CEU Questions

[pmabraham, BSN, RN]

Good day everyone:

I saw and was reading https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/anyone-else-bothered-936716.html which raised some questions.

1. You just pass your NCLEX, get your license (I guess in the mail), then when do you need to start working on or being concerned with CEU's? i.e. immediately, or within ___ (#) ____ (weeks, months, years)?

2. If you graduate with a ADN, and start working on your BSN, what types of classes (if any) would count towards CEU's? i.e. can you kill two birds with one stone (classes towards BSN grant CEU's)?

3. Where do you find CEU's to take?

4. In general what is the cost per CEU unit?

Thank you.

[runsalot]

First. Check to see if your state requires you to have ceu for your license. Many do not. And you can find many for free. Depending on your nursing interests.

[pmabraham, BSN, RN]

Good day, Runsalot:

Pennsylvania requires 30; if I understand the timeline, it is 30 every two years. Where do you look to find ones for free?

Also, if you are going the RN-BSN route after getting an associate degree, do BSN level classes count as CEU's?

Thank you.

[kakamegamama]

Your BON site should have the information regarding required CEUs and by when you must have them-ie--first renewal as a RN, or 2nd renewal, as well as what college program courses, if any, can count. Some advanced courses do count toward CEUs, but that may be state specific. Note: I mentioned "advanced". Most CEUs must be information that you get to improve your knowledge, not based on every day work/information. For instance, I took an advanced physical assessment, 3 day course several years ago which counted as CEUs for me (Texas license), as a RN. It was beyond the expectations of daily practice for me, so it was considered CEU. Hope this helps!

Good day, Runsalot:

Pennsylvania requires 30; if I understand the timeline, it is 30 every two years. Where do you look to find ones for free?

Also, if you are going the RN-BSN route after getting an associate degree, do BSN level classes count as CEU's?

Thank you.

[Susie2310]

I believe the answer to your first question is to check with your state Board of Registered Nursing, as the requirements will vary from state to state. In my state this information is available on the BORN web site. I think that when you first receive your RN license you will receive information about the number of CEU's required for first time renewal. Any required CEU's will have to be completed before the renewal date.

In regard to your second question, I bridged from ADN to BSN, and the extra nursing courses do not count as CEU's for renewal purposes as they are part of a basic nursing education program (check with your state BORN as to what applies in your situation), but extra independent courses that I have heard of people taking while in nursing school, such as ACLS, will give you CEU credits, and if you get the chance to attend certain seminars, etc., whilst in your BSN program, you may receive CEU credits.

It is easy to find CEU courses. You can simply do an internet search. I suggest looking for reputable, accredited CEU providers, and make sure they are accepted as CEU providers by your state BORN (this should be stated on the CEU provider web site and in the provider's course literature). You can check with large medical facilities in your area as to what CEU courses they offer; this information is also available at the facilities websites in my area.

The cost of CEU's varies from course to course, from free, to (in my experience), hundreds of dollars for multi-unit intensive courses such as ACLS. Taking a few units at a time will generally be less expensive than taking a large number of units at a time. Quality of courses can vary greatly, and there are varying levels of difficulty from easy to challenging, so I suggest looking around to ensure you find courses that fit your learning needs.

I hope this is helpful.