Required For Nurse Practitioners
To renew your license, you will need to obtain at least one hundred and sixty-five hours of continuing education credits. Some states require more, while others have no requirement at all. In order to maintain your national certification, NPs should visit the website of the certifying body and learn what their requirements are. Most certifying bodies require that nurses complete clinical hours, but you can also earn CE credits through non-clinical activities.
The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) sets standards for board certification in Nursing CEUs. Taking ANCC-approved courses increases your earning potential, keeps you updated in your profession, and helps you deliver the best care possible to your patients. While many nurses find it difficult to find the time to complete all of their CE requirements, rest assured that the requirements for continuing education are reasonable. Just remember that you should always double check the requirements for your particular state before completing your training.
NPs can combine their 1,000 clinical hours with 100 hours of continuing education to reach their CEU requirements. However, to keep their license active, they should choose activities that relate to their specific specialty area. As a rule, at least 25 hours of the 100 hours must be for advanced practice pharmacology credit. Pri-Med offers free online courses and live conferences to help NPs earn AANP CEs and Pharmacology credits.
Pri-Med is one organization that hosts CE conferences across the country. Attending the Pri-Med East conference in Boston, MA, for example, can be a mini-vacation. Attending the conference in December allows many NPs to spend some quality time in the city, enjoying the festivities. There is nothing more rewarding than being surrounded by colleagues at a CE conference! You’ll gain valuable new knowledge while also interacting with other NPs.
How Many CEUs Are Required For Nurse Practitioners?
Requirements vary between states and boards, but in general, you must have an active RN license. State licensure boards also dictate the specific topics you need to complete CEs for your license renewal. Some require specific credits in a given field, while others just require more overall CE hours. Likewise, the length of the license renewal period varies from one state to another. If you’re not sure what you’re required to do to keep your license active, consider signing up for a BoardVitals course.
The licensing board requires RNs and LPNs to complete thirty hours of continuing education every two years. These hours can be taken as workshops, conferences, lectures, or independent study. Continuing education hours are important for RNs and LPNs, but completing them on a consistent basis is vital to maintaining your license. A nurse should complete at least two of these programs every two years, and preferably more.
Renewing your license in Florida requires you to complete fifteen hours of continuing education credits every two years. For APRNs with prescriptive authority, the requirements are even more stringent: you must complete two hours of pharmacology CEs, and at least two hours of continuing education in HIV/AIDS and domestic violence. The CEs you complete can count toward your 640 hours of clinical practice. You should make sure to keep a track of your continuing education hours.
