Accredited vs. State-Approved CE for Your Nursing License Renewal

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When it comes to your nursing license renewal, one of the easiest places to get hung up is finding CE that will be accepted by your state. There’s no end to “free nursing CE” and “CE for nurses”, but that doesn’t mean these courses provide credits that will be valid.

The top online CE providers deliver CE coursework that’s either nationally accredited by official regulators or approved by state boards to build critical skills and meet legislative guidelines. Some even offer unlimited nursing CE subscriptions and comprehensive state packages so you can get everything you need in one easy place. But if you pick a low-quality CE developer who doesn’t insist on these certifications, you can quickly find yourself facing a looming deadline, or worse, an expired license!

So, how can you tell the course you’ve chosen will stand up to scrutiny? Here’s what you need to look for to be sure you’ve covered all your bases.

Check State Requirements

Step one is finding out which CE courses are required in your state for a nursing license renewal. The simplest way to do that is to check your state board of nursing website for its current guidelines and standards.

Important details include how many hours of CE are required to renew and when those hours must be completed. You’ll also need to find out if the requirements are general or if some courses must cover particular topics. Federal and state laws may require content in areas like:

• Medical and Medication Error Prevention (required every 2 years in Florida)
• Mandated Reporter (required every 2 years in Pennsylvania)
• Suicide Prevention (one-time requirement in Washington)

If your state does require CE hours for renewal, you’ll also need to know how hours should be documented. Many states allow hours to be logged through CE Broker, but others simply require attestation.

Finding Accredited and State-Approved CE Courses

Once you know your state’s guidelines, the next step is finding a provider who offers courses that fulfill your requirements in one of two ways:

• Nationally Accredited. The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) is the standard certification organization for nursing. If a course has this designation, it is valid in all 50 states and territories, making ANCC accreditation an ideal choice for nurses across the industry.
• State board of nursing approval. Individual states may identify courses that will satisfy their licensing requirements. These courses are not nationally accredited and are valid on a state-by-state basis, so you’ll need to be sure they apply to your nursing license renewal.

A course’s description should clearly display ANCC accreditation or state-specific approval. If you don’t see it listed, assume the course doesn’t meet your nursing license renewal requirements. Also, every course should display the following information:

• Number of CE hours. Courses should tell you exactly how many contact hours they provide.
• Area of study. Because some states require specific content for nursing license renewal, these areas of study should be clearly listed.
• Additional accreditations. Some providers offer additional Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) accreditation. Courses with the IPCE designation offer added value for nurses and align with evolving healthcare trends surrounding interprofessional collaboration.

In all circumstances, the state reserves the right to audit you. A non-qualifying course could result in your license being suspended or revoked, so read carefully and use a trusted provider.

Why Take Nationally Accredited CE?

ANCC accreditation is significant for several reasons. First, it ensures the high quality of the education being provided. These courses meet nationally recognized standards rather than state-specific guidelines, so there’s no question that the information is in alignment with current best practices across the country.

As a result, education from accredited sources delivers skills and knowledge that will translate well if a nurse moves to a new state, travels frequently, holds a multistate license, or participates in telehealth. These courses also speak directly to career development and national health trends, giving nurses additional value beyond simple recertification.

That’s why ANCC-accredited courses are the go-to standard for nurses during renewal, especially busy professionals who are looking to build their skills and make the most of their career opportunities.

Are State-Approved Courses Great Options?

Absolutely. While they may not receive national accreditation, they still provide high-quality content and may even align with ANCC standards. States may have professional or regional reasons for approving particular CE courses, such as unique patient populations or legislative priorities.

The most significant complication with state-approved courses as opposed to nationally accredited CE is ensuring the course is valid in your state. That way, you won’t have any issues when you submit your renewal.

Making the Most of Your CE Options

Once you know what CE you're required to complete and have found a trusted provider, it’s time to make the most of your investment. This will take a little more energy than simply looking at course titles. After all, if your state gives you the freedom to select most or all of your CE hours, you’ll want to consider your career goals, local priorities and challenges, and skill sets you want to improve.

Also, even though CE is a professional obligation, nobody wants to struggle through boring content during their nursing license renewal. Online formatting comes with great flexibility, and depending on the provider, you may have a lot of options available to match your learning style.

Self-paced learning is often preferred for busy professionals who might need to step away. Some learners enjoy course content with videos or evolving case studies, and ideally, you should be able to access all course materials immediately so you can start exploring immediately. The best providers even include audio-only options to support additional learning styles and lifestyle preferences, giving busy nurses even more flexibility.

Finally, a great provider interfaces with CE Broker and state reporting platforms to automatically log your completed hours. That way, there’s no question you’ve met your obligations.

Make Your Nursing License Renewal Easy with Premiere

Choosing CE that is valid and valuable is key to making the best investment possible in your nursing career. With a great provider offering accredited and state-approved coursework, your nursing license renewal can be smooth, convenient, and highly instructive.

Premiere offers both nationally accredited and state-approved courses that cover all your renewal requirements anywhere in the country. Our Unlimited Nursing CE Subscription gives you full access to our extensive library of courses, and we offer packages by state that give you all the credits you need in one easy place..

All of Premiere’s courses are developed by industry experts and ensure you’ve always got the CE you need for your nursing license renewal at your fingertips.