Continuing education is part of the renewal of registration requirements and may be required for nurses or certificate holders who apply for licensure by endorsement or reregistration.

Participation period 
Continuing education participation period usually means the 24 month interval of time immediately before the renewal application deadline during which a licensee must fulfill the continuing education requirements for registration renewal. The length varies for a licensee's first registration period after licensure or reregistration, beginning with the date of licensure or reregistration and ending on the renewal application deadline date. 

Number of contact hours required
During a typical continuing education participation period (24 months) an LPN and RN must participate in 30 contact hours of continuing education. 

CMA I’s must accrue 16 hours within the two-year renewal period immediately preceding recertification. Courses must be in topics related to medications and medication administration. Courses like HIPPA, CPR recertification, and fire safety do not count.

CMA II’s need an additional 4 hours of CEs that are specific to their expanded scope of function of insulin administration.

CHT I’s must accrue 16 hours within the two year renewal period immediately preceding recertification. Courses must be in topics related to the care and safety of the patient undergoing dialysis treatment. Courses like HIPAA, CPR recertification, and recurring blood borne pathogens courses do not count.

CHT II’s need an additional 4 hours of CEs that are specific to their expanded scope of function.

Activities which may meet continuing education requirements 
Continuing education requirements may be fulfilled in one of three ways:

• obtain a current nursing specialty certificate
• participate in continuing education activities offered by providers of continuing education
• participate in certain professional activities

It is the licensee's responsibility to determine whether a current nursing certificate, a continuing education activity, or a professional activity meets the continuing education requirements.

Audits and retaining continuing education records
A licensee must keep continuing education documents for two years after using the continuing education for renewal. The Board of Nursing randomly selects licensees for an audit of continuing education records. If audited, a licensee must submit proof of having met the continuing education requirements. If the licensee is unable to submit the required written information, the unverified contact hours will automatically be assigned to the next reporting period. If the licensee fails to respond to an audit, the Board may consider this as grounds for disciplinary action.

Resources:

Continuing Education Offered by Providers of Continuing Education

The continuing education must:

• Be designed to enhance your ability to practice nursing.
• Last at least one contact hour (50 minutes). Every additional five minutes is one-tenth of a contact hour. An academic course can be converted to contact hours. A quarter credit is equivalent to 10 contact hours. A semester credit is equivalent to 15 contact hours.
• Be approved by a health licensing board or association or the provider of the continuing education must identify the objectives of the continuing education.
• Be taught by an individual qualified to teach the subject matter of the continuing education.

You must:

• Complete the continuing education during your participation period.
• Obtain and keep the evidence of attending the continuing education for two years after reporting the continuing education.

The provider of continuing education must provide in writing:

• The objectives of the continuing education (objectives are not necessary if the continuing education has been approved by a health licensing board or association).
• The name of the instructor.
• The qualification of the instructor.
• The number of contact hours.
• The date of the continuing education.
• A statement of attendance at the continuing education.