Oh dear . .Audited for proof of CEUs and don't have

[Norma_Saline]

hello to anybody out there who's reading, and thank you for taking the time to do so.

i can't feel sorry for myself on this one and don't expect anyone else to, but at the same time i hope nobody will bother giving me a lecture because believe me, i already see the error of my ways. my state requires 30 hours of ceus, 4 of which must be bioterrorism but it's my understanding the bioterrorism can be a one-time deal in your career. first, i confess i have never taken the bioterrorism class and every 2 years when i have renewed online i have checked the box swearing and affirming that i have done so, thinking to myself 'yeah yeah, i'll get to it.' as for the remaining 26 ceu hours, i think i have maybe 8. one 7-hour certificate that i have is from an employer that i left in mid 2010. it *barely* fits within the 2-year time frame that my ceus are allowed to be from. yay for that small favor. i called this facility (didn't give my name or any details) and explained when i left the company and asked if by any chance there are other copies of ceus i earned there in my personnel file, explaining that i have lost my proof of ceus. i remember that we had inservices constantly but so far i can only find one certificate but the personnel lady was nasty and said my records would be boxed up somewhere and she wasn't going to take the time to look. i can understand her point of view, but if a former employee needs her to look for something in their file isn't that still a part of her job? that's part of my history, after all! yes, it was my job to keep up with any ceus i earned there. i do know that and as i said, don't need to be lectured. i think my state's policy of "keep up with your own ceus and we'll only ask for proof if we select you for random audit" is kind-of crazy. i'm the kind of person that if you tell me i *must* have something in order to renew my license, of course i'll have it. but to tell me you have to show it only if you're randomly selected, well . . .that apparently wasn't enough incentive for me.

my state's licensing board does not list specifically what the penalty is for not being able to produce adequate proof of ceus upon request; just that it results in disciplinary action. i guess i should just get the bioterrorism thing now and apologize and hope for the best on that one. what else can i do on that. meanwhile i'm still digging in old boxes for ceu certificates and not having much luck. my current employer may be able to help me out. . .sorry so long. if anybody has any input or advice, it is certainly welcome. i have 30 days and of course the ceus must have been earned within the last 2 years. thanks again if you got this far.

[Bortaz, MSN, RN]

I hate to be "that guy", but I just can't get past the audacity of:

"i know it was MY job to get my CEUs, but I didn't do it. Don't lecture me!"

Followed by:

"it's this wenches job to look through those 100s of boxes of paperwork to find my CEUs that MIGHT be there, and she's too lazy to do her job!!!!!!!!"

[wish_me_luck, BSN, RN]

Bortaz, well, you do have Oscar the grouch as your avatar; so, not surprising that you are "that guy". heehee. I am just kidding with you.

Norma_Saline, I hope everything works out for you.

[Bortaz, MSN, RN]

Well, it was either Oscar...or Statler and Waldorf.

[Wishinonastar, BSN]

There are all kinds of quick CEUs you can get on the internet. I get several booklets in the mail that are 30 each all you have to do is read it, answer some questions and mail it in. Just make sure they are accepted by your state. We all have to take responsibility for these and I know it is a pain, but it is required. The University of Albany (NY) has some public health courses that include one on bioterrorism and most states that require these have free CEUs available through the state. Just suck it up and get them as quick as you can and hope that is all that happens over this.

[kids]

I've been audited twice. The first time taught me the importance of good record keeping on my part, I was fine but the scrounging up certs was a headache, the second time was a cake walk because I'd learned my lesson.

At this point I'm up to juggling the requirements of 7 states (easier to keep renewing than to have to reapply WHEN I wind up back in one of those states).

I keep it all in a a 5" notebook tabbed by month/year going back 3 years.

Every pay stub gets filed in it's month/year as does the certificate for every CEU I take.

When a month/year ages off, I change the year on the tab and move it to the back.

CEUs can be very easy to get and don't require a huge time sink if you work at them a little at a time.

Medscape: Medscape Access (have to register and click on the 'Education' tab at the top has tons of free, accredited CEUs.

I also pay the $20 a year for unlimited access to CEUs here: State Approved Free Nursing CEUs with Unlimited Access for 19.99 a Year!

Obviously, you need to read you BoNs fine print in terms of sources they accept.

With those 2 sources I easily average 50 hours a year in CEUs.

ETA:

Do NOT rely on what nurses in other states "think" they have to do for their BoN, for that matter, don't rely on what you "think". Know and learn the CEU policy/requirements for your state. It's part of the professional responsibilities that come with holding a license.

I wish more states had minimum practice and CEU requirements and I wish it was required to submit proof with the renewal. Stagnation and apathy are detrimental to the profession and patient care/safety.

[OCNRN63, RN]

This is the first year we have to have proof of CEs. I have mine in my desk with one of those big potato chip clips holding them together; somewhat organized, but not really. This thread made me quick go check to see that they were still there. I think I would still be OK, because ll of the ones I did on NS are still saved on their site, plus I plugged them in to my OCN certifications CEU site.

I just wanted to state again that Nursing Spectrum's CEUs are free, and IIRC, there's one on bioterrorism.

[BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN]

Since the OP asked that we not smack her around for what is clearly her fault, I'll just smile broadly and click like. It only allows one click.....

[Merlyn]

Go to your old job, give the lady your name, and she will get the CEU's certification. How can the lady look up the information without your name. Past job too far. She can mail or fax them to you. Bio-terrorism you can get on line. What is the problem.

My state of New jersey says that as long as you get the CEU before you renew your license it's OK. That's what I'm doing tonight all 30 credits- on line.

[BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN]

OP can correct me, but I think it's come out that she had between X date and Y date to get her 30 hours in for the renewal period and only completed maybe 8 of those hours and has NEVER done the bio-terrorism class, but keeps checking the box saying she has. It sounds like the time period is up to get those 30 hours done and now she has to scramble =(

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

When do you need to submit the proof? Go to State Approved Free Nursing CEUs with Unlimited Access for 19.99 a Year!. You can sign up for 19.99, complete whatever CEU's you want, take the tests, print your certificates. I think they have one on bioterrorism. Anyway, you could complete all your hours within 2 days.

[Norma_Saline]

Hello to all,

Want to say a big thank you to each and every one who responded to me on this issue. I was overwhelmed by so many responses and wish I could take the time to thank each person individually. I just gave up and called my board of nursing the truth and asked them do I have the remainder of the 30 days to do the CEUs, including bioterrorism. She said yes, I would absolutely be fine as long as I get it to them with the 30 days I have been allotted. I was under the impression all the CEUs had to be completed on dates BEFORE the audit. The lady assured me that was not the case. Even the bioterrorism can be dated within my 30 day grace period because who's to say I didn't have it earlier but lost the evidence of it, or decided to take it again.

One thing I wish to address though because I do not care to be misquoted:

I hate to be "that guy", but I just can't get past the audacity of:

"i know it was MY job to get my CEUs, but I didn't do it. Don't lecture me!"

Followed by:

"it's this wenches job to look through those 100s of boxes of paperwork to find my CEUs that MIGHT be there, and she's too lazy to do her job!!!!!!!!"

Umm, I beg your pardon Bortaz, I admitted I was in the wrong for not having what I should have. It takes a lot of courage to be honest about your failure to do something required. What do you think- I should be taken out and shot? The reason I said don't bother to lecture me is because I was already down on myself enough for my failure.

And please let the record be straight here, I never called ANYONE a 'wench', nor would I, for not being willing to pull my old personnel file and check for copies of CEUs I earned while employed there. I do not appreciate you putting words in my mouth that I did not say and would *never* say. Would it take "audacity" if I needed the personnel worker to get me any other information that is in my file? Or if a new prospective employer needed info about me that he or she was entitled to? No, it would just be part of her everyday job. I think the use of the word 'audacity' is stretching it quite a bit. It did not harm anything to simply call and ask her. When she said no, I let it go. It was worth the five minutes to make the call. You are the one calling her a "wench" and "lazy." I never called her either. So kindly stop implying that I did.

[Norma_Saline]

Perhaps the employer WAS a provider -- and did provide a suitable number of courses. It sounds to me as if the OP was/is not very knowledgable about that. But as you must know, GrnTea, not all inservices are eligible for CE's. Classes that focus on the requirements of your specific job (e.g. how to use equipment, how to use the new assessment tool, etc.) are not eligible for CE's

You are spot on about that llg, I found out when I phoned my current employer that the inservices they have been offering have not been good for board-approved CEUs, while many of us nurses have believed that they were. So even having certificates for many of those does me no good; I am still having to make sure I get the 30 hours within a month. It can easily be done though- my state accepts online-earned CEUs.