Knowledge Base Articles Archive | LeaderStat

Nursing CEUs and Certifications

Written by LS Admin | Jul 25, 2024
Each year, nurses are required to complete a certain number of continuing education hours, or CEs, to keep their licensure in good standing. CE requirements vary by state, but typically we see that nurses are required to earn anywhere from 20-30 continuing education hours during their licensure renewal period, which is every two years.

At LeaderStat, we find that life is simpler when you have everything you need in one place. That's why we've created a comprehensive list of CEs by specialty, as well as high-demand nursing certifications available to help Registered Nurses grow their careers and stand out when applying for new positions. Don't forget to bookmark this page or send it to a fellow nursing professional!

American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACCN)
Provides clinical education and training for acute, progressive, and critical care nurses – from floor nurses to APRNs and educators.

American Association of Post-Acute Care Nursing (AAPACN)
Nurses who specialize in long-term care opt for an AAPACN membership to take advantage of certifications, in-person education, live and on-demand education, webinars, and guides. AAPACN also has an annual conference where continuing education is available for nurses as well as nursing home administrators. According to the AAPACN website, “research provides evidence that facilities staffed with AAPACN nurses have fewer survey deficiencies, fewer denied claims, lower risk of civil money penalties from survey deficiencies, and overall higher average Five-Star Quality Ratings.

Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN)
AWHONN has a catalog of products, including downloads, online learning, and more. Additionally, AWHONN has an Emerging Leaders Program where nurses can pursue career development through employer sponsorship.

MJHS – Institute for Innovation in Palliative Care
MJHS has free, interactive modules, live and on-demand webinars, and free PDF downloads, including palliative care fact sheets and patient education handouts on a variety of topics that are available in seven languages.

Oncology Nursing Society (ONS)
ONS offers professional development certification preparation, and even grants and scholarships! Something important to note – the American Nurses Credentialing Center has changed the term “continuing nursing education” or CNE, to “nursing professional development” or NCPD. Instead of earning CNE contact hours, nurses will receive NCPD contact hours. These are absolutely applicable to certification renewal.

Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation (ONCC)
Oncology nurses can find free and low-cost contact hours for certification renewal through ONCC.

Nurse.com
Nurse.com offers continuing education for healthcare professionals across a variety of settings. Nurse.com CEs are nationally accredited, accepted in every state, and are created by nurses. Unlimited CE hours are available for only $49.95/year.

📌 Looking specifically for free courses through Nurse.com? Here’s a comprehensive list: https://www.nurse.com/ce/free-courses.

MyCME.com
MyCME.com offers interactive videos, live webinars, virtual summits, monographs, and videos – all at no cost! To take advantage of these continuing medical education credits, nurses first need to create a free account.

Relias Academy
Relias.com offers certifications and popular continuing education courses for nurses across all specialties. Nurses can purchase the All Access Subscription membership for $49.95 where they can get access to 50+ CEU courses that are designed for RNs, LPNs, and APRNs. 

American Nurses Association (ANA)
ANA offers more than 150 continuing education courses and webinars for nursing professionals. 

Nursing CE Central
RNs, LPNs and APRNs can join for $49.99 and gain access to approved CEUs across all 50 states. Enrollment includes full 30 contact hour course bundles, and three of their most popular courses are totally free.


High-Demand Certifications To Help Nurses Build Their Careers

Wound Care Certification
The Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing Certification Board (WOCNCB)
https://www.wocncb.org/certification  

Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN)
Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN)
https://bcen.org/cen/the-certification-process/

Certification Nurse Educator (CNE)
Offered by the National League for Nursing (NLN) https://www.nln.org/awards-recognition/certification-for-nurse-educators-overview.
Many nursing schools, hospitals, and nurse training programs require candidates who have obtained a CNE certification.

Certified Pediatric Nurse (CPN)

Pediatric Nursing Certification Board
https://www.pncb.org/certifications
https://www.pncb.org/cpn-certification-steps

Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (CHPN)
Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA)
https://www.advancingexpertcare.org/hpcc/