sub-specialty, specialization in one (or more) population focus is a common practice among APRN students. In Montana, specializations for NPs and CNS exist in the following population areas: adult; family; geriatric; acute care; adult, neonatal and pediatric critical care; adult, family and child/adolescent psychiatric/mental health; and women’s health care.
Additional specializations are available within many masters of nursing science degree programs. To broaden your career opportunities, you may choose to take program concentrations in nurse informatics, nurse administration, business administration, nurse education, or nurse leadership.
Step 2. Earn Your National Certification
You must become nationally certified by a certifying agency representing your APRN role before Montana APRN licensure will be issued. Various national certification agencies exist for each APRN role, each with its own eligibility requirements specific to education and experience. All APRN generalist role and patient population-specific national certification requires the completion of an APRN generalist role or patient population-specific exam. You may seek national certification in one or more specialties, but must become nationally certified by at least one organization in order to become a licensed Montana APRN.
Certification Programs
Listed below are the APRN national certification agencies and designations accepted by the Montana Board of Nursing for certification in the APRN specialties listed below each agency:
- ANCC (American Nurses Credentialing Center)
P.O. Box 8785
Silver Spring, MD 20907-8785
(800) 284-2378
- Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNP)
- Adult Nurse Practitioner (ANP)
- Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
- Geriatric Nurse Practitioner (GNP)
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP)
- Adult Psychiatric & Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)
- Family Psychiatric & Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)
- Adult Health Clinical Nurse Specialist (AHCNS)
- Child & Adolescent Psychiatric & Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist (PMHCNS)
- Adult Psychiatric & Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist (PMHCNS)
- Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist (PCNS)
- Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNP)
- AANP (American Association of Nurse Practitioners)
P.O. Box 12926
Austin, TX 78711
(512) 442-5202 or [email protected]
- Adult Nurse Practitioner (ANP)
- Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
- Geriatric Nurse Practitioner (GNP)
- AACN Certification Corporation (American Association of Critical Care Nurses)
101 Columbia
Aliso Viejo, CA 92656-4109
(800) 899-2226, ext. 374
- Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNP)
- Adult Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist (ACCNS)
- Pediatric Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist (PCCNS)
- Neonatal Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist (NCCNS)
- NCC (National Certification Corporation)
P.O. Box 11082
Chicago, IL 60611-0082
- Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP)
- Women’s Health Care Nurse Practitioner (WHNP)
- PNCB (Pediatric Nurse Certification Board)
800 S. Frederick Ave, Suite 204
Gaithersburg, MD 20877-4152
(866) 641- 2767 or [email protected]
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner – Acute Care (ACPNP)
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner – Primary Care (PCPNP)
- AMCB (American Midwifery Certification Board)
849 International Drive, Suite 205
Linthicum, MD 21090
(866) 366-9632
- Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM)
- NBCRNA (National Board of Certification & Recertification of Nurse Anesthetists)
222 S. Prospect Ave
Park Ridge, IL 60068-4001
(866) 894-3908 or [email protected]
- Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)
Step 3. Apply for your License
Download the APRN Application. Indicate at the top of the form the APRN role for which you are applying (NP, CNM, CNS, CNS-Psych/Mental Health, or CRNA), and whether you are also applying for prescriptive authority. Along with your completed application:
- Enclose correct fee(s) ($75 for each APRN specialty recognition for which you are applying, $100 for prescriptive authority, and $35 for temporary permit) payable by check, money order, or cashier’s check to the Montana Board of Nursing
- Have your graduate nursing program send an official transcript directly to the Board of Nursing. This transcript must also show any necessary coursework and preceptorships.
- Enclose a copy of your national certification
- You need not fill out the Practice Site Form that is included within the application until you have established a relationship with a physician and initiated APRN practice. This form must be filed with the Board within 30 days of initiating APRN practice (see below).
Mail all of the above to the Montana Board of Nursing, P.O. Box 200513, Helena, MT 59620-0513. If there are any deficiencies in your application, the Board will notify you. Your licensure status may be checked online. When licensure has been approved, the Board will mail your APRN license to you.
Graduate Status/Temporary Permit
If you are a new graduate and wish to work as an APRN immediately, you may apply for a temporary permit. This permit is valid for 90 days. Use the APRN application above and complete the Temporary Permit section. To be eligible, you must provide proof that you have been authorized to take a national certification exam (enclose a copy of your exam authorization letter or notice). You must have a consultant (either a licensed Montana APRN or physician within your scope of practice) sign the application. This consultant must always be available to you while you are practicing under a temporary permit. When you pass the national certification exam, you may still work under the temporary permit until the Board grants you full APRN licensure. If you fail the national certification exam, your permit is revoked immediately.
Prescriptive Authority
If you plan to work as a CNM, NP, CNS-Psych/Mental Health, or CRNA, you may apply for Prescriptive Authority. Indicate on the APRN application form if you wish to do so, and enclose the $100 fee. Your transcript must indicate that you have completed the necessary pharmacology coursework (as stated in Step 2 above). Prescriptive authority for APRNs in Montana is independent, without restrictions, and includes controlled substances. If you choose to prescribe controlled substances, however, you must register with the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).
Practice Site Form/Quality Assurance Plan
Within one month of starting APRN practice in Montana, you must file a practice site form/quality assurance plan with the Board. The basic form to begin the process is located within the APRN Application. The following information must be included:
- Location of your practice site(s)
- Identification of your peer reviewer or peer reviewer organization (peer review must occur quarterly and include review of five percent of all charts handled by the APRN)
- Standards of practice set by your national certification organization
- Criteria for client referrals, patient outcomes and chart documentation set by your national certification organization
- How your peer reviewer will address and follow up on areas in which you need to improve
On December 31 of even numbered years (during license renewal), you must submit a new quality assurance report to the Board. It must document that peer review has occurred according to the rules above.
APRN Scope and Standards
The Montana Board of Nursing follows the APRN scope of practice and standards of the national certifying organization(s) for each APRN specialty role. The organizations and documents containing the scope of practice and standards of each role are listed here.
Step 4. Renewing Your License
Your RN and APRN licenses expire on December 31 of even-numbered years. A renewal notice will be mailed to your address on file with the Board about 60 days prior to your license expiration. RN licensure in Montana and national certification must both be maintained to renew your APRN license.
Continuing Education
You must satisfy the continuing education (CE) requirements of both the Montana Board of Nursing and of your national certification agency to renew your APRN license. CE requirements of the Board and national certification agencies for APRN titles are as follows:
CNS-Psych/Mental Health
- Board requirement: You must complete 40 CEUs (continuing education units) every two years.
- National requirement of ANCC (American Nurses Credentialing Center):
- You must complete 75 contact hours of CE in Category I, including 25 contact hours in pharmacology, and complete other professional development activities as specified, every five years. For more information, see the Certification Renewal Requirements.
CNS
- Board requirement: You must complete 40 CEUs every two years.
- National requirement of ANCC (American Nurses Credentialing Center):
- You must complete 75 contact hours of CE in Category I, including 25 contact hours in pharmacology, and complete other professional development activities as specified, every five years. For more information, see the Certification Renewal Requirements.
- National requirement of American Association of Critical Care Nurses:
- You must complete one of the following options every five years:
- Option 1: 1000 clinical hours and 150 CE renewal points
- Option 2: 1000 clinical hours and pass exam
- Option 3: 150 CE renewal points and pass exam
- See Certification Renewal for more information
- You must complete one of the following options every five years:
CRNA
- Board requirement: You must complete 40 CEUs every two years. If you have prescriptive authority, you must complete 10 additional CEUs in pharmacology/pharmacotherapeutics.
- National requirement of National Board of Certification & Recertification of Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA):
- You must complete 40 CE credits every two years. See the Application for Recertification for more information
CNM
- Board requirement: You must complete 40 CEUs every two years. If you have prescriptive authority, you must complete 10 additional CEUs in pharmacology/pharmacotherapeutics.
- National requirement of American Midwifery Certification Board:
- You must meet AMCB continuing competency requirements
- You must complete 40 CE hours every five years
NP
- Board requirement: You must complete 40 CEUs every two years. If you have prescriptive authority, you must complete 10 additional CEUs in pharmacology/pharmacotherapeutics
- National requirements differ based upon your national certification agency:
- American Academy of Nurse Practitioners:
- You must complete 75 contact hours of CE within your APRN specialty every five years
- ANCC (American Nurses Credentialing Center):
- You must complete 75 contact hours of CE in Category I, including 25 contact hours in pharmacology, and complete other professional development activities as specified, every five years. For more information, see 2012 Certification Renewal Requirements.
- American Association of Critical Care Nurses:
- You must complete one of the following options every five years:
- Option 1: 1000 clinical hours and 150 CE renewal points
- Option 2: 1000 clinical hours and pass an exam
- Option 3: 150 CE renewal points and pass an exam
- See Certification Renewal for more information
- You must complete one of the following options every five years:
- National Certification Corporation:
- You must complete 45 hours of CE in your APRN specialty area every three years
- See Certificate Maintenance for more information
- Pediatric Nurse Certification Board:
- You must complete 15 contact hours of CE or equivalent activities each year for a seven-year renewal cycle
- See CPNP Recert for more details
- American Academy of Nurse Practitioners:
You must submit proof that your national certification is active when you renew your Montana APRN license.
License Renewal
- Complete the APRN Renewal Process.
- Enclose $50 for each APRN specialty role which you are renewing, and $75 if you are renewing prescriptive authority, payable to the Montana Board of Nursing
- Send a copy of your national certification
Mail everything to the Montana Board of Nursing, P.O. Box 200513, Helena, MT 59620-0513.
Audit Form
If the Board notifies you at the time of your APRN license renewal that you are being audited, you must submit the APRN Audit Form. Complete it in its entirety and mail it to the Board along with:
- Copies of certificates of completion for all CE claimed
- Complete documentation of prescriptive authority renewal if applicable and include CE certificates verifying pharmacology coursework
- Include any additional comments to explain your situation, if necessary
Expired License Renewal Application
If your APRN license has expired, contact the Board at 406-841-2340 or [email protected] for instructions on reinstating it.
Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Associations in Montana
These advanced practice registered nurse associations can provide valuable networking and support for APRNs practicing in Montana:
- Montana Association of Nurse Anesthetists
- Montana Nurses Association – Advanced Practice Nursing
- Montana Midwifery Association
- Montana Primary Care Association
Montana Nurse Practitioner Salary
In Montana, NPs make an average $114,370 per year. That goes a very long way in a state with a low cost of living. What’s more, the top 10 percent report earning $142,920 or better per year.
Registered Nurse Salary
Registered nurses (RNs) in Montana make a very respectable living: $70,530 per year, on average. Those who’ve moved up the ladder report a higher income – at least $93,550 annually. So, your ambition will be rewarded down the line.
Nursing Instructors and Teachers Salary
Envision yourself educating the next generation of nurses? Nursing instructors in Montana report making an average $76,520 per year.
Nurse Administrator Salary
(Includes Nurse Managers, Directors, and Chief Nursing Officers)
See yourself managing a team? Nurse administrators in Montana make an average $100,790 annually. So, a six-figure salary is the standard in this role. In fact, senior admins make more than $142,690 per year.
Montana Nurse Anesthetist Salary
For such a low-cost state, nurse anesthetists make an incredible living. Their average annual pay is $216,420. Again, that’s the average. As the Bureau of Labor Statistics doesn’t report income higher than that, there’s no telling how much senior anesthetists are making in this state.
2020 US Bureau of Labor Statistics job market trends and salary figures for 1) Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Practitioners, Nurse Midwives; 2) Medical and Health Services Managers (Nurse Administrators); 3) Registered Nurses; and 4) Postsecondary Nursing Instructors and Teachers reflect state data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. 2019 US Census Bureau figures for state median household income provided for comparison. Data Accessed December 2021.