Career Resources / Nursing Licensure / CE Requirements
Nurses need to love learning. The field is not static. Standards and practices change, which require nurses to learn new methods. Nurses advance their knowledge in many ways, however, one of the most prominent is by fulfilling continuing education unit requirements.
CEUs are necessary for nurses to remain current on training, proper health care standards and practices.
Though some states do not require continuing education requirements, most RNs must complete a certain number or type of CEU courses to maintain their nursing license.
However, each state’s board of nursing decides CEU requirements for RNs, LPNs, and APRNs to keep their license.
Most states require nurses to earn credits every two years. Some states mandate specific courses as either one-time or ongoing requirements.
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See below to learn more about each state’s continuing education requirements for nurses.
Other CEU requirements to consider
The primary purpose of continuing education requirements for nurses is to increase an RN’s knowledge and skills. Nurses must take CEU courses relevant to their practice. Lessons from an accredited college or university may also count toward CEU requirements for RNs pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree.
Some of the most popular continuing education areas for RNs include:
- Laws and guidelines for nursing
- Patient advocacy
- Conflict management
- Pharmacology
Most states clearly define courses that are not acceptable as CEUs for RNs. For example, general education courses such as English Literature, Government, and Mathematics typically do not meet CEU requirements in most states.
Where to find CEUs for RN license renewal
Some CEUs are free, while others are part of a subscription or pay-per-course platform. To count toward total contact hours earned, CEUs must be available through an accredited agency or CEU program.
That said, the instructors and course materials go through a vetting process to determine nursing relevance.
You can find most courses online. Incredible Health provides access to free and online nursing CEUs.
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