Continuing Education Requirements for RN Licensure Renewal by State

As a dedicated registered nurse (RN), you’re not just a caregiver. You’re also a lifelong learner committed to the highest standards of professional excellence. Because the nursing field isn’t static, RNs must continue learning throughout their careers to keep their knowledge and skills current with evolving practice standards. Continuing education (CE) is the primary way RNs advance their knowledge and skills, but it’s also a requirement for continued RN licensure in most states. Explore the intricacies of continuing education requirements for RN licensure renewal state by state in this comprehensive guide.

What Is Continuing Education?

Continuing education, sometimes called continuing nursing education (CNE), goes beyond the basics learned in nursing school and strengthens existing clinical skills. CE is counted in contact hours, with 60 minutes equaling 1 contact hour. The number of hours and topics vary by state.

A nursing organization such as the American Nurses Credentialing Center, a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association, must accredit CE courses. Approved providers offer CE courses, but each state’s Board of Nursing (BON) decides which courses count toward their CE requirements. Courses vary in cost, but many are available free of charge.

State BONs that require continuing education usually tie it to their RN licensure renewal process, so RNs must complete a set number of contact hours during each renewal period. However, a handful of states don’t require any CE. Besides state licensure, RNs may seek CE to satisfy requirements for maintaining employment or specialty certifications.

How the Nurse Licensure Compact Impacts CE

The Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) allows nurses to move more freely between states. While the NLC addresses licensure requirements and education standards, it doesn’t include any mandates on CE. Each state currently sets its own continuing education requirements for renewing an RN license.

Fortunately, if your primary state of residence (PSOR) is a Compact state and you qualify for a multistate license, you only must complete the CE requirements in your PSOR and not every state in which you practice. If your PSOR isn’t part of the Compact or you don’t qualify for a multistate license, you must hold multiple single-state licenses for each state where you physically practice or provide telehealth.

You can hold numerous single-state licenses simultaneously, but you must complete each state’s required CE for the renewal of each license. However, your CE credits may qualify for use in multiple states.

To help you keep track of each state’s CE requirements as of November 2023, Vivian created the following table to provide a quick rundown for you. We’ve also included links to each state’s Board of Nursing (BON) to help you quickly find more information. As the table demonstrates, some states have rigorous requirements, while others provide little to no direction regarding professional development.

• 4 contact hours of Alabama Board-provided CE related to Board functions, the Nurse Practice Act, regulations, professional conduct and accountability

Every 2-year renewal:

• 30 contact hours of CE certified by ACEN, ANCC, ANA, AMA, a nurse practitioner certifying body or a nurse anesthetist certifying body; or courses approved by another State Board of Nursing
• No more than 10 contact hours may be earned through in-service nursing education offered by a licensed healthcare facility
• CE must be earned in nursing practice areas and special healthcare problems, legal or ethical aspects of healthcare, management or administration of healthcare personnel and patient care, biological/physical/behavioral sciences or subjects approved by the Board required as part of a formal nursing program but more advanced than those completed for original licensure

• 15 practice-focused contact hours from a nationally recognized or state CE approval body recognized by the Arkansas State Board of Nursing (ASBN)
• Alternately, RNs may complete certification or recertification from a national certifying body recognized by the ASBN or complete an academic course in nursing or a related field in place of CE

• 1 contact hour related to implicit bias

Every 2-year renewal:

• 1 hour related to screening for post-traumatic stress disorder, risk of suicide, depression and grief
• 1 hour of suicide prevention training

• 30 hours of CE
• Must include at least 3 hours related to substance abuse

• 24 hours of CE
• Must include 2 hours related to cultural awareness or specialized clinical training focused on LGBTQ patients or clients
• 10% of the total hours must be relevant topics determined by the Director as public health priorities of the District of Columbia, published every 5 years or as frequently as deemed necessary

• 1 hour related to HIV/AIDS
• 2 hours related to medical error prevention
• 2 hours on the Florida laws and rules governing nursing practice
• 2 hours related to human trafficking
• 2 hours of recognizing impairment in the workplace

Every 2-year renewal:

• 16 hours of general CE
• 2 hours related to medical error prevention
• 2 hours on the Florida laws and rules governing nursing practice
• 2 hours related to human trafficking

Every other 2-year renewal:

• 16 hours of general CE
• 2 hours related to medical error prevention
• 2 hours on the Florida laws and rules governing nursing practice
• 2 hours related to human trafficking
• 2 hours of recognizing impairment in the workplace

Each third renewal period:

• 16 hours of general CE
• 2 hours related to medical error prevention
• 2 hours on the Florida laws and rules governing nursing practice
• 2 hours related to human trafficking
• 2 hours related to domestic violence
• 2 hours of recognizing impairment in the workplace (when the third renewal period falls within every other renewal period rule)

• 30 hours of CE
• May substitute certification or recertification by a national certifying body, an accredited academic program in nursing or a related field, 500 practice hours within specific types of facilities or an approved reentry program or initial nursing education program in place of CE

• 30 hours of CE or one alternate learning activity as listed in the Continuing Competency Booklet
• Exceptions include an approved exemption or prior approval for an extension from the Hawaii State BON

• 20 hours of CE
• Must include 1 hour in sexual harassment training
• Must include 1 hour of implicit bias awareness training ( beginning 2024 )
• Must include 1 hour of diagnosing, treatment and care of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia types (beginning 2024 for RNs providing direct patient interaction to patients aged 26 or older)

• 36 hours of CE
• Must include 2 hours of training on identifying and reporting abuse of children or dependent adults for RNs who regularly examine, counsel or treat children or dependent adults. Training must be completed through the Iowa Department of Human Services.

One-time requirements for RNs educated outside of Kentucky (within 3 years of licensure):

• 3 hours related to domestic violence
• 1.5 hours related to pediatric abuse head trauma
• 2 hours of suicide prevention

One-time requirement for RNs educated in Kentucky who graduated before August 2023 (within 3 years of initial licensure):

• CE not required for licensure renewal
• Effective April 1, 2022, implicit bias training required for renewal

• 15 hours of continuing education
• Domestic and Sexual Violence Training (Chapter 260 requirements)

• 25 hours of CE
• Must include 2 hours in pain and pain symptom management
• Must include 1 hour of implicit bias training

• CE requirements were repealed in February 2020
• RNs renewing a license who haven’t practiced nursing in 5 or more years must complete 20 CEs within the 2 years prior to application for renewal

• 4-hour bioterrorism course (one-time requirement)
• 4 hours cultural competency

Every 2-year renewal:

• 30 hours of CE
• Must include 4 hours cultural competency
• Encouraged (not required) to include CE in geriatrics or gerontology for RNs who care for patients aged 60 or older

• 30 hours of CE
• Must include 1 hour on prescription opioid drugs, including opioid alternatives pain management and the risks/signs of opioid abuse, addiction and diversion

• 30 hours of CE
• May provide verification of certification or recertification in an RN specialty area granted by a national professional organization within the current renewal period in place of CE

• Coursework related to infection control and barrier precautions, including preventing the transmission of HIV and hepatitis B during professional practice

• 2 hours of coursework on identifying and reporting child abuse and maltreatment for RNs who didn’t graduate from an NYSED nursing program or received NYSED training before September 1990

• 30 hours of CE or 15 hours of CE and 640 hours of active practice, authoring or co-authoring a nursing-related paper/article/book/book completing a nursing project or developing and conducting a nursing CE presentation(s) for a minimum of 5 contact hours
• May substitute national certification or recertification, a Board-approved refresher course or at least 2 semester hours of post-licensure study in nursing practice for required CE

• 24 hours of CE
• Must include 1 hour related to the Ohio Nurse Practice Act and the Ohio Board of Nursing administrative rules (listed as Category A CE )
• RNs licensed through reciprocity for one year or less prior to their first renewal may complete 12 hours of CE instead of 24

• 24 hours of CE applicable to nursing practice
• May substitute 520 work hours in a position requiring an RN license, current certification in a nursing specialty area, 6 or more hours of academic semester hours at current level of nursing licensure or higher or a Board-approved refresher course for required CE

• 400 nursing practice hours
• 1 hour of pain management CE from the Oregon Pain Management Commission module
• 2 hours of cultural competency CE

RNs with less than 400 practice hours in the previous 2 years must have one of the following:

• At least 600 hours in the previous 3 years and 20 hours of CE
• At least 800 hours in the previous 4 years and 30 hours of CE

• 30 hours of CE
• Must include 2 hours of Board-approved child abuse recognition and reporting CE

• 10 hours of CE
• Must include 2 hours related to substance abuse

• 30 hours of CE
• May substitute certification/recertification by a Board-recognized national certifying body, competition of a Board-recognized academic program in nursing or a related field or verification of competency and practice hours from employer for required CE

Must complete any combination of 2 requirements from the following list:

• 5 hours of CE (10 hours required for nonpracticing RNs)
• Evidence of current national certification
• Official transcript demonstrating 2 hours of nursing credit
• Copy of renewal or re-appointment contract to a nursing position
• Letter from an agency where volunteer nursing took place
• Written self-evaluation based on competence standards listed in Board rules
• Letter of satisfactory completion of a nursing refresher course
• Letter of completion of a comprehensive nursing orientation program
• Documentation identifying 2 nursing goals and how RN met them
• Documentation from a school of nursing where you helped educate RN students
• Copy of an authored/published article relevant to nursing
• Copy of a satisfactory employer evaluation
• Peer letter detailing satisfactory evaluation of your nursing performance
• Patient/family member providing evidence of a satisfactory nurse/patient relationship
• Evidence of successfully retaking the NCLEX

• 20 hours of CNE in the applicant’s area of nursing practice
  • May substitute certification, maintenance or recertification of Board-approved national nursing certification in the applicant’s area of nursing practice in place of CE
  • May substitute Board-approved certification related to older adult/geriatric populations for the 2-hour CNE requirement
  • May count toward the 20-hour total
  • Can’t substitute certification to fulfill requirement

  Every third renewal (6 years):

  • 2 hours CNE related to nursing jurisprudence and nursing ethics
    • Counts towards 20-hour total
    • Can’t substitute certification to fulfill requirement
    • 2 hours CNE related to forensic evidence collection for RNs working in an emergency room (ER) setting within 2 years of initial employment in an ER setting
      • Counts toward 20-hour total
      • May substitute Board-approved certification related to forensic evidence collection to fulfill requirement
      • 30 hours of CE or 15 hours of CE with 200 hours of licensed practice or 400 hours of licensed practice
      • 1 Board-specified online suicide prevention training (qualifies as CE)
      • 20 hours of CE
      • May substitute 400 hours of practice in the last 2 years or 960 practice hours in the last 5 years, current nationally recognized nursing certification or completion of a nursing program or re-entry nursing program in the last 5 years for CE
      • 30 hours of CE or 15 hours of CE and 640 hours of active practice as an RN
      • May substitute current specialty certification by a national certifying organization, 3 credit hours of post-licensure academic education related to nursing, a Board-approved refresher course, authoring or co-authoring a publication, teaching or developing a nursing-related academic course or teaching or developing nursing-related CE for up to 30 contact hours for CE
      • 8 hours of CE and 96 hours of active nursing practice
      • Retired-active nurse must complete 8 CE hours and a minimum of 24 hours of practice annually, with a max of 90 days yearly
      • 6 hours CE from a Department of Health-approved suicide assessment, treatment and management course
      • 3 hours of CE covering training on best-practice prescribing of controlled substances, drug diversion and prescribing and administering opioid antagonists within 1 year of initial licensure
      • 30 hours of CE if had less than 200 active nursing practice hours
      • 15 hours of CE if had 200 active nursing practice hours
      • No CE if head 400 active nursing practice hours

      5 Reasons Continuing Education Is Important

      

      RNs reap many benefits as they expand their knowledge and skills through continuing education. Five reasons pursuing CE is essential include:

      1. License Renewal: CE is a requirement in states where BONs or licensing authorities require RNs to complete a certain number of CE hours as part of their license renewal process. Neglecting to meet the required CE hours could result in losing your nursing license, which would be detrimental to your nursing career.
      2. Quality Patient Care: Pursuing CE allows RNs to stay current on the latest evidence-based practices, ensuring they provide the highest quality care to their patients. High-quality care improves patient outcomes and enhances trust in healthcare providers.
      3. Legal and Ethical Obligation: In nursing, lives are at stake, so adhering to the latest standards of care isn’t a choice but a moral and legal responsibility. By staying informed through continuing education, RNs uphold their profession’s ethical and legal standards.
      4. Professional Growth: CE is instrumental in supporting professional growth by enabling RNs to diversify their skills, explore new specialties and stay updated on evolving healthcare technologies. Whether you’re a new nurse or a seasoned professional, continuous learning is key to staying competitive and relevant in the nursing field.
      5. Career Advancement: Going hand-in-hand with professional growth, pursuing CE can also open doors to new career opportunities that potentially cause a bump in nursing salary . Many healthcare facilities and employers prefer to hire or promote nurses who demonstrate a commitment to ongoing education and professional development.

      Continuing education is a fundamental component of an RN’s professional journey. Embracing the pursuit of CE not only benefits nurses individually but also elevates the nursing profession as a whole. Because CE requirements can change over time, always check with the appropriate BON to confirm current requirements well before it’s time to renew your license(s).

      Pursue your nursing journey on Vivian Health, where you’ll find 1,000s of staff nursing jobs and travel RN opportunities on one platform.

      

      Moira K. McGhee

      Moira K. McGhee is Vivian’s Senior Editor & All-Around Wordsmith. As part of the Vivian Health team, she strives to help support the empowerment of nurses and other healthcare professionals in their pursuits to find top-notch travel, staff, local contract and per diem positions faster and easier than ever.