4723-14-03 Continuing education requirement for licensed nurses.

 

 

 

4723-14-03                  Continuing education requirement for licensed nurses.

 

 

 

(A)     A nurse applying to renew an active license to practice nursing in Ohio must complete twenty-four contact hours of continuing education during the renewal period, unless an exception applies, and at least one of the required hours needs to be in category A continuing education.

 

(1)    For the period immediately following licensure by examination, a nurse who holds an active license to practice nursing in Ohio is not required to complete any contact hours of continuing education for the first license renewal;

 

(2)    A nurse who has been licensed by endorsement in Ohio for one year or less must complete twelve contact hours of continuing education;

 

(3)   A nurse who has been licensed by endorsement in Ohio for more than one year must complete twenty-four contact hours of continuing education.

 

(B)   A licensed practical nurse who has an active license as a registered nurse in Ohio is not required to meet the continuing education requirement for renewal of the license to practice as a practical nurse.

 

(C)   A nurse from another jurisdiction who applies for licensure by endorsement in Ohio is not required to complete meet the two contact hours of category A continuing education requirement in order to be licensed eligible for licensure.

 

(D)   In order to renew, applicants must attest to completion of the continuing education required by this rule on the application for renewal. The board may require a renewal applicant to show proof of completion of continuing education. If the board requests proof of continuing education and the applicant fails to provide proof to the board before the end of the renewal period, the license shall lapse.

 

(E)   To reactivate an inactive license or to reinstate a lapsed license, the applicant must complete twenty-four contact hours of continuing education during the twenty-four month period immediately before the application date.

 

(1)   If the license of a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse has been inactive or lapsed in Ohio less than two years, or the applicant holds a current, valid license in another jurisdiction, the continuing education shall be twenty-four contact hours of continuing education that includes one hour of category A.

 

(2)   If the license of a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse has been inactive or lapsed in Ohio for two years or more, and the applicant does not hold a current, valid license in another jurisdiction, the continuing education must

 

 

consist of twenty-four contact hours. The twenty-four contact hours must include all of the following:

(a)    Two contact hours of category A with learning objectives that address scopes of practice for registered and licensed practical nurses, standards of safe practice, and nursing delegation;

(b)   Six contact hours with learning objectives that address application of the nursing process and critical thinking, clinical reasoning, or nursing judgment related to patient care;

(c)    Six contact hours in pharmacology with learning objectives that include drug classifications, medication errors, and patient safety;

(d)   Two contact hours that include learning objectives related to clinical or organizational ethical principles in health care; and

(e)    Eight contact hours that include learning objectives related to an area relevant to the nurse's practice.

(F)    A nurse who requests that a license to practice be placed on inactive status is not required to meet the continuing education requirement for the period during which the license is on inactive status. To return to active status, the nurse must meet the continuing education requirements in paragraph (E) of this rule and provide proof to the board that those requirements were met.

(G)    A nurse may use a waiver to satisfy the continuing education requirement for one renewal period only if the nurse notifies the board in writing requesting the waiver. Once a nurse notifies the board of the intent to use the waiver, the board will not accept a withdrawal of the request.

(H)     A nurse cannot use the waiver to satisfy the requirements of rule 4723-8-10, 4723-9-07 or 4723-14-07 of the Administrative Code, or to meet the requirements for reactivating or reinstating a license.

(I) A nurse who earns more than the number of hours required by this chapter during a single renewal period cannot apply the extra hours to meet future renewal period continuing education requirements.

Effective:	02/01/2014
R.C. 119.032 review dates:	10/15/2017
CERTIFIED ELECTRONICALLY
Certification
01/21/2014
Date
Promulgated Under:	119.03
Statutory Authority:	4723.07
Rule Amplifies:	4723.24
Prior Effective Dates:	04/01/1998, 02/01/2000, 02/01/2001, 02/01/2002,
	02/01/2003, 02/01/2004, 02/01/2007, 02/01/2008,
	02/01/2013