The Certified Global Nurse Consultant (CGNC) Program was designed in collaboration with the International Council of Nurses (ICN) to recognize expert nurses who seek to be recognized for their knowledge and experience. As part of the evaluation process, CGFNS International, Inc. (CGFNS) reviews the application and supporting documentation to determine eligibility for certification as a global nurse consultant. Those issued the CGNC Credential consultant will be an expert on a range of topics and issues and a trusted source of nursing consultancy to the International Council of Nurses (ICN), the National Nursing Associations (NNA), governments, and non-government organizations.
Turn your years of professional expertise into consulting opportunities and direct the future of nursing as a Certified Global Nurse Consultant.
Who Should Apply to the Certified Global Nurse Consultant Program?
Are you a nurse professional or nurse executive with five or more years of experience in your field of practice? Have you been recognized for your contribution to your area of expertise? Do you wish to become recognized as an expert consultant?
If yes, you may meet the requirements for the Certified Global Nurse Consultant.
How it Works
1.
Click Apply Now to create a CGFNS Applicant Portal account and use the service selector to locate the CGNC service.
2.
Complete your profile and respond to the applicant questionnaire.
3.
Complete your portfolio by providing information about your education, professional development, professional contributions, career information, and consultation experience. You will also be asked to provide a written self-qualification statement and to submit client and professional references.
4.
Upload required documents.
5.
Pay for the CGNC service using the Shopping Cart.
6.
CGFNS will evaluate your application and the associated documents that you uploaded.
7.
If you meet the requirements for the credential, you will receive notification of your certification and will be provided with an electronic certificate.
After you have selected the service, you will be required to complete the following program requirements under the My Profile section of the CGFNS applicant portal.
Identity Documents
Submit color photocopies of TWO notarized forms of valid identification directly to CGFNS that verify your current name with no abbreviations. One form of identification must be a photo ID.
You may also need to submit additional identity documents to verify any other names you may have used that would appear on documents from your educational institutions or license / certification / registration authorities.
Acceptable forms of photo identification include:
- Passport (required)
- Driver’s License
- Other government-issued photo identification
All photo IDs must include a clear photo of you (color copies are required) and not have expired when received by CGFNS.
Other acceptable forms of identification include:
- Birth Certificate
- Marriage Certificate
- Divorce Certificate
- Legal Name Change Affidavit
Document Language
If any of these documents are written in a language other than English, they must be translated by a certified translator.
Profile
You will be asked to supply information about the education you received.
Education could include:
- Education Programs in Nursing and Nursing Specialties
- Bachelor’s Degrees
- Master’s Degrees
- Doctoral/PHD Degrees
- Post—Doctoral Degrees
- Non-Nursing Education Programs
- Any program for any discipline for which the applicant received credit
Applicants holding any certification(s) are encouraged to enter information about all of their certification(s) as a way to demonstrate professional development.
Applicants can enter any certifications they have achieved through certifying agencies. Information requested includes the name of the board certification held, the name of the granting certifying body, the certification number, and the certification expiration date.
Applicants are asked to provide the following information about all current nursing licenses/registrations
- Country/Province/State of License/Registration
- Legal professional title
- Date of registration
- Date of expiration
If you do not hold a current license, provide information related to last license/registration held and reason why you are no longer licensed.
Applicants are asked to upload copies of each current license/registration.
Applicants are asked to provide the following information about the practice settings where you worked as a nurse during the past five years:
- Name of employer
- Position/Title
- Type of practice
- Dates of employment
- Brief description of responsibilities
*If you are not currently employed as a nurse, please provide information about your most recent relevant work experience.
Applicants are to submit information about continuing education hours that have been received within the past three years.
Applicants are required to provide:
- The name of the CE course
- The CE provider
- The date(s) of the course
- The number of CE credits awarded.
Questionnaire
You are required to answer three questions regarding through a supplementary questionnaire.
- Respond to questions about membership in national nursing association
- Review and confirm the Code of Ethics
- Provide information about your area(s) of expertise
You are then required to complete portfolio information under the My Portfolio section. There are four values that are required and nine that are optional.
Portfolio
Applicants are asked to provide information about consulting services that they have provided during the last 5 years. Consultation work could have been conducted either formally or informally. Applicants are required to submit:
- A description of the consultation
- The dates the consultation work was performed
- The organization for which the services were performed
Applicants are required to provide two references. We ask that one of those references be from a current or former supervisor or mentor. You will be asked to provide:
- The name of the reference
- Their relationship to you
- Their contact information.
- You will also be required to upload the reference as part of your application.
* You can submit two professional references if you do not have a client reference.
Applicants are required to provide two references. We ask that one of those references be from a current or former client. You will be asked to provide:
- The name of the reference
- Their relationship to you
- Their contact information.
- You will also be required to upload the reference as part of your application.
* You can submit two professional references if you do not have a client reference.
Applicants are required to submit a brief Self-Qualification statement describing why you believe that you should be a Certified Global Nurse Consultant. The statement will clearly articulate your qualifications and experience and will outline your area(s) of expertise on which you hope to provide consulting experience. We request that this statement be less than 500 words.
Applicants have the option to upload a current CV if they would like to have it added to their portfolio.
Applicants are asked to submit information about original work that has been published within the past five (5) years. Acceptable publications include books, book chapters, journal articles, and professional newsletter articles. Applicants are asked to provide information the following information about the publications:
- Title of article or chapter
- Name of publication (journal name, book title, etc.)
- Year of publication
- Link to publication (if available online)
Applicants are asked to submit information about presentations, including webinars, that they have completed during the past five (5) years. Presentations may be either in-person or virtual. Applicants are asked to provide information the following information about each presentation:
- Title of presentation
- Name of the meeting/audience
- Date of presentation
- Location
Applicants are asked to provide information about any business or consultancy plans that you have developed within the past five years. Applicants are asked to upload a copy of the final business or consultancy plan (information can be redacted if confidential).
Applicants are asked to provide information about awards or recognition received for contributions in their area of expertise. This includes:
- A description of the award or recognition
- The name of the awarding organization
- The name of the award
- The date that the award was received
Applicants are asked to provide evidence about any scholarly editing that they have completed or any manuscript or abstract review work that they have conducted. Examples of scholarly editing includes editing of newsletters, journal articles, books, or book chapters. Manuscript or document review includes review of manuscripts or abstracts submitted for any scholarly publications or professional conferences or seminars.
Applicants will be asked to provide the following information:
- Name of journal or organization
- Description of role
- Dates of service
Applicants are asked to provide evidence about any unpublished research studies that they have completed. This includes any completed dissertation, thesis, or graduate-level scholarly project related to your area of specialization.
Applicants will be asked to supply the following information:
- Description of the research
- Role in project
- Dates of research
- Date of manuscript completion (if applicable)
Applicants are asked to submit evidence related to leadership roles and active participation in nursing or other organizations related to their area of specialization. This includes:
- Name of the organization
- Role on the board/name of committee
- Description of responsibilities
- The term (start and end date) of service
The fee is $250 USD for members of the National Nursing Associations and $350 for non-members
The fee for the CGNC service is $250 USD for individuals who are current members of their National Nursing Association (NNA) and $350 for non-members.
To purchase the CGNC service, you will need to register an account in CGFNS’s online Applicant Portal, choose Certification for Global Nurse Consultant from the Service Selector, provide all the required profile and portfolio information, and pay using your shopping cart.
Nurse professionals who wish to be recognized as consultants for their expertise or are interested in serving as consultants for ICN, National Nursing Associations, or other governmental and non-governmental organizations around the world are encouraged to apply for the CGNC program.
An evaluator will conduct an initial review within 10 business days of when you create your CGFNS account and purchase the CGNC service. The evaluator will notify you of any outstanding required documentation at that time. The final review will take approximately 15 business days after all documentation has been received.
In addition to personal and contact information, CGFNS requires education, certification, and licensure documentation, along with professional documentation to support your application. For more about the specific requirements, see the Required Documents section of the CGNC Service page here.
You will also receive detailed instructions about which documents you need and how to submit them in the CGFNS Applicant Portal after you have purchased the CGNC service.
If you do not have consulting experience or recent consulting experience, you can still become a Certified Global Nurse Consultant by providing sufficient evidence of your expertise in your field of practice.
Retired individuals without a current license are eligible for the certification. You will need to provide an explanation and agree/attest that your license/registration was in good standing when you retired.
Individuals who are unable to be licensed because they are not engaged in clinical practice are still eligible for the certification. You will need to provide an explanation and agree/attest that you previously held a license/registration and it was in good standing at that time.
Individuals who do not have a client reference can submit two professional references.
Yes. Evaluators review your application and documentation to determine eligibility for certification. If the requirements are met, you will be notified of your certification and you will be issued an electronic certificate.
Yes. CGFNS currently only accepts documents that are in English or are accompanied by a translation. We do not accept documents translated by the applicant.
Need help with translation services? CGFNS can facilitate translation for an additional fee.
Log into your CGFNS Applicant Portal account and use the status tracker to view the status of your application, including whether there are outstanding requirements and what steps you need to take to resolve them.
Yes. The CGNC Certification is valid for 5 years.
The requirements for recertification include:
- Continuing Professional Development (CPD) hours
- Evidence of Consultation Work
No. CGFNS has a no refund policy for all programs and services.
A written request to appeal must be submitted to CGFNS within 30 days. If your appeal request is granted, you will receive further information about the appeals process and be charged a fee of $500 USD, which is refundable if the Appeals Committee finds in favor of your appeal.
Do not submit a payment for an appeal until your request for an appeal has been granted and you have received more information about the CGFNS Appeals process.
CGFNS No Longer Accepts Paper Applications and Payment
CGFNS only accepts digital applications and online credit card payments. Checks, money orders, and paper applications mailed to CGFNS will be sent back to you.