Will Your Continuing Education Count When Renewing Your Nursing License?

Posted by donna@healthlawcenterplc.com in Nov, 2018

Come March 2019 and thereafter, nurses will need to comply with new continuing education requirements when renewing their nursing licenses.  While nurses are still required to earn a minimum of 25 credit hours of approved continuing education during the 2 year period preceding renewal, the new rules expand the ways in which continuing education credits may be earned.

Pain Management Requirement Increased – Nurses must earn 2 credit hours (previously 1 credit hour) in pain and pain symptom management.  If only 1 credit hour has been met thus far, nurses need to obtain an additional 1 credit hour of continuing education in pain and pain symptom management prior to renewing their nursing licenses.

Limitation of Online Continuing Education –  The number of credit hours that may be earned by online or by electronic media is limited to no more than 12 credit hours earned during a 24-hour period.  Online or electronic media includes videos, internet web-based seminars, video conferences, online continuing education programs, and online journal articles.

Academic Programs – 5 credit hours of continuing education may be earned for each semester credit hour completed in an approved academic nursing program.  3 credit hours of continuing education may be earned for each quarter credit hour earned.  If audited, nurses will need to produce an official transcript indicating completion of the academic course and the semesters/credit hours earned.

Specialty Certifications – 25 continuing education credit hours may be earned by obtaining or maintaining specialty certification as a clinical nurse specialist, nurse anesthetist, nurse midwife, or nurse practitioner during the renewal period.  Proof of certification or recertification will serve as proof of continuing education.

National Nursing Specialty Examination – 10 credit hours may be earned upon successful completion of a national nursing specialty examination.  Continuing education credit hours are limited to a maximum 20 credit hours in any given renewal period.  Credit will not be given for repeating the same examination in a renewal period. If audited, the nurse will need to submit proof of a passing score on the examination.

Publications – A nurse may earn up to a maximum of 10 hours per initial publication of a chapter or article related to the practice of nursing or allied health in either a nursing or health care textbook, peer-reviewed textbook or a nursing or health care peer-reviewed journal. Proof of earned credit hours requires a copy of the publication, and identification of the nurse as the author or a publication acceptance letter.

Articles Without Self-Assessment – A maximum of 4 credit hours may be earned by reading articles or viewing or listening to media related to nursing practice that does not include a self-assessment test.  Each hour of earned credit equals 50 to 60 minutes of participation.  If audited, the nurse will be required to submit an affidavit attesting to the description of and number of hours spent reading articles or viewing or listening to media.

Quality Patient Care/Utilization Activities – A maximum of 4 credit hours may be earned by participation on a health care organization’s committee addressing quality patient care or utilization review.  Each hour of earned credit equals 60 minutes of participation.  Proof of participation requires a letter from the organization verifying the nurse’s participation and the number of hours spent in committee activities.

Academic/Program Presentations – A maximum of 6 credit hours may be earned by presentation of an academic or continuing education program that is not part of the nurse’s regular job description.  For each 60 minutes of presentation, the nurse may earn 3 credit hours.  To receive credit hours the nurse must maintain a copy of the curriculum and a letter from the program sponsor verifying the length and date of the presentation.

Preceptorships – A maximum of 5 credit hours may be earned by serving as a preceptor for a nursing student or new employee undergoing orientation.   A preceptorship must be a minimum of 120 hours and have a 1 student/employee to 1 preceptor ratio. Proof of the preceptorship  requires documentation from the educational institution or preceptor’s supervisor verifying the dates and hours of the preceptorship.

In addition to the aforementioned ways in which to earn continuing education credits, programs and activities approved or offered by the following certified organizations will continue to be acceptable ways in which to earn continuing education credits.

• American Association of Nurse Anesthetists
• American Association of Nurse Practitioners
• Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education
• American College of Nurse-Midwives
• American Nurses Credentialing Center
• American Osteopathic Association
• National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists
• National Association for Practical Nurse Education and Service
• National League for Nursing
• Another State’s Board of Nursing
• Other continuing nursing education programs approved by Michigan’s Board of Nursing

Maintaining documentation of earned continuing education credit hours is necessary in the event a nurse is audited.  Such documentation must be retained for a period of 4 years from the date of license renewal.  If documentation cannot be provided to support reported continuing education credits earned, the lack of documentation could result in disciplinary action against a nurse’s license.

Human Trafficking – In addition to the 25 hours of continuing education credits needed for renewal of  a nurse’s license, a nurse must also obtain training in human trafficking. Human trafficking training does not need to be certified by one of the sponsoring organizations above, it must address the following topics:

• Understanding the types and venues of human trafficking in Michigan or the United States
• Identifying victims of human trafficking in health care settings
• Identifying the warning signs of human trafficking in health care settings for adults and minors, and
• Identifying resources for reporting the suspected victims of human trafficking

Donna J. Craig, RN, JD of The Health Law Center, PLC  is versed in licensure requirements and may be contacted about particular license renewal issues.