Nursing CE Requirements in Idaho – Everything You Should Know

Are you renewing your nursing license in Idaho soon?

Are you not sure what the renewal requirements are?  

You’ve come to the right place!

Here, we’re going to list everything you should know about nursing CE requirements in Idaho, whether you’re a CNA, LPN, RN, or APRN. 

So shall we?

Idaho Nursing CE Requirements

The CE requirements differ depending on which type of nurse you are. 

Here is a quick summary of the nursing license renewal requirements in Idaho:

Now, let’s get into the details. 

Idaho CNA Continuing Education Requirements

Good news!

Continuing education is NOT required for certified nurse assistants in Idaho.

To be eligible for license renewal, a CNA must have at least 8 hours of paid work within 2 years, before the license expiration date.

Idaho LPN Continuing Education Requirements

If you’re an LPN in Idaho, you have a selection of requirements that you can choose from, this is called the Continued Competency Requirements. 

Though there are 3 activities you can partake in, namely, Practice, Education, and Professional Engagement, you only need to fulfill 2 to renew your license. 

These are your options:

1. Practice

• 100 hours of paid or unpaid practice, including simulation practice where the nurse applies clinical knowledge.

2. Education

• Complete 15 Continuing Education hours in an accredited institution or organization
• Complete 1 semester credit hour of post-license education related to the nursing practice offered by a recognized university or college 
• Complete a refresher course in nursing that is recognized by the board
• Participate in a board-recognized seminar, workshop, conference, or course that is related to the practice of nursing 

3. Professional Engagement

• Developing or teaching a nursing-related course
• Contributing to a published manuscript or article related to nursing
• Participating in professional activities including volunteer work, teaching, precepting, peer-reviewing, professional auditing, and healthcare service

Remember, you only need to choose 2 out of the 3 options. And, out of the 2 options you choose, you only need to do 1 activity. For example, you can renew your license if you complete 15 CE hours and 100 hours of practice simulation. 

Note: During the first renewal cycle of newly graduated LPNs, they are exempted from the Continued Competency Requirements.

Idaho RN Continuing Education Requirements

In Idaho, RNs have the same renewal requirements as LPNs. 

So, if you complete at least 2 of the activities listed below, you’ll be able to renew your RN license: 

1. Practice

• You need at least 100 hours of paid or unpaid practice. This can include applying clinical knowledge through practice simulations. 

2. Education

• Completion of 15 CE hours in an Idaho Board of Nursing accredited institution or organization 
• Completion of 1 semester credit hour of post-license education related to the nursing practice offered by a recognized university or college 
• Completion of a refresher course in nursing that is recognized by the Idaho Board of Nursing
• Participation in a board-recognized workshop, conference, seminar, or course that is related to nursing practice 

3. Professional Engagement

• Teach or develop a nursing-related course
• Help or contribute to a published manuscript or article related to nursing
• Participate in professional activities including teaching, professional auditing, healthcare service, volunteer work, precepting, and peer-reviewing.

You can only choose 1 activity from the 3 options. For example, you can complete 15 CE hours AND 1 hour of paid or unpaid practice. 

And also, like LPNs, during your first renewal cycle, RNS are exempted from these requirements. 

Idaho APRN Continuing Education Requirements 

These are the APRN categories in Idaho:

• Clinical Nurse Specialist
• Nurse Practitioner
• Registered Nurse Anesthetist
• Certified Nurse Midwife

In order to renew their licenses, APRNs are required to:

• Have a current RN license
• Show evidence of current certification by a national organization
• Complete 30 CE hours every 2 years
• Work at least 200 hours in their specialty field in the past two years
• Participate in a peer review process 

For APRNs with prescriptive authority:

10 of the 30 CE hours should be on pharmacology 

Now, if an APRN was issued their initial license midway into the renewal period, CE hours will be prorated.

For example, a fresh APRN graduate who has an initial license valid for 1 year is requested to get 15 contact hours of continuing education and 5 contact hours in pharmacology-related content.

FAQs 

Do nursing schools count as CEU?

Yes, nursing courses from an accredited college or university count as CEU. 

Here is how the hours are credited or collected:

• 10 contact hours is equivalent to 1 academic quarter unit
• 15 contact hours is equivalent to 1 academic semester unit

Take note that 1 CEU is equivalent to 10 contact hours.

So, you will earn 30 contact hours (3 CEUs) for a 3 academic quarter unit.

When is the renewal period for LPN, RN, and APRN in Idaho?

The license renewal period for LPNs is from June 1st to August 31st, in even-numbered years. 

For RNs and APRNs, the renewal period is from May 1st to August 31st, in odd-numbered years.

If you fail to renew your Idaho nursing license by August 21, your license will automatically become inactive. If you want to reactivate your license, you will need a reinstatement application and a fingerprint-based background check.

Practicing with an expired or inactive license in Idaho will result in an administrative fine.

What courses are NOT considered continuing education in Idaho?

• Advanced lifesaving courses such as Pediatric Life Support (PALS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), and Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) are basic requirements for healthcare professionals. Therefore, these are not counted as continuing education.
• College courses that are not related to nursing, including math general education, science, or statistics for DNP, MSN, and BSN programs.
• On-the-job training, residency programs, internship, refresher courses, and orientations
• Courses for Continuing Medical Education or Category I CME. these courses are intended for dentists or physicians, and most states do not accept this for nursing CEU credit.
• Attending trade shows, professional meetings, and conventions. However, approved activities and accredited seminars may be offered during conventions.

Conclusion

There you have it!

Hopefully, we gave you an idea of what is needed before renewing your nursing license in Idaho. 

Always make sure that the course you are taking is accredited by the State Board of Nursing to ensure that it will be counted as continuing education.

Last updated: March 28, 2023 (Requirements taken from Idaho BON website)