New Jersey Board of Nursing Continuing Education Requirements
30 hours of CE credits during the two-year period preceding renewal is needed to maintain licensure. Thus, if you plan to renew a license in January 2015, you should complete 30 hours of CE credits between December 2013 and January 31, 2015.
Retirement and inactive nursing license
If you retire, but plan to maintain an active nursing license, it’s important that you complete all the required continuing education (“CE”) credits. However, if you plan to not return to nursing practice, you can always place your license in inactive status. There is no need of completing CE courses with an inactive license but you will have to go through the entire reactivation process to return to an active license status.
You need to complete all the required CE credits to maintain an active nursing license in New Jersey, even if you do not practice nursing here. You can place your license in an inactive status if you don’t practice here wherein you need not complete CE courses. However you will have to go through the entire reactivation process to return to active license status.
If your license was inactive for five or more years, and you want to reactivate your license you need to provide proof of completing both a nursing refresher course with a clinical component and the National Council Licensure Examination (“NCLEX”).
Online continuing education courses
A credential agency which is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies or provided by entities certified by the International Association for Continuing Education Training (“IACET”) approves all continuing education courses related to nursing. For more information on the types of courses the Board accepts, visit N.J.A.C on the Board’s website under the Laws and Regulations link.
It’s not necessary to personally attend CE classes. You can obtain and complete your credits by successfully completing online courses. Just remember to download and retain all completion certificates.
Continuing education courses completed through your employer will be accepted by the Board if the courses carry credit-hour designations. This means a credit hour for each 60 minutes of attendance where the employer provides you with a successful completion certificate. Once you receive your CE certificates, it is recommended by the Board that you retain them for a minimum of five years.
Additional CE credits
If required, the Board may request copies of your continuing education certificates for various reasons. They may need it for a random CE audit or while performing a disciplinary investigation. However if you do not satisfy your CE requirements, the Board may impose sanctions by public order.
In case you complete more CE credits than required during the renewal period, you can carry over a maximum of 15 additional continuing education credits into the next renewal period.