Steps to Becoming an APRN in Michigan

michigan nursing

1Get your Graduate Degree in Michigan
2Earn your National Certification in Michigan
3Apply for your Certificate in Michigan
4Renewing your Certificate in Michigan

The Michigan Board of Nursing (517-335-0918 or bhpinfo@michigan.gov) certifies qualified registered nurses to work within nursing specialties in the state. These specialists are commonly known as advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs).

The Board recognizes three nurse specialty certifications: Nurse Anesthetist, Nurse Midwife, and Nurse Practitioner (the Board accepts Clinical Nurse Specialist certification for Nurse Practitioners).

Before applying for nurse specialty certification in Michigan, you must hold a Michigan RN license.

Michigan Job Statistics

  • As of May 2020, NPs in Michigan earn an average salary of $109,150 per year.
  • NPs in Michigan earn about 91% more than the state’s median household income.
  • RNs working in Michigan make $73,980 on average, annually.
  • 2020 NCLEX-RN first-time pass rates for nursing school graduates in Michigan: 89%
  • Approximately 97,820 RNs and 4,880 NPs are licensed in Michigan.

If you wish to seek nurse specialty certification in Michigan, read on.


Step 1. Get Your Graduate Degree

Prior to receiving nurse specialty certification, you must obtain at least a master’s degree in nursing with a concentration in advanced practice nursing or a certificate in advanced practice nursing.

Qualified Graduate Programs

The Michigan Board of Nursing places responsibility for ensuring you have the proper advanced practice education on the national certifying organization that offers certification in your specialty role. It is, therefore, not necessary to send transcripts to the Board, as the onus for making sure that you have completed the necessary advanced nursing education is placed upon your national certification agency.

  • Nurse Practitioner: your graduate nursing program must be accredited by one of the national accreditation agencies for nurse education schools recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, such as the National League for Nursing Accrediting commission (NLNAC) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). This will ensure that the program meets the standards of one of the following national certification organizations that are recognized by the Michigan Board of Nursing: American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), Pediatric Nurse Certification Board (PNCB), National Certification Corporation (NCC), American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), or the Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation (ONCC).

Course Requirements

  • Nurse Anesthetist: coursework will include topics such as:
    • Anesthesia physiology and pathophysiology
    • Chemistry and physics of anesthesia
    • Health assessment for nurse anesthesia
    • Perioperative technology
    • Pharmacology for anesthesia practice
    • Practicum/clinical experience (most programs require at least 500 hours of supervised clinical experience)
  • Nurse Midwife: coursework will include topics such as:
    • Advanced health assessment
    • Health promotion and risk reduction
    • Advanced pathophysiology
    • Antepartum care of normal women
    • Intrapartum, postpartum and newborn care
    • High-risk perinatal nursing
    • Advanced pharmacotherapeutics
    • Well women/GYN care
    • Practicum/clinical experience (most programs require at least 500 hours of supervised clinical experience)
  • Nurse Practitioner: coursework will be based upon your population specialization (i.e., pediatric, family, geriatric) but will usually include topics such as:
    • Statistics
    • Advanced pathophysiology
    • Advanced health assessment
    • Advanced pharmacology
    • Primary care management
    • Practicum/clinical experience (most programs require at least 500 hours of supervised clinical experience within your specialty area)


Step 2. Earn Your National Certification

The Michigan Board of Nursing certifies three titles of APRN nurse specialists. However, they will only do so after you have met the qualifications of the national certification board applicable to your nursing specialty. Each national certification agency maintains its own educational, experience and examination requirements. In order to maintain Michigan certification as an APRN, you must maintain your national certification through fulfilling the continuing education requirements of your national organization.

The Michigan Board of Nursing certifies the following APRN titles:

  • Nurse practitioner (NP)
  • Nurse midwife (NM)
  • Nurse anesthetist (NA)

Certification Programs

These national certification agencies are approved by the Michigan Board of Nursing to set standards for the respective APRN generalist and specialty roles:

You must obtain national certification in order to obtain Michigan certification as an APRN. Make sure to contact the appropriate agency for information on this process before continuing with Michigan’s nurse specialty certification process.


Step 3. Apply for your Certificate

You must provide your US social security number on your application for nurse specialty certification, under both Michigan and federal law. Failure to do so will delay processing your application. Contact the Michigan Board of Nursing at 517-335-0918 for further information.

Your national certification organization, rather than the Michigan Board of Nursing, is responsible for making sure that you have completed the necessary advanced practice nursing education. Therefore, it is not necessary to send any transcripts to the Board, as it is assumed by the Board that your national certification agency has already thoroughly verified your education.

Regardless of the nurse specialty certification for which you are applying, you will use the Application for Nurse Specialty Certification and follow the instructions for your specific certification.

Nurse Practitioner:

If you are seeking certification as a Nurse Practitioner, complete Section 1 of the Nurse Practitioner Specialty Certification Form (found in application packet) and forward it to your national certification agency. This agency must provide the information requested and forward it directly to the Michigan Board of Nursing. (The only exception is if you hold certification from the National Certification Corporation (NCC), in which case you must simply provide your NCC ID number on the application and the Board will obtain verification of your certification). Addresses for NP national certification agencies approved by the Board are:

  • American Nurses Credentialing Center, P.O. Box 8785, Silver Spring, MD 20907-8785
  • Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation, 125 Enterprise Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15275
  • American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Program, P.O. Box 12926, Austin, TX 78711
  • Pediatric Nursing Certification Board, 800 South Frederick Ave, Suite 204, Gaithersburg, MD 20877-4152

Complete the rest of the Application for Nurse Specialty Certification. You must also enclose the proper application fee (see below) via check or money order payable to the State of Michigan. Return these items to the Michigan Department of Licensing & Regulatory Affairs, Board of Nursing, P.O. Box 30193, Lansing, MI 48909.

Nurse Midwife:

If you are seeking certification as a Nurse Midwife, complete Section 1 of the Nurse Midwife Specialty Certification form (found in application packet) and forward it to the American Midwifery Certification Board. They must complete the form and return it to the Michigan Board of Nursing to verify your national certification. Their address is American Midwifery Certification Board, 849 International Drive, Suite 205, Linthicum, MD 21090.

Complete the rest of the Application for Nurse Specialty Certification. Also enclose the proper application fee (see below) payable to the State of Michigan (check or money order only). Send these items to the Michigan Department of Licensing & Regulatory Affairs, Board of Nursing, P.O. Box 30193, Lansing, MI 48909.

Nurse Anesthetist:

If you are seeking certification as a Nurse Anesthetist, complete Section 1 of the Nurse Anesthetist Specialty Certification form (found in application packet) and forward it to the National Board of Certification & Recertification of Nurse Anesthetists. They will complete the form verifying your national certification status and return it to the Michigan Board of Nursing. Their address is NBCRNA, 222 S. Prospect Ave, Park Ridge, IL 60068-4001.

Complete the rest of the Application for Nurse Specialty Certification and return it, along with the proper application fee (see below) payable to the State of Michigan (check or money order only), to the Michigan Department of Licensing & Regulatory Affairs, Board of Nursing, P.O. Box 30193, Lansing, MI 48909.

Application Fee

The application fee that you will be charged when you submit your Application for Nurse Specialty Certification is based upon when your current Michigan RN license expires. If your RN license expires 13 to 24 months from the date you are filing your Application for Nurse Specialty Certification, enclose $52. If your RN license expires in 5 to 12 months, enclose $38. If your RN license expires in 0 to 4 months, enclose $52. Remember that all fees must be paid via check or money order only and be payable to the State of Michigan. (If your RN license expires within 120 days, pay the $52 fee and your current RN license will be renewed when your specialty certification is issued).

Application Processing Time

The Michigan Board of Nursing recommends that you allow six to eight weeks to process your application. If you have any questions about your application, wait at least three weeks before calling the Board.

Criminal History Background Check

When you apply for nurse specialty certification in Michigan, you do not need to undergo a criminal history background check. You should already have already submitted to one when you applied for your Michigan RN license. The Michigan Board of Nursing will have record of your original background check on file.

Collaborative Practice Agreement/Prescriptive Authority

The state of Michigan does not require APRNs to have a collaborative practice agreement with a physician on file in order to be able to practice. However, if in your APRN role you are requesting prescriptive authority, you must have a written authorization established with a supervising physician who practices within your specialty. This authorization must be kept on file at the physician’s practice and at your practice. It must contain the effective date, any limitations on your prescriptive authority that have been established, and must be reviewed by both parties and updated annually.

  • Controlled Substances:
    • Schedule 3 to 5 controlled substances are included within prescriptive authority for APRNs. If you wish to prescribe Schedule 2 controlled substances, this authority can only be granted if both you and your supervising physician are practicing in a hospital, outpatient surgical facility, or hospice.
    • If you are applying for prescriptive authority including controlled substances, you must obtain a DEA number from the Drug Enforcement Agency. Contact the regional Michigan DEA office at 800-230-6844.

Scope of Practice

The Michigan Board of Nursing has not developed a scope of practice for APRNs. However, you must abide by the following scopes of practice, as determined by Michigan law for registered nurses as well as by your national certification organization:

  • Nurse practitioner: Because a NP is a licensed RN in Michigan, there is not a separate written scope of practice for NPs in Michigan law. Anything beyond the RN scope of practice must be supervised by a physician (such as performing surgeries, invasive procedures, ordering physical therapy, and prescribing medications). The duties of a NP may include:
    • Treating common and chronic illnesses
    • Health maintenance
    • Disease prevention
    • Counseling and patient education
    • Providing primary care services
  • Nurse anesthetist: The role of a NA includes care for basic anesthesia needs of the patient before, during and after surgery or labor and delivery. Under Michigan’s scope of practice for NAs, (as there is no written scope of practice beyond that of a RN), all activities and/or medical functions must be performed under the supervision of a qualified physician.
  • Nurse midwife: Under the scope of practice of the American College of Nurse Midwives, NMs may manage women’s health care, pregnancies, childbirth, postpartum period, newborn care, and family-planning and gynecological care of women. This scope of practice is followed in Michigan as well.


Step 4. Renewing Your Certificate

Your APRN specialty certification expires every two years, on the same day as your Michigan RN license. Your Michigan RN license must be current and active before you can renew your specialty certification.

Continuing Education

The state of Michigan does not require APRNs to satisfy continuing education requirements, but does mandate that you keep your national certification active. Each national certification organization has its own continuing education requirements. Contact your certification agency for more information:

Recertification  

Regardless of your nursing specialty, you may use the Application for Recertification of a Nursing Specialty. You must complete Section 1 of the application and forward it to your national certification agency so that they can verify your certification status to the Board.

  • For nurse practitioners, send the verification form to one of the following agencies in which you hold national certification:
    • American Nurses Credentialing Center, P.O. Box 8785, Silver Spring, MD 20907-8785
    • Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation, 125 Enterprise Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15275
    • American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Program, P.O. Box 12926, Austin, TX 78711
    • Pediatric Nursing Certification Board, 800 South Frederick Ave, Suite 204, Gaithersburg, MD 20877-4152
  • For nurse anesthetists, send the verification form to NBCRNA, 222 S. Prospect Ave, Park Ridge, IL 60068-4001.
  • For nurse midwives, send the verification form to American Midwifery Certification Board, 849 International Drive, Suite 205, Linthicum, MD 21090

Complete the rest of the application and mail it along with the appropriate renewal fee (see below) to Michigan Department of Licensing & Regulatory Affairs, Board of Nursing, P.O. Box 30193, Lansing, MI 48909.

Recertification Fee

Your recertification fee is based upon when your RN license expires. If it expires in 13 to 24 months from the time you are filing your recertification application, the fee is $72. If it expires in 5 to 12 months, the fee is $58. If it expires in 0 to 4 months, the fee is $72. Pay the application fee via check or money order only, payable to the State of Michigan.

Expired Certificate Renewal Application

If your APRN certificate has expired, you may still use the same renewal form. However, if your certificate has been expired for more than three years, you must re-submit fingerprints and undergo a criminal history background investigation. Contact the Board at 517-335-0918 for more information.

Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Associations in Michigan

You might consider joining one of the following organizations in Michigan that offer continuing education and professional support to APRNs:


Michigan Nurse Practitioner Salary

If you want to make six figures as a nurse, it’s certainly doable. Especially if you’re a nurse practitioner in Michigan. NPs in this state report an average salary of $109,150 per year, with the top 10 percent making north of $136,570.

Area Name
Employment
Annual mean wage
Ann Arbor
620
111870
Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area
230
107070
Battle Creek
40
101300
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn
1980
111460
Flint
220
105380
Grand Rapids-Wyoming
570
107140
Jackson
NA
106760
Kalamazoo-Portage
260
96520
Lansing-East Lansing
150
109990
Muskegon
70
112710
Niles-Benton Harbor
70
103130
Northeast Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area
40
109830
Northwest Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area
180
120350
Saginaw
150
101060
Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area
140
108610

Registered Nurse Salary

RNs in Michigan make a comfortable $73,980 per year, on average. As time goes on, they make more. The top-earning RNs in this state make at least $98,080 annually.

Area Name
Employment
Annual mean wage
Ann Arbor
9690
81310
Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area
3260
69140
Battle Creek
1490
71830
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn
43250
76210
Flint
4440
75890
Grand Rapids-Wyoming
13940
69760
Jackson
480
67270
Kalamazoo-Portage
3450
73630
Lansing-East Lansing
3720
74530
Midland
-
56930
Monroe
490
71810
Muskegon
-
69760
Niles-Benton Harbor
540
69680
Northeast Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area
1290
67680
Northwest Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area
2850
64420
Saginaw
2610
70380
Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area
2480
63540

Nursing Instructors and Teachers Salary

If you ever want to transition out of the field and into the classroom, becoming a nursing instructor pays well. In Michigan, these professionals report an average annual salary of $83,020.

Area Name
Employment
Annual median wage
Ann Arbor
310
93510
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn
890
86870
Grand Rapids-Wyoming
180
57690
Lansing-East Lansing
190
86170
Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area
40
54900

Nurse Administrator Salary

(Includes Nurse Managers, Directors, and Chief Nursing Officers)

If you have the mind for management, consider becoming a nurse administrator. In Michigan, admins make $108,660 per year, on average. The highest paid nurse administrators report earning a minimum $169,770 annually.

Area Name
Employment
Annual mean wage
Ann Arbor
870
117310
Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area
570
90030
Battle Creek
220
90500
Bay City
150
91310
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn
5250
115340
Flint
330
99650
Grand Rapids
1290
105250
Jackson
70
81130
Kalamazoo-Portage
470
93720
Lansing-East Lansing
550
117300
Midland
220
123480
Monroe
60
126670
Niles-Benton Harbor
130
NA
Northeast Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area
210
86230
Northwest Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area
370
83690
Saginaw
300
106400
Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area
360
89320

Nurse Anesthetists Salary

Nurse anesthetists make an incredible $199,870 per year. That’s just the average. The top earners likely make well over the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ reporting threshold, which is $208,000 annually.

Area Name
Employment
Annual mean wage
Ann Arbor
260
262890
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn
1350
194710
Grand Rapids-Wyoming
190
163970
Lansing-East Lansing
80
210830
Northwest Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area
90
179350
Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area
NA
215040

Nurse Midwives Salary

Midwives in Michigan report an average yearly salary of $103,870 per year. So, if you choose to specialize in natal care, it will pay off. The top 10 percent of midwives reported making $158,510 per year.

Area Name
Employment
Annual mean wage
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn
110
102230
Grand Rapids-Wyoming
40
112530


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.

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