The Florida Board of Nurses is no longer measuring Continuing Education credits in terms of units, but rather Contact Hours (CE). According to the new rules:
A contact hour = 60 minutes of nursing continuing education content of an appropriate subject matter that meets the professional educational needs of the nurse needed to meet the health care needs of his or her patients.
Below is a list of current Continuing Education requirements for nurse re-licensure in Florida:
1. All Florida licensed RNs are now in a 24-month renewal cycle and must complete 25 continuing education contact hours with providers approved by the Florida BON during this cycle period.
2. Mandatory CE Contact Hours are still in effect and must be in the following areas:
- Two (2) Contact Hours of Medical Error Prevention is required every 24 month cycle for licensure renewal.
- One (1) Contact Hour of HIV/AIDS is required on the initial licensure. After that, there is no longer a requirement.
- One (1) Contact Hour of Domestic Violence is required upon the first renewal and then after every six years.
Below is a list of appropriate subject areas for continuing professional education content:
- Nursing practice areas and special health care problems.
- Biological, physical, behavioral and social sciences.
- Legal aspects of health care.
- Management/administration of health care personnel and patient care.
- Teaching/learning process of health care personnel and patients.
- Subjects at an accredited education institution that are taken and are advanced beyond that completed for original licensure.
- Personal development subject matter must include application of content as it relates to improved patient care.
For additional information on requirements of Nursing Continuing Education in Florida, please consult the Florida Board of Nursing and the Nurse Practice Act (PDF).
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[Source: Lael Jones. Florida Nurse, Jun2008, Vol. 56 Issue 2, p21]