Continuing Education Requirements

CEU (continuing education units) for nurses may seem like an unnecessary burden on an already overworked group.  At first glance, it may seem like additional coursework merely eliminates precious free time from the already busy schedules nurses deal with.  In the end, however, nurses will discover that CEU for nurses is a great way to gain the knowledge necessary to work more efficiently and to consequently eliminate stress.

 Continuing education units are usually required by state governing boards for nurses to retain their licenses or certifications.  Typically, a certain number of units must be completed before a designated time period elapses.  Nurses must find a continuing education program that not only meets the requirements, but is convenient for their busy schedule.

Nurses – Infuse Yourself with Power for the 21st Century at the Nursing Informatics Learning Center!

 One solution is an online course of study.  These programs typically cover the same information but don’t require participants to travel to and from classrooms.  The classroom becomes an office, home, or library.  These CE programs are especially appealing to nurses since their schedules may not follow a “normal” pattern. 

 When taking an online continuing education course, nurses should ensure that they devote adequate time to study.  Students must also exhibit self-motivation and a certain level of discipline to stay on task.  It is easy to fall behind, but those who put in the effort will find a wealth of knowledge and an efficient way to gain the necessary CEU for nurses. 

 Nurses have a lot on their plates.  Receiving continuing education units will help to eliminate much of the worry associated with their jobs.  Nurses gain confidence that their certifications remain current, they acquire more tools to deal with their day-to-day tasks, and receive greater knowledge to further their careers.            

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Pharmacy is a rapidly changing field as the advancements in drugs is coming at an unprecedented rate. As such, many states and associations are requiring pharmacists to take pharmacy continuing education courses before they have their licenses renewed. Although these courses are typically not particularly hard (they’re more intended to give you a decent understanding of newer pharmaceutical ideas and practices), it can sometimes be difficult to find quality courses that actually provide you with a solid education. However, there are a couple of really easy ways to identify good and bad courses.

Firstly, look for accreditations from a governing body that your state accepts. One common association that you should look for is ACPE (Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education). This association sets high quality standards that all courses and programs who receive this accreditation must follow. Perhaps as a testament to the standards set by the ACPE itself, the organization has been around since 1932 to accredit pre-service education, but it was actually in 1975 that it extended its scope into pharmacy continuing education. Dishonest sites and companies that try to sell you useless CEUs (continuing education units) will certainly not have this accreditation, so it’s definitely in your best interest to investigate carefully.

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Secondly, look for solid course descriptions and a long history of the company being in business. For example, never sign up for a course that offers vague expectations and outcomes like “building leadership skills”. Always look for detailed documentation of what the course is about – i.e. look for specific things that you’ll learn at the end of the course. Most useless online pharmacy continuing education companies don’t last particularly long either, so a trusted brand name and a long history of being in business certainly helps. An organization that passes this test, for example, would be USC (University of Southern California) as they have a pharmaceutical continuing education department.

Enrolling in good continuing education activities is not only good for the re-licensing requirements, but also for your resume. As such, it’s important that you only enroll in courses that are accredited by a board that your state accepts and courses that have good, descriptive course information sections. Never enroll in a course that’s vague or seems to come from a sketchy company.

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Like many professions, nurses are required to take courses to be eligible to be re-licensed. These courses are often academic in nature and can either be offered in a classroom setting (although this isn’t done that much) or as a self-paced program. Nursing CEUs (continuing education units, as these credits are called) are offered by many organizations and are usually necessary to fulfill state licensing requirements. As an example, Texas requires all nurses to take 20 hours worth of CEUs every two years to remain an eligible nurse in the state and California requires 30. Naturally, you’ll have to check the state you’re licensed to verify the number of hours and CEUs that you need.

Nurses – Infuse Yourself with Power for the 21st Century at the Nursing Informatics Learning Center!

Another important aspect to consider when taking a CEU for nurses is the accrediting organization. Many states will only accept courses that have been credentialed by certain bodies, such as the American Nurses Credentialing Center or American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. When signing up for a CEU for nurses, make sure that you double check that the course is offered by an accredited institution that your state accepts.

Financially, CEU courses are more often than not quite easy on the wallet. Many online sites are providing fully accredited courses that are well under $100 to take and many even offer “unlimited” subscription plans for less than $100. This will allow you to take as many hours as you need during the year that you have the subscription thereby significantly reducing costs.

If you’re a nurse, it’s important that you check your state license requirements to avoid complications when you make your renewal. Taking one or more CEU for nurses courses can ensure that you have the education required to not only keep practicing in your state, but to also continually make the most optimal and informed decisions while on the job.

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