Is it almost time to renew your nursing license in Florida?
Are you not sure what the CE requirements are?
Don’t worry! We’re here to give you everything you should know about nursing CE requirements in Florida.
So whether you’re a CNA, LPN, RN, APRN, HHA, or CNS, you know what you need to do before you can renew your license.
Ready?
Let’s get started!
Florida Nursing CE Requirements
If you want a quick answer, check the table below.
| CNA (Certified Nurse Assistant) | 24 hours in-service training every 2 years, including: Bloodborne Pathogens, Infection Control, Domestic Violence, Resident Rights, CPR Skills, Medical Error Prevention and Safety, Medical Record Documentation and Legal Aspects Appropriate to Nursing Assistants, Communication with Cognitively Impaired Clients Must complete each course per renewal: Florida Laws and Rules, Medical Errors, and Human Trafficking For first renewals: at least 1 hour of CE covering HIV/AIDs Every other renewal: additional 2 hours on Recognizing Impairment in the Workplace Every third renewal: additional 2 hours on Domestic violence |
| LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) | 24 CE hours every 2 years, including: 2 hours Prevention of Medical Errors, 2 hours Florida Laws and Rules, 2 hours Human Trafficking For first renewals: at least 1 hour of CE covering HIV/AIDs Every second renewal: additional 2 hours on Recognizing Impairment in the Workplace Every third renewal: additional 2 hours on Domestic violence 16 general hours must be approved by the state or national organization |
| RN (Registered Nurse) | 24 CE hours every 2 years, including: 2 hours Prevention of Medical Errors, 2 hours Florida Laws and Rules, 2 hours Human Trafficking For first renewals: at least 1 hour of CE covering HIV/AIDs Every other renewal: additional 2 hours on Recognizing Impairment in the Workplace Every third renewal: additional 2 hours on Domestic violence 16 general hours must be approved by the state or national organization |
| APRN (Advanced Practice Registered Nurse) | 24 CE hours every 2 years, including: 2 hours Prevention of Medical Errors, 2 hours Florida Laws and Rules, 2 hours Human Trafficking For first renewals: at least 1 hour of CE covering HIV/AIDs Every other renewal: additional 2 hours on Recognizing Impairment in the Workplace Every third renewal: additional 2 hours on Domestic violence For APRNs under s. 464. 012: no less than 3 hours of Safe and Effective Prescription of Controlled Substances For Autonomous Practice Requirements: an additional 10 hours of CE to be completed at each renewal |
| HHA(Home Health Aide) | NO CE REQUIRED! |
| CNS (Clinical Nurse Specialist | 24 CE hours every 2 years, including: 2 hours Prevention of Medical Errors, 2 hours Florida Laws and Rules For first renewals: at least 1 hour of CE covering HIV/AIDs Every other renewal: additional 2 hours on Recognizing Impairment in the Workplace Every third renewal: additional 2 hours on Domestic violence |
Now let’s take a closer look at each nursing practice and its requirements.
By the way, ALL nurses in Florida have similar renewal requirements.
Florida CNA Continuing Education Requirements
CNAs in Florida are required to complete 24 hours of in-service training every 2 years. This training includes, but are not limited to:
- Bloodborne Pathogens
- Infection Control
- Domestic Violence
- Resident Rights
- Medical Record Documentation and Legal Aspects Appropriate to Nursing Assistants
- Communication with Cognitively impaired Clients
- Medical Error Prevention and Safety
- CPR Skills
Required courses for ALL nurses in Florida every renewal period:
- Florida Laws and Rules
- Medical Errors
- Human Trafficking
For first-time renewals: must complete 1 hour of continuing education covering HIV/AIDs
Every other renewal: must complete an additional 2 hours on Recognizing Impairment in the Workplace
Every third renewal: must complete an additional 2 hours covering Domestic Violence
Florida LPN Continuing Education Requirements
Florida LPNs need to complete 24 CE hours for every 2-year renewal period.
They are also required to take the following courses:
- 2 hours Prevention of Medical Errors
- 2 hours Florida Laws and Rules
- 2 hours Human Trafficking
- 16 general hours must be approved by the State or national organization
For first-time renewals: must complete 1 hour of continuing education covering HIV/AIDs
Every other renewal: must complete an additional 2 hours on Recognizing Impairment in the Workplace
Every third renewal: must complete an additional 2 hours covering Domestic Violence
LPNs initially licensed by examination are exempt from general CE requirements in the first renewal for the current biennium.
LPNs initially licensed by endorsement and who took the exam in another state within the same renewal period are exempt from the CE requirements for their first renewal.
Initial licenses that were issued for less than 2 years are required to complete 1 hour for each month their license was valid. These hours must include the courses mentioned above.
Florida RN Continuing Education Requirements
Florida RNs are also required to complete 24 CE hours every 2-years.
They also share the same requirements as most nursing positions in Florida:
- 2 hours Prevention of Medical Errors
- 2 hours Florida Laws and Rules
- 2 hours Human Trafficking
- 16 general hours must be approved by the State or national organization
For first-time renewals: must complete 1 hour of continuing education covering HIV/AIDs
Every other renewal: must complete an additional 2 hours on Recognizing Impairment in the Workplace
Every third renewal: must complete an additional 2 hours covering Domestic Violence
RNs initially licensed by examination are exempt from general CE requirements in the first renewal for the current biennium.
RNs initially licensed by endorsement and who took the exam in another state within the same renewal period are exempt from the CE requirements for their first renewal.
RNs’ initial licenses that were issued for less than 2 years are required to complete 1 hour for each month their license was valid. These hours must include the courses mentioned above.
Florida APRN Continuing Education Requirements
Florida APRNs have similar requirements with other nursing practices here:
- 24 CE hours every licensure cycle
They are also required to take the following courses:
- 2 hours Prevention of Medical Errors
- 2 hours Florida Laws and Rules
- 2 hours Human Trafficking
For first-time renewals: must complete 1 hour of continuing education covering HIV/AIDs
Every other renewal: must complete an additional 2 hours on Recognizing Impairment in the Workplace
Every third renewal: must complete an additional 2 hours covering Domestic Violence
The only difference for APRNs certified under s. 464. 012, is that they will need 3 hours of Safe and Effective Prescription of Controlled Substances every 2 years.
As for autonomous practice, they need an additional 10 hours of CE approved by the Board.
Florida Home Health Aide Requirements
Good news! There are no CE requirements for Home Health Aides in Florida.
Florida Clinical Nurse Specialist Requirements
CNS in Florida are also required to complete 24 CE hours, as well as:
- 2 hours Prevention of Medical Errors
- 2 hours Florida Laws and Rules
For first-time renewals: must complete 1 hour of continuing education covering HIV/AIDs
Every other renewal: must complete an additional 2 hours on Recognizing Impairment in the Workplace
Every third renewal: must complete an additional 2 hours covering Domestic Violence
Advanced registered practitioners certified under s. 464. 012 will need 3 hours of Safe and Effective Prescription of Controlled Substances every 2 years.
FAQs
Now that you know what you need for your nursing CE requirements, let’s go over a few FAQs!
Can hours earned from my CPR course be applied to the 24 hour CE requirement?
No, unfortunately, it can’t.
Do college courses count in CE requirements?
Yes! If your school is an accredited institution of higher learning, then you can be awarded contact hours.
Can I use the hours I earned from CE courses in another state?
Yes, you can. All CE courses that are approved by a state or national nursing organization can be used.
Conclusion
There you have it!
We hope we were able to give you all the information you needed and more.
While we did do our best to ensure that the contents of this article are accurate, it is still your responsibility to check if there are any sudden, new changes in the nursing CE requirements in Florida.
Good luck!
Last updated: March 28, 2023 (Requirements taken from Florida BON website)