Nurse Education License State Ceus Continuing Education Courses Classes
Using a CEU broker, available in most states, can help you track your credits and learn which ones your state requires for you. As you take classes or courses which offer CEU's, be sure to copy the certificates and store the originals in a safe place. These valuable documents are not only required for your license renewal, but can also be added to your curriculum vitae, or resum.
Take advantage of any classes or courses offered by your employer. Many institutions offer courses on-line, and often, free for employees. When selecting courses, think outside the box. A course that may have nothing to do with your job, or your nursing license, may actually enhance your career, and open new doors for you. You might consider, for example, taking a class in Spanish for Nurses, or a business, computer or legal nurse practitioner course. Classes in alternative medicine also complement nursing careers.
Join a professional organization, subscribe to a nursing journal, or consider becoming certified in a nursing specialty. Be careful about becoming locked into a specific group or journal. After receiving a magazine for years, complacency and familiarity can set in, and you might begin to read it less thoroughly. Change subscriptions every couple of years. Or, exchange magazines with another nurse.
Learn from others. For the past six years, a group of homecare nurses has met weekly for lunch. Their mealtime conversations might shock eavesdroppers, but the nurses value these opportunities to discuss their jobs and learn from each other.
Seek out a nurse in your department who might act as a mentor. You don't need to have a formal mentoring relationship, but look for someone whom you admire and who has the knowledge and experience to answer your questions and give solid advice.
Go to conferences and workshops. A day or two away from the usual routine is always refreshing, and you might actually learn something new. Promise to bring the information back to your unit and your employer might even pay your registration for the workshop.
Keeping your nurse education up-to-date is more than a license requirement. It is a necessity in today's environment when nurses must be well-informed, keep current, and expand their horizons in an ever-changing medical world.
