CE requirements must be completed during the renewal period immediately preceding the license expiration date. In many states, newly licensed nurses are exempt from CE requirements for the first renewal period. Following initial license renewal, the nurse must meet CE requirements according to state requirements in which the nurse practices.
CE hours may not be “saved” and applied to future renewal periods. This is why contact hours must be taken within the two-year period, dated correctly and by an approved CE provider. It is important to take courses from a company to provides this number on their site.
Another possible situation would be if a nurse in a state with biennial licensure renewal is required to renew by December 31 2019, then CE requirements must be completed between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2019.
