The Best Online CE Courses for Nurses Who Are Busy

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With 30% of all nurses working over 40 hours a week, getting the CE credits required for a license renewal can feel almost impossible to fit in. Personal obligations, professional roles, and maintaining a healthy work/life balance make it imperative to find CE courses that deliver excellent content in an efficient format. After all, your career depends on it!

Online coursework available at the touch of a screen is often the best option for busy nurses with little spare time and even less mental bandwidth. The top providers even offer state packages and unlimited nursing CE subscriptions that cover all your requirements with a minimum of hassle at a reasonable cost. These options include specific content mandated by law or state nursing boards, as well as important topics like HIV stigma, identifying and treating severe respiratory illness, and inclusive reproductive healthcare.

So, what are the standout features you should look for when picking online CE courses for nurses? We’re glad you asked! From award-winning content to convenient reporting features, here’s what to expect from a great CE provider.

Competitive Pricing

Online CE will almost always be cheaper than instructor-led coursework or credits you might be getting if you paid for a professional conference. Even those nurses eligible for reimbursement through their employer have to pay out of pocket up front, so cost effectiveness is a major consideration.

However, providing great CE isn’t free. Courses need to be certified by organizations like the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or state boards, and providers should be continually updating their libraries to reflect new state and federal requirements.

That’s why free online CE is a big red flag. These courses often contain dated content, have very few quality control guardrails, and probably aren’t accredited by your institution.

Fortunately, you won’t have to break the bank, either. Providers like Premiere deliver affordable, award-winning courses that are nationally accredited and developed by industry experts to reflect current best practices and standards.

Flexibility

The flexibility online CE offers a huge advantage for busy nurses. In many cases, you can take an online course on your laptop, tablet, or smartphone, so it’s a true anytime, anywhere solution.

Of course, the best courses are designed to give you as much convenience and access as possible. Design elements that can be extremely helpful when you’re pressed for time include:

• Self-paced. You can start these courses whenever you like, take a break, and come back when you have a minute.
• Audio-only options. Many courses include audio-only features that allow you to learn when you’re in your car or otherwise unable to use your screen.
• Instant access to materials. A great course will give you immediate access to all the materials so you can review them at your leisure, as well as downloadable content you can add to your files.
• Multiple content types. Let’s face it—boring CE is a drag. Engaging courses with video, audio, and written materials keep the experience fresh and appeal to a variety of learning styles. Also, some courses may offer formats like webinars for learners who prefer conference-style experiences.

Instant Results

When exploring online CE for nurses, you’ll want to consider providers that offer instant feedback and proof of completion. Assessments should be built into the course flow and provide immediate grading in case you’re on a timeline. Also, well-designed courses articulate where mistakes were made if you don’t pass, and give you unlimited opportunities to retake the assessment.

Automatic Reporting

Some states require proof of completion for CE to be logged with online entities or otherwise digitally recorded. CE providers that support this process by transmitting proof of completion to CE Broker or the state agencies themselves offer a huge benefit in CE tracking and compliance for busy nurses. That way, there’s no question about the status of your renewal as a deadline approaches.

Consider State-Specific Resources

Many states across the U.S. have a set number of CEs required for license renewal. Some even identify specific content that CE credits need to cover.

If you’re in a state with these guidelines, consider a CE provider that offers state packages designed according to those requirements. With one purchase, you can be confident that you’ve got all the courses you need to fulfill your professional obligations. That way, you won’t have to search for what’s required, figure out where to get it, or wonder if you missed anything along the way.

Content Diversity

There’s no getting around the time it takes to complete your CE credits, even when you’ve picked an online provider that makes it easy and engaging. However, CE shouldn’t be about cutting through red tape to renew your license. A great provider should offer you content that builds your skills and helps you develop your career!

When picking a provider, look for courses that touch on important contemporary topics, like:

• Inclusive reproductive healthcare
• Women’s midlife health and hormone therapy
• Respiratory Illness and COVID-19
• Differential diagnosis in mental health
• Neurodivergence
• Overcoming stigma surrounding HIV

The top providers offer dozens of courses in these critical areas and many more, and they regularly update their libraries as new research and best practices evolve.

Online CE: An Excellent Option for Busy Nurses

Online CE for nurses makes it easy to develop your skills without sacrificing your family time or burning the candle at both ends. An ideal CE provider doesn’t just know what you need to complete your renewal, they understand the pressures nurses face and how to create content that makes the most out of the process while simplifying their experience.

Premiere is committed to giving nurses award-winning courses that deliver critical information in flexible and affordable formats. Whether you opt for a convenient state package, the Unlimited Nursing CE Subscription, or just round out your portfolio with a few great courses, you’ll have access to a large, diverse library that covers all the critical topics facing healthcare workers today.

All of Premiere’s courses are created by industry experts and make building your career and meeting your professional obligations as easy as finding a screen.