Academic Credit: Will it Count Towards Contact Hours for Texas RN Renewal?

U.S.A. Texas

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I am currently pursuing my MBA from an accredited university, which I think can easily translate into the field of nursing I am in, which is occupational health within a plant. I have to manage cases, work within a budget, and work within a multidisciplinary team within the plant, including Environmental Health and Safety, Human Resources, a Union, and plant management. I would like for my academic credits to count towards my contact hours required for RN license renewal in Texas.

I contacted the Texas BON, but they were not very helpful, and provided me with the following information:

CE Certificates must include:

Your name

Date of class

Name of course

Number of continuing education hours (must be in nursing)

Statement that the course provider has the approval of a national certification accreditation agency recognized by the Board for license renewal (see below)

To count toward licensure renewal, a program must have been approved by one of the credentialing agencies recognized by the Board. The credentialing agencies have met nationally-predetermined criteria to approve programs and providers of CNE. The Board recognizes the following credentialing agencies and providers:

  • American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP);
  • American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN);
  • American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA);
  • American College of Nurse Midwives (ACNM);
  • American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC);
  • Category I Continuing Medical Education (for APRNs only);
  • Emergency Nurses Association (ENA);
  • National Association for Practical Nurse Education and Service (NAPNES);
  • National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP);
  • National Federation of Licensed Practical Nurses (NFLPN);
  • Colleges and Universities; and
  • Other State Boards of Nursing.

These organizations, in turn, approve other CNE providers. For example, most of the state nursing associations such as the Texas Nurses Association and many of the nursing specialty organizations are accredited through the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Thus, these programs would be accepted.

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I've also read that the academic credit must be related to your field of nursing, but cannot be, for example, an "economics" course for "financial gain" or from a liberal arts course. I know it's an MBA, and I purposely chose not to go for MSN, because it is more appropriate for the type of environment I work in. It would be a shame if my credits could not be counted.

Has anybody tried using their academic credits (like in my situation) towards the TX RN license renewal?

Thanks!

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I don't see any mystery or confusion about it -- the info provided by the TX BON states clearly that the continuing education hours "must be in nursing," and the list of approved credentialing organizations makes it pretty clear what the BON considers appropriate continuing education. Sounds pretty clear to me. You're choosing to pursue a non-nursing degree; I'm not suggesting that's a bad or wrong choice, I'm sure you are making the best choice for your own situation, but I don't see why you would expect to be able to have non-nursing graduate academic credits count toward maintaining your RN license. Have you not done any nursing continuing ed that would meet the requirements for renewing your license?

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I have time, however, I was just trying to be proactive. In order to meet requirements for my Ohio RN license renewal, they accept academic credits, so I was hoping Texas would be the same. :/

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Specializes in Cardiac (adult), CC, Peds, MH/Substance.

In short, no.

Unless the university/college went to the trouble of getting CCNE/etc accreditation for a 4 graduate school hour course to ALSO maintain the documentation/etc required for CCNE accreditation, no.

Make sense? Matter of opinion. It's just how things are.

If you want to burn off some CEUs fast, you can go to ceufast.com. I think I spent 30 bucks for unlimited CEUs for a year. I needed 20, but got bored one weekend and did another 60 just because.

Enjoy :)

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I used education for license renewal in my state, nursing courses. I can see where the Board would require the education to be in nursing.

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Specializes in Cardiac (adult), CC, Peds, MH/Substance.

In Texas, it doesn't just have to be in nursing, it has to be CE/CEU accredited by one of their national accrediting nursing orgs.

It could be in basketweaving if they accredit it. Or it could be in nursing and not accredited. In fact, you could probably finish an MSN, and not get a single CEU for it. :)

Happens.

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I have time, however, I was just trying to be proactive. In order to meet requirements for my Ohio RN license renewal, they accept academic credits, so I was hoping Texas would be the same. :/

Does OH accept any academic credits, in any subject? That sounds unlikely to me.

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I printed out and highlighted where it said they do, and I am sending in my college transcript. It states:

I am taking college courses. Can I use that to meet my CE requirement?

Academic credit received for successful completion of a course taken through an accredited educational institution may be used to meet the CE requirement. Academic credit translates into contact hours as follows:

1 credit hour in a quarter system = ten (10) contact hours

1 credit hour in a trimester system = twelve (12) contact hours

1 credit hour in a semester system = fifteen (15) contact hours

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It does not say anything about having it be specific to nursing.

http://www.nursing.ohio.gov/PDFS/Education/CE%20FAQ%203.12.pdf

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

It's even a bit more complex in Tx. Beginning with the last biennium, we now have to have CE that reflects our area of practice. For example, if your clinical practice is in behavioral health, the majority of your CE should be psych-focused. This change makes sense, because it's aligned with the other change - anyone who is actively certified in a clinical specialty does not have to attest to the 'hours of CE' requirement to renew their license - because specialty-relevant CE is required to maintain that certification. Everyone also has some additional CE requirements related to Jurisprudence and (depending on your practice area) Geriatrics.

Some nursing certifications will grant CE credit (for cert renewal) for specific types of academic courses -- so in a roundabout way, if this is the case of OP, it would be a way to apply them to the licensure requirement. BUT, I think that most certification requirements specifically require that the academic courses be those in Nursing, not extraneous areas.

OTOH, I am sure that MBA coursework could be applied to CE requirements for CPA's.... because it would be relevant professional education. Just not for nursing.

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I printed out and highlighted where it said they do, and I am sending in my college transcript. It states:

I am taking college courses. Can I use that to meet my CE requirement?

Academic credit received for successful completion of a course taken through an accredited educational institution may be used to meet the CE requirement. Academic credit translates into contact hours as follows:

1 credit hour in a quarter system = ten (10) contact hours

1 credit hour in a trimester system = twelve (12) contact hours

1 credit hour in a semester system = fifteen (15) contact hours

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It does not say anything about having it be specific to nursing. http://www.nursing.ohio.gov/PDFS/Education/CE%20FAQ%203.12.pdf

Not in the section you quote, but it does define "CE" as:

"CE means a learning activity that builds upon a prelicensure or precertification education

program and enables a licensee or certificate holder to acquire or improve knowledge or skillsthat promote professional or technical development to enhance the licensee's or certificate

holder's contribution to quality health care and pursuit of professional career goals."

(Emphasis mine) I'm sure that the board doesn't consider just any random college course to meet that definition; it would be up to the BON whether non-nursing courses would count. I'm not saying I'm sure they wouldn't, just that I'm not sure you can count on that since you are in a non-nursing degree program. It's not going to matter unless you get audited, anyway, so it's probably a moot point.

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