Retired/Emeritus Status
The WOCNCB® has established a Retired/Emeritus Status for certified nurses who have retired during their active certification and wish to remain connected to other WOCNCB® certified nurses. Retired/Emeritus Status allows nurses to reinstate their active status within five (5) years of being granted Retired/Emeritus Status.
The credentials of nurses taking Retired/Emeritus Status are considered inactive while under this status. He/she will not be considered certified during this period and the certification designation (i.e. CWON®) cannot be used after the nurse’s name (i.e. on a clinical practice sign off). A nurse may use their credential with Emeritus Status on a resume or below their name on a business card (i.e. CWOCN®, Emeritus), but they may NOT use their credential after their signature. Nurses may continue to use their credential as stated above indefinitely, but after five years they will be unable to return to active status without applying as a new applicant.
Applications for Retired/Emeritus Status will be considered by the WOCNCB® Board of Directors within 30 days of receipt of an application. If approved, Retired/Emeritus Status will be granted for one (1) five (5) year period. The retired/emeritus period cannot be extended beyond a single five year period.
To apply for Retired/Emeritus Status, a nurse must:
- Have an active WOCNCB® certification
- Be retired from active practice
- Submit an application at least 30 days prior to certification expiration for all active certifications that the nurse currently holds. Applications can be submitted by email, fax or mail.
- Pay an application fee of $50 per certification.
If a WOCNCB® Retired/Emeritus nurse wants to return to Active Status, it must be within five (5) years from the date of Retired/Emeritus Status, and the nurse must:
- Complete 50 CEs for each specialty credential within five (5) years of application date to return to active status
- Have an active RN license
- Pay the current application fee for each certification
- Pass the certification exam for each certification
