Nurses are required to take continuing education credits, also known as contact hours, to fulfill licensure requirements. There are different requirements for registered nurses (RN) and for licensed practical nurses (LPN). New York state has specific requirements for license renewal for both registered nurses and licensed practical nurses.
Features
An RN is required to take three contact hours in infection control every four years. The infection control course is an update and refresher course covering basic infection control, barriers and precautions, hepatitis B and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
Function
RNs must also take a course on child abuse. It is taken once and is two contact hours. The course is about recognizing child abuse and report suspected cases.
Types
LPNs are required to take three contact hours in infection control every four years. It is a refresher course and provides an overview of infection control precautions.
Significance
All courses must be from an approved provider of continuing education. An approved provider is endorsed by the American Nurses Credentialing Center Commission on Education. The New York State Department of Education approves education providers and the course will have a provider number that indicates approval.
Benefits
Mandated contact hours for license renewal benefit the nurse and the patient. Continuing education ensures that nurses have evidence-based current knowledge to provide excellent patient care.
Tags: contact hours, infection control, required take, approved provider, child abuse
