Question on contact hours - anyone????

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Specializes in Geriatric Psych, Physicians office, OB,.

Have a question about contact hours that we must have when it's time to renew our license for nursing. I just renewed my license in December, so now I am starting over with my contact hours and in my state LPN's must have 12 hours before renewing my license again. Here's my question:

The contact hours must be "job specific", in other words, they go along with your job description. I have been at a new job for the last 2 months in a geriatric psychiatric unit which has computerized nursing orders and med administration. I have never used this computer system before, and I had to take an introduction course to the computer, which is specific to my job description, which is worth 6 contact hours towards continuing education.

I think that since the computer systems I now have to work with on a daily basis would be considered "job specific", as it's part of my daily job. I had to learn these skills to perform this job. Could I count the 6 hours I earned by completing this course towards my renewal contact hours? I think it should count. Has anyone been in this situation before, in dealing with renewal contact hours? Let me know what you think!! Our nurse manager gives us an opportunity for 1 contact hour of continuing education each month that will count towards our renewal hours, so if this won't count, it's ok with me. I would just like to know what you think....

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Specializes in Psych, Psych and more Psych.

I would think that any education that you use in your job would count (computer training CEUs). I'm a psych nurse and I have used CEUs that I earned in subjects such as diabetic care and HTN (b/c even though I am a psych nurse, I care for patients with diabetes and HTN). Now I wouldn't consider CEUs that have to do with, for example, caring for a fresh post-op open heart, because I don't provide that kind of care (on an inpt psych unit).

Regards,

Mary

Have a question about contact hours that we must have when it's time to renew our license for nursing. I just renewed my license in December, so now I am starting over with my contact hours and in my state LPN's must have 12 hours before renewing my license again. Here's my question:

The contact hours must be "job specific", in other words, they go along with your job description. I have been at a new job for the last 2 months in a geriatric psychiatric unit which has computerized nursing orders and med administration. I have never used this computer system before, and I had to take an introduction course to the computer, which is specific to my job description, which is worth 6 contact hours towards continuing education.

I think that since the computer systems I now have to work with on a daily basis would be considered "job specific", as it's part of my daily job. I had to learn these skills to perform this job. Could I count the 6 hours I earned by completing this course towards my renewal contact hours? I think it should count. Has anyone been in this situation before, in dealing with renewal contact hours? Let me know what you think!! Our nurse manager gives us an opportunity for 1 contact hour of continuing education each month that will count towards our renewal hours, so if this won't count, it's ok with me. I would just like to know what you think....

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Specializes in Geriatric Psych, Physicians office, OB,.

Thank you for your input! Do others agree with this? I was asking my nurse manager about this situation today, and she wasn't sure herself about whether the computer hours would count....I think I'll just email our state board and ask about it - wouldn't hurt. Will let you know what they say. Thanks again!

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Specializes in Psych, Psych and more Psych.

No prob. Good idea, checking w/ your state board. I would be curious to see how it's done in your state.

Mary

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