If you are a licensed nurse, one of the requirements for keeping that license is to complete a certain amount of hours of continuing education for nurses every two years. The number of hours of education that are required varies by state--usually ranging from about 20 to 30 hours, but the need for the continuing education units, or nursing CEUs, is universal.
Nursing CE programs offer nurses the opportunity to stay up-to-date on new scientific developments in their area of expertise. Since you have to take the courses anyway, you might as well make the most of these nursing continuing education courses. Follow these steps to maximize the potential of nursing CE programs.
1. Find a program that meets your state’s nursing CE standards.
2. Research opportunities for nurse continuing education credits.
3. Choose nursing continuing education that will help you work in a specialty area.
Obtain continuing education in nursing that meets state standards
Right now you enjoy practicing where you are, but it's possible that a move would require you to eventually work in another state. If you take your nursing CE classes from programs that comply with regulations from a variety of states, you know you're covered. Your state nursing association website can also offer valuable information.
Make a list of opportunities for continuing education for nurses
There are numerous outlets where you can take nursing CE programs. Determine if nursing continuing education seminars or nursing continuing education classes work best for you.
Find nursing continuing education programs in your specialty
It's common for a registered nurse to seek continuing education programs in order to work in a specialty. These areas often require advanced training, so it's important to find a program that offers the specific education you need.
- Remember to keep track of your nursing continuing education credits so you can show it to the appropriate authorities if they ask to see them.
- Make sure that the program you are viewing or attending is eligible for CEU credit by your state's nursing association.
- Plan ahead. Nurses and other busy healthcare professionals sometimes wait until the end of the two-year period to begin thinking about CEU credits. This can cause you to take less valuable courses that you might have avoided if you had planned better.
