Beware The Evil CEU Requirement

Nurses General Nursing

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Thanks for the hard won words of wisdom. I have always been a bit haphazard in my recordkeeping but Your story reminds me of how important those ceu's are.... :)

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Thanks for the hard won words of wisdom. I have always been a bit haphazard in my recordkeeping but Your story reminds me of how important those ceu's are.... :)

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Specializes in Critical Care, Emergency, Education, Informatics.

CEU's are alway important, whether the state you are in needs them or not. I have them listed as an item on my CV, and I'konw that it helped in my last job application. There are plenty of free or cheap offerings out there. I've done all the Free offerings that you can find here, and I general pay the 8-12 bucks for the CEU's out of the journals.

It alsow help keep up with parts of nursing that I don't touch very often.

My problem isn't taking them it's keeping track of them. All I do now is put them in an envelope. I need to find abetter way.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Emergency, Education, Informatics.

CEU's are alway important, whether the state you are in needs them or not. I have them listed as an item on my CV, and I'konw that it helped in my last job application. There are plenty of free or cheap offerings out there. I've done all the Free offerings that you can find here, and I general pay the 8-12 bucks for the CEU's out of the journals.

It alsow help keep up with parts of nursing that I don't touch very often.

My problem isn't taking them it's keeping track of them. All I do now is put them in an envelope. I need to find abetter way.

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Specializes in Everything except surgery.

It must depend on the state you are dealing with. I'm originally licensed in Texax, and had no problem renewing my license after having it expired at least 9yrs prior. My agency had to pay some back fees, but other than that there were no other problems. But I had wondered about being able to get it since CEUs were required when I prior to be changing states.

I do however have lots of CEUs, as I like to learn, and take advantage of the many free CEUs available online. Sorry to hear you had a problem. Some states are bears about getting licensure period! Like Cali...jeeze!

Brownie

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Specializes in Everything except surgery.

It must depend on the state you are dealing with. I'm originally licensed in Texax, and had no problem renewing my license after having it expired at least 9yrs prior. My agency had to pay some back fees, but other than that there were no other problems. But I had wondered about being able to get it since CEUs were required when I prior to be changing states.

I do however have lots of CEUs, as I like to learn, and take advantage of the many free CEUs available online. Sorry to hear you had a problem. Some states are bears about getting licensure period! Like Cali...jeeze!

Brownie

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Specializes in Everything except surgery.
Originally posted by NursePooh:

I'm telling this as a cautionary tale so hopefully others can avoid this pitfall I have tripped over. I was originally licensed in the state of Louisiana, which has a CEU requirement. I was there from 1994 (fresh out of school) to 1997. Then my military husband was transferred to Maryland. Maryland has no CEU requirement; the only thing you have to do for relicensure is to work 1000 hours in 5 years :eek: I never in my wildest dreams thought I would be going back to Louisiana, but Uncle Sam has other ideas. So I call the state board and find out that I am expected to meet their CEU requirement for relicensure :mad: I would be eligible for relicensure by endorsement if my original license had been from any other state. Now I am kicking myself for all those dumb inservices I attended where I never bothered to obtain CEUs because my state didn't require them and I didn't want to pay for them. Worse yet, I haven't worked in the past 14 months. I'll probably end up having to take a freaking refresher course :mad: The moral of this story...if you were originally licensed in a state with CEU requirements, and there's ANY chance you might someday move back, better keep up!

I'm not trying to insult you in anyway shape or form :D! I just read your nurse practice act, and there seems to be a few loop holes in getting renewing your license there. Also you say you haven't worked in 14 months, but the practice act refers to the previous calender year...2000. Did you work full time then? The CEU requirements are only 5..with fulltime employment, and 10 with just 160hrs of work. Is it possible for you to call the hospital you were working at, and obtain CEUs for the inservices, you did there? I would also write them, and find out if you could use the fact, that your husband was military, as the extenuating circumtances: . The individual presents evidence of an emergency or extenuating circumstances. At the time of filing an application for relicensure based on an exception, the licensee shall attach documentation of the exception.

"The licensee served on active duty in the armed forces for a minimum of six months during the licensure period."

Like another poster stated, that there are many free ceus online, and your boards states:

"There is no limit on the number of contact hours that may be earned through independent study".

You can follow this link to a site of free ceus online...http://www.nurseceu.com/free.htm

I hope some of this helps, and provides you with something you may not have discover already for yourself. Good luck!

Brownie :D

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Specializes in Everything except surgery.
Originally posted by NursePooh:

I'm telling this as a cautionary tale so hopefully others can avoid this pitfall I have tripped over. I was originally licensed in the state of Louisiana, which has a CEU requirement. I was there from 1994 (fresh out of school) to 1997. Then my military husband was transferred to Maryland. Maryland has no CEU requirement; the only thing you have to do for relicensure is to work 1000 hours in 5 years :eek: I never in my wildest dreams thought I would be going back to Louisiana, but Uncle Sam has other ideas. So I call the state board and find out that I am expected to meet their CEU requirement for relicensure :mad: I would be eligible for relicensure by endorsement if my original license had been from any other state. Now I am kicking myself for all those dumb inservices I attended where I never bothered to obtain CEUs because my state didn't require them and I didn't want to pay for them. Worse yet, I haven't worked in the past 14 months. I'll probably end up having to take a freaking refresher course :mad: The moral of this story...if you were originally licensed in a state with CEU requirements, and there's ANY chance you might someday move back, better keep up!

I'm not trying to insult you in anyway shape or form :D! I just read your nurse practice act, and there seems to be a few loop holes in getting renewing your license there. Also you say you haven't worked in 14 months, but the practice act refers to the previous calender year...2000. Did you work full time then? The CEU requirements are only 5..with fulltime employment, and 10 with just 160hrs of work. Is it possible for you to call the hospital you were working at, and obtain CEUs for the inservices, you did there? I would also write them, and find out if you could use the fact, that your husband was military, as the extenuating circumtances: . The individual presents evidence of an emergency or extenuating circumstances. At the time of filing an application for relicensure based on an exception, the licensee shall attach documentation of the exception.

"The licensee served on active duty in the armed forces for a minimum of six months during the licensure period."

Like another poster stated, that there are many free ceus online, and your boards states:

"There is no limit on the number of contact hours that may be earned through independent study".

You can follow this link to a site of free ceus online...http://www.nurseceu.com/free.htm

I hope some of this helps, and provides you with something you may not have discover already for yourself. Good luck!

Brownie :D

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Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

Brownie thanks for the neat site!

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Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

Brownie thanks for the neat site!

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Specializes in telemetry, cardiac stepdown.

I'm telling this as a cautionary tale so hopefully others can avoid this pitfall I have tripped over. I was originally licensed in the state of Louisiana, which has a CEU requirement. I was there from 1994 (fresh out of school) to 1997. Then my military husband was transferred to Maryland. Maryland has no CEU requirement; the only thing you have to do for relicensure is to work 1000 hours in 5 years :eek: I never in my wildest dreams thought I would be going back to Louisiana, but Uncle Sam has other ideas. So I call the state board and find out that I am expected to meet their CEU requirement for relicensure :mad: I would be eligible for relicensure by endorsement if my original license had been from any other state. Now I am kicking myself for all those dumb inservices I attended where I never bothered to obtain CEUs because my state didn't require them and I didn't want to pay for them. Worse yet, I haven't worked in the past 14 months. I'll probably end up having to take a freaking refresher course :mad: The moral of this story...if you were originally licensed in a state with CEU requirements, and there's ANY chance you might someday move back, better keep up!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in telemetry, cardiac stepdown.

I'm telling this as a cautionary tale so hopefully others can avoid this pitfall I have tripped over. I was originally licensed in the state of Louisiana, which has a CEU requirement. I was there from 1994 (fresh out of school) to 1997. Then my military husband was transferred to Maryland. Maryland has no CEU requirement; the only thing you have to do for relicensure is to work 1000 hours in 5 years :eek: I never in my wildest dreams thought I would be going back to Louisiana, but Uncle Sam has other ideas. So I call the state board and find out that I am expected to meet their CEU requirement for relicensure :mad: I would be eligible for relicensure by endorsement if my original license had been from any other state. Now I am kicking myself for all those dumb inservices I attended where I never bothered to obtain CEUs because my state didn't require them and I didn't want to pay for them. Worse yet, I haven't worked in the past 14 months. I'll probably end up having to take a freaking refresher course :mad: The moral of this story...if you were originally licensed in a state with CEU requirements, and there's ANY chance you might someday move back, better keep up!

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