Florida Nursing CEU Requirements

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  Florida nursing professionals must meet continuing education units (CEU) requirements by taking in-service training on a regular basis, usually every two years, but in some cases every year. The regularity depends on the nursing degree or certification held and whether the individual or their spouse was on active duty in the armed forces for six months or more of the time period in question. Exemption from the in-service requirements may be granted if the nurse's credentials were in good standing when the military service began, and as long as it was active-duty service, not summer or weekend drills.

Certified Nursing Assistants

• Florida CEU requirements for certified nursing assistants is 12 hours of in-service training each year, with training in the following subjects every two years: CPR skills, communication with cognitively-impaired clients, domestic violence, HIV/AIDS infection control, legal medical records required by law, medical error prevention and safety, and rights of residents. This list of subjects is not exclusive, but all CNAs must have continuing education credits in at least those areas at least every other year.

RNs and LPNS

• Florida CEU requirements for registered nurses and licensed practical nurses are on 24-month cycles, with license renewals every two years and one hour of CE credit required for each month, for a total of 24 hours. Each two-year, 24-hour cycle must include a 2-hour CEU on prevention of medical errors.

  Prior to a RN or LPN's first renewal, a one-time, one-hour CEU must be completed on HIV/AIDS.

  Every third renewal, Florida RNs and LPNs must take the Domestic Violence course in addition to the required 24 hours of CEUs.

  A registered nurse in Florida who is also certified as an Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP) may take CEU credits appropriate for an RN or may include 50 percent in continuing medical education coursework.

CEU Providers

• Providers for Florida nursing CEU requirements must be approved by the Florida Board of Psychology of the Florida Department of Health. The board does not approve individual programs; rather, it approves providers and courses through CE Broker, the automated compliance determination system. A list of approved continuing education courses and providers for Florida CNAs, LPN and RNs is available on CE Broker's website.