The state requires that nurses complete an undergraduate degree to secure a state license. Even after graduating and beginning work in the medical field, educational obligations continue. Nurses in California are subject to continuing education requirements.
They have to attend courses to learn about changes in medical practices and specialized areas of medicine. When nurses renew their licenses, they generally need to provide proof that they have completed the requisite continuing education. Mistakes related to continuing education could leave a nurse at risk of losing their license.
What are the continuing education requirements?
Nurses have to attend courses offered by accredited institutions. They need to obtain passing grades or certificates of completion. The state requires a minimum of 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years. The California Board of Registered Nursing could audit licensed nurses at any time, which means they need to retain documentation of grades or course completion for four years in most cases.
Typically, nurses have the option of attending courses in person, through remote correspondence or via digital technology. All of these options offer benefits and drawbacks depending on a nurse’s schedule and learning style.
What mistakes do nurses make?
Some nurses fail to take courses as they should and then do not have the necessary documentation to renew their licenses. Others might pay to take courses that don’t actually meet the criteria established by the California Board of Registered Nursing.
For example, maybe they take a course about weight loss or yoga. While those courses may be illuminating, they likely do not meet the standards for continuing education set by the state.
Instead, courses need to focus on matters like implicit bias, best practices in surgical environments or modern pain management. Typically, nurses who have made oversights related to their continuing education have an opportunity to correct the matter and to retain or regain their licenses. They may need assistance navigating that process to avoid setbacks that could complicate their situation.
Reacting promptly when licensing issues arise can help nurses protect the careers that they have invested years and money into developing. Continuing education issues are among several seemingly minor mistakes that could potentially put a nurse’s license at risk without proper legal guidance and support.
