Continuing Education For Nurses - Program FAQ

Q: What should I look for in an acceptable continuing education for nurses program?

State medical boards commonly define acceptable CNE programs as:

Learning experiences intended to build upon the education and experiential bases of the registered professional and licensed practical nurse for the enhancement of practice, education, administration, research, or theory development to the end of improving the health of the public (Kansas Board of Nursing).

Be careful when choosing a program; in-service education, nursing orientations, on the job training or hospital specific courses are usually not accepted. Acceptable programs include seminars, conferences, training weekends, workshops, some teaching or publishing experience, online courses, classes and readings.

Q: What organizations are responsible for accrediting continuing education for nurses programs?

No matter what form it assumes, an accredited CNE program will be approved by one of the credentialing centers used by your state medical board. These include the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners the American Nurses Credentialing Center, the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board , National Certification Corporation and the Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation .

Q: Can I start a continuing education for nurses program in my hospital?

If you want to plan a CNE program, you must apply with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. You must contact a CDC 'CE coordinator' as soon as you begin planning, as the approval process can take to four months to complete, and up to six for seminars.

The CE coordinator will respond and send you the necessary paperwork. The next step is to discuss CNE program and credit requirements with your CE coordinator in an orientation meeting. You must then organize a planning committee, which must include two nurses. Your committee and the CE coordinator will work together to design and implement an appropriate CNE program. Once approved, be sure you renew your program as required.

Q: OK, so then how do I get my program accredited with the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)?

Becoming accredited with the ANCC is relatively costly, though simple. You must submit an application with the appropriate application fees which range from $3,600 to $6,600. There is also an annual fee of $250. If your application passes muster, you must then pay approximately $2,000 for an ANCC site visit. The program will be accredited for six years without incurring any other fees. Contact the ANCC for further information.