License renewal season is always a stressful time. You have to ensure you have everything in place to continue practicing.
But what exactly are the nursing CE requirements in New Hampshire?
To help you keep everything in order, we’ve come up with an all-in-one guide on the license renewal prerequisites in the state. It includes the necessary practice hours and nursing CE requirements in New Hampshire.
So whether you’re an LNA, an RN, an LPN, or an APRN, you can find all the information you need on this page.
Let’s begin!
New Hampshire Nurse CE Requirements
Here’s a quick guide to all nursing CE requirements in New Hampshire.
| Type | Requirement |
| LNA(Licensed Nurse Assistant) | 12 CE hours every year 200 practice hours within 2 years |
| LPN(Licensed Practical Nurse) | 30 CE hours every 2 years 400 practice hours 4 years before renewal |
| RN(Registered Nurse) | 30 CE hours every 2 years 400 practice hours 4 years before renewal |
| APRN(Advanced Practical Registered Nurse) | 60 CE hours every 2 years * 30 hours similar to RNs * Additional 30 hours for their chosen specialty * Additional 30 hours must include 5 hours on Pharmacology * If with an active DEA number, 3 hours within the 5-hour Pharmacology requirement must focus on opioids 400 practice hours 4 years before renewal |
Now let’s take a closer look at the details for each type of nursing license.
New Hampshire LNA Continuing Education Requirements
LNAs have to earn a few hours of paid work as a nurse’s aide to renew their license in most states. In New Hampshire, however, the requirements are a bit more complicated than that.
There are two options available to you:
The first one involves practice hours. You must have worked for at least 200 hours under the supervision of a Registered Nurse, an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, or a Licensed Practical Nurse.
LNAs also need to earn 12 continuing education hours each year. That means you must complete 24 contact hours before you renew your license.
The second option is to undergo clinical and written competency testing within the 24 months preceding your renewal.
New Hampshire LPN Continuing Education Requirements
Licensed Practical Nurses need to complete 30 CE hours within the 24 months directly preceding the renewal.
You can participate in different types of activities to earn contact hours. These include workshops, conferences, or other educational events.
There are no specific subjects required. All that’s needed is that your chosen activity increases your knowledge, develops your skills, and helps you make better judgments in your role.
Besides the CE requirement, you must also have 400 hours of LPN work in the 4 years immediately before your renewal. For example, if your license renewal happens in 2023, you’ll be counting the number of practice hours since 2019.
New Hampshire RN Continuing Education Requirements
Like LPNs, Registered Nurses in New Hampshire must focus their effort on completing CE and practice hours.
You must have worked as an RN for at least 400 hours within the 4 years directly preceding your renewal. It may seem like a lot, but it converts to only 50 days in total.
When it comes to contact hours, you need to earn 30 within 2 years. These are all electives, so there are no specific subjects required. It’s an excellent opportunity to enhance your knowledge and skills in areas most relevant to you.
New Hampshire APRN Continuing Education Requirements
Advanced Practice Registered Nurses’ requirements are more extensive than what RNs and LPNs need to fulfill before their license renewal.
Like in most states, APRNs need to carry active RN licenses. That said, you also need to complete the 30 contact hours, similar to Registered Nurses.
However, you have an additional 30-hour requirement focused on your area of specialization. Out of these hours, 5 must be on pharmacology.
Now, if you have an active DEA number, 3 out of the 5 pharmacology hours must cover the following topics:
- Prescribing opioids
- Pain management
- Substance abuse disorder
APRNs’ required practice hours are similar to RNs’ and LPNs’. That’s 400 hours within the 4 years right before your renewal. However, these must be in your field of specialization.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between a CNA and an LNA in New Hampshire?
There is no difference between these two. New Hampshire issues nurse aides licenses, so they’re referred to as Licensed Nursing Assistants (LNA). Other states call them CNAs (Certified Nursing Assistants) because they issue certificates.
What are nursing contact hours in New Hampshire?
The New Hampshire Board of Nursing defines contact hours as any educational activity that helps you develop your knowledge, judgment, and skills as a nurse. If you want more specifics, you can refer to the list below.
Participating in the following can count towards your required contact hours:
- Authoring a professionally published article or book on nursing
- Preparing and doing an initial delivery of a nursing paper
- Participating in a quality assessment or a study on risk management
You can find more information about possible activities for your contact hours on the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification’s website.
Is New Hampshire a compact state? What does that mean for nurses?
Yes, New Hampshire is a compact state. This means that it is one of several states included in the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC).
The NLC allows nurses to practice in other compact states without multiple licenses. You can apply for a multistate license that all states in the NLC honor.
If you are a practicing RN or LPN from another compact state, you do not have to apply for licensure in New Hampshire unless you declare it as your primary state of residence.
Conclusion
Nothing should keep you from fulfilling your renewal requirements now that you have all this information.
We hope our guide helps you keep things straight and allow you to determine how to approach your renewal strategically.
Whether you’re an LNA, an RN, an LPN, or an APRN in New Hampshire, you’re sure to find helpful information for your license renewal here.
Good luck!