A new certification program from NBCRNA reflecting nurse anesthesiologists’ commitment to continuous improvement in safe, quality patient care. AANA supports CRNAs/nurse anesthesiologists on their recertification path by helping track MAC Ed (Class A) and MAC Dev (Class B) credits and providing a variety of courses to satisfy requirements.
The National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA), which manages the certification of CRNAs/nurse anesthesiologists, is introducing the Maintaining Anesthesia Certification (MAC) in 2025. Every CRNA/nurse anesthesiologist will move into the enhanced program depending on their certification end date.
A required, self‑paced online component of the NBCRNA’s certification program. It replaces the former Continued Professional Certification Assessment (CPCA) with quarterly knowledge checks delivered through a longitudinal assessment platform that tracks CRNA/nurse anesthesiologist performance over 13 quarters, provides immediate feedback and explanations, allows flexible access via mobile or desktop, and requires additional continuing education credits if performance standards are not met.
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60 MAC Ed (Class A) credits per 4-year cycle. Credits in excess of the required 60 in a four-year cycle can be used to meet your MAC Dev (Class B) requirements. MAC Ed (Class A) credits are assessed and given (prior or non-prior) approval by AANA.
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40 MAC Dev (Class B) credits per 4-year cycle. MAC Dev (Class B) credits are not assessed and do not need prior approval. Fulfill MAC Dev (Class B) requirements by using any excess MAC Ed (Class A) credits earned during your four-year cycle (All 100 credits can be MAC Ed (Class A)). MAC Dev (Class B) credits recognize diverse professional activities, including:
You will move into the enhanced CPC Program after completing your current cycle requirements.
Unsure about your current requirements and deadlines, see portal.nbcrna.com.
The Continued Professional Certification (CPC) Program is the former certification framework from the NBCRNA and is being phased out. If you are renewing in 2025, you are still under the CPC Program and must complete all requirements before transitioning to the new Maintaining Anesthesia Certification (MAC) Program.
If you have questions about the recertification process or requirements, contact the NBCRNA at cpc@nbcrna.com or 708-667-0002.
The NBCRNA introduced the Maintaining Anesthesia Certification (MAC) Program in 2024, reflecting CRNAs’/nurse anesthesiologists’ commitment to continuous improvement in safe, quality patient care. MAC features a four-year timeline with three key components: MAC Check, MAC Ed, and MAC Dev (formerly Class A and Class B).
NBCRNA listened to feedback about the CPC Program and created the MAC Program to address these concerns through ongoing collaboration with CRNAs/nurse anesthesiologists, including a one-year research study to test the new MAC Check format.
The NBCRNA simplified the MAC program fee schedule to ensure a consistent cost every four years with a streamlined path for maintaining the CRNA/nurse anesthesiologist credential.
According to NBCRNA, CRNAs/nurse anesthesiologists will pay NBCRNA a one-time, upfront fee of $445 when submitting the renewal application for the four-year certification cycle. This means an average yearly cost of $111. Although this is a $28 increase in renewal application and assessment costs over the four-year cycle, CRNAs/nurse anesthesiologists will save $300 on average with the removal of the Core Modules requirement from the MAC Program.
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The decision to prepare or study for MAC Check in advance is ultimately yours, as NBCRNA designed it to be flexible without the pressure of dedicated study sessions.
To learn more about the requirements, please visit NBCRNA FAQs.
60 MAC Ed (Class A) credits – Awarded for continuing education activities that have AANA prior or non-prior approval. Examples include AANA meetings and workshops, the Journal Course Essentials Bundle (65 MAC Ed credits), DEA Requirement Bundle (8 MAC Ed credits), Micro-credentials (variety of MAC Ed credits), and more on CRNA Education Edge.
40 MAC Dev (Class B) credits – Awarded for professional development activities that do not require AANA approval. You can fulfill this by using excess MAC Ed credits or through activities such as life support classes, serving on a board, research involvement, teaching, publishing, or taking on a new clinical practice role. You may earn all 100 credits as MAC Ed (Class A) if desired.