What is continue education / contact hours? License Renewal! Need help!

[hnt1987]

Hi! Can anyone explain to me what is continue education / contact hour credits. Are there any difference. I'm trying to get my license renew, and this process is little confusing. I'm a license RN in PA and TX.

In TX, they require 20 contact hours every two years.

In PA, they require 30 continue education every two years.

Both of them will expires in 2012, 2-3 months apart.

How do you take these course to get the credit you need for your renewal?

I saw a lot of online course offers CE and Contact hours, do they even count for CE / Contact Hours credit? One little thing run around $20 - $35 dollars for 2 contact hours / continue education credit. Then, there are tests.

What website is trust worthy> Please help! I'm new to this renewal license process, and confuse.

There are also seminar that like 26 continues education hour / credit for $275 dollars, are they okay?

Are there any school or hospital that offers CE / Contact Hour credits?

Can I use my accumulation credits from one state to another? If I do it separately, it will run into thousand of dollars, please help me! Really appreciated

[BrookeeLou_RN]

I think that the statement the "Contact Hours" must relate to your job is very broad. Especially as med-surg nurse.. I just imagine there are very few courses that could not relate to your job. But yes I would pick courses that meet the Texas board if they are a higher standard of rules then PA.

In the states I have been in continuing ed was required for first renewal and that seems to be where they added requirements like HIV, Domestic Violence etc.

[hnt1987]

I wish there no such thing as CE or contact hours, another way of taking our hard earn money by the state. Economy repression is still kicking and they still pickpocketing

[BrookeeLou_RN]

TN has not contact hours required for RN license.. Not every state has them.

[kakamegamama]

I wish there no such thing as CE or contact hours, another way of taking our hard earn money by the state. Economy repression is still kicking and they still pickpocketing

You can get free ce's via Medscape and other resources.