Published: Nov 17, 2025 | Last Verified Against State Boards: Nov 17, 2025
As a registered nurse with over 15 years on the floor, I know “the scramble” all too well. It’s that time in your renewal cycle when you suddenly realize you need 30 contact hours of nursing continuing education, and you need them now.
In my early career, I was the queen of “checking the box.” I’d find the cheapest, fastest nursing continuing education classes online, click through the slides while watching TV, and get my certificate. I was compliant, but was I learning? Absolutely not.
It took me a few years (and one very tough certification exam) to realize that I was wasting the single best opportunity I had. My state board was requiring me to invest in my own education, and I was treating it like a chore.
The truth is, the nursing continuing education classes you choose are a powerful tool. They’re how you stay relevant, protect your license, and build a real career path. This is my practical, no-nonsense guide—from one veteran nurse to another—on how to stop checking boxes and start choosing the right classes.
What Makes a Good Nursing CE Class (vs. a Waste of Time)
We’ve all taken the “bad” classes. They’re usually a 10-year-old PowerPoint presentation with a monotone narrator, full of information you already know. A “good” class is the opposite. It should be an investment, not just a cost.
Here’s my non-negotiable checklist for any nursing CE class I consider:
- Is it ANCC-Accredited? This is the only thing that matters for compliance. The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) is the gold standard. If a provider is ANCC-accredited, you can be 99.9% sure your state board will accept the hours. If you can’t find that accreditation statement, don’t risk it.
- Is it Taught by a Real Expert? Who is teaching this class? Is it a certified expert in the field (like a WOCN teaching wound care or an oncology nursing specialist teaching a chemo class)? Or is it a generic content writer? I want to learn from a nurse who has actually been there.
- Is it Relevant to My Actual Practice? This is the most important part. Stop taking random classes just to get hours. Be selfish with your education. If you work in the ICU, you need classes on advanced hemodynamics or vent management, not a basic refresher on bed baths.
- Is the Format Engaging? Is it an interactive video? A live webinar where you can ask questions? Or is it just a PDF you have to read? Our brains learn best when we’re engaged. If the format is lazy, the content probably is too.
Beyond Compliance: Using Continuing Education for Your Career
This is the secret that took me 10 years to learn. Your continuing education requirement isn’t a burden; it’s a budget. Your state is giving you permission to spend time and money on your own professional development. Don’t waste that budget on fluff.
This is how you turn a job into a career.
- Get a Certification: This is the #1 way to advance. Want to get your PCCN, CCRN, or wound care certification? Stop taking random classes. Use your CNE time and money on certification reviews and prep classes. You’re knocking out your requirements and preparing for a major career move at the same time.
- Build a Specialty: Use your classes to become the “go-to” person on your floor. Take every class you can find on palliative care, oncology nursing, or diabetes management. You’ll become an invaluable resource, which is the first step toward a certified specialty or a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) role.
- Prepare for an Advanced Role: Are you thinking about management? Or maybe going back for your APRN? Start taking classes on leadership, conflict resolution, or nursing education. This is how you “try on” a new career path before committing to a full program.
When you align your classes with your goals, they stop being a chore and start being a strategy.
A Practical Strategy for Every Licensed Nurse
Your learning plan should change as your career does. The classes that are right for a new-grad RN are different from those for a 20-year-veteran APRN.
- For the LPN/LVN (LPN nursing): Your classes should be focused on solidifying your clinical skills and meeting your specific state requirements. Look for classes on pharmacology, focused assessments, and managing chronic conditions.
- For the Registered Nurse (RN): This is your time to explore. Use your continuing education to find your passion. Take a mix of classes that satisfy your mandatory topics (like ethics) and classes that push you into a new specialty. This is the perfect time to start on certification reviews.
- For the Advanced Practice Nurse (APRN): Your APRN nursing requirements are more stringent. You must find classes that offer pharmacology hours and are specific to your advanced practice. Your education needs to reflect your higher level of responsibility.
Here’s a simple, 4-step process for every renewal cycle:
- Check Your State Requirements: Go directly to your board of nursing website. What are the exact requirements? How many hours? Any mandatory topics?
- Set One Goal: What is your one career goal for this cycle? (e.g., “Get my CVRN,” “Learn to be a preceptor,” or just “Get it done with relevant classes.”)
- Find Your Classes: Based on that goal, find one high-quality provider or conference that can meet it.
- Track Everything: Save every certificate in one folder on your computer. Make a simple spreadsheet. Be audit-proof.
Find Your State Board Requirements
Don’t guess. Find your state’s official nursing continuing education requirements right now.
[FORM-LIKE SECTION]
FIND YOUR STATE BOARD REQUIREMENTS
- Select Your Profession:
- [ ] Registered Nurse (RN)
- [ ] Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse (LPN/LVN)
- [ ] Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN)
- Select Your State:
- [Dropdown Menu of all 50 States]
- [Button: “TAKE ME TO MY STATE BOARD”]
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is continuing education in nursing?
- Nursing continuing education (often called CNE) is a requirement for all licensed nurses (LPNs, RNs, and APRNs) to maintain their licenses. It consists of formal classes, workshops, and other learning activities that keep nurses up-to-date on the latest clinical practices, research, ethics, and education standards to ensure they remain competent and safe.
- What are the types of continuing nursing education?
- It comes in many forms! The most common are online classes (both live webinars and self-paced modules), in-person conferences or seminars, and skills workshops. Even academic classes taken at a university for a BSN or MSN can often count. As long as the class is from an ANCC-accredited provider, it usually qualifies.
- What are nursing continuing education credits called?
- This is a common point of confusion. You’ll hear “CEUs” and “contact hours.” They are not the same. One (1.0) CEU = ten (10) contact hours. Most nursing boards set their requirements in contact hours. For example, a 30-hour requirement means 30 contact hours, not 30 CEUs.
- What is needed to renew an RN license in Oregon?
- State requirements change, so you must check the official Oregon State Board of Nursing However, as of my last check, Oregon has a unique requirement where nurses must complete a one-time, 7-credit pain management course and a 1-credit cultural competency class, in addition to other continuing practice requirements. Always verify this directly with the board.
