Continuing Education Regulations per the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing
The Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing mandates that each Registered Nurse licensed in the state
complete 30 hours of continuing education hours every two years prior to renewal of licensure.
The professional nurse is responsible for maintaining documentation to support his/her license to
practice and retain documentation of completed continuing education for at least 5 years. Failure
to complete a minimum of 30 hours of continuing education in a biennial period will subject the
professional nurse to immediate discipline. No 6 month grace period will be provided any longer.
Acceptable sources of documentation:
A certificate of attendance provided by the continuing education program or course provider
The official transcript issued by the educational institution for academic courses taken from
an accredited college or university
A copy of the published item, including date of publication, for publication of a textbook or
article
A copy of the research abstract, letter from the institutional review board granting approval
for the research project and list of primary and co-investigators for a research project
Evidence that a School nurse’s certification by the Department of Education is current
Acceptable providers of education activities:
Activities sponsored by accredited hospitals and health care facilities
Activities sponsored by national nursing, medical, osteopathic and other health care
professional organizations and their state and regional affiliates
Activities approved by National nursing, risk management, health care quality and patient
safety organizations.
National pharmaceutical organizations and their state and local affiliates
National nursing specialty organizations
Board approved professional Nursing, CRNP, CRNA, CNS or Nurse Midwifery educational
programs
Activities approved by a Board in another jurisdiction
Activities sponsored by a regionally-accredited institution of higher education
Activities sponsored by Federal and state agencies.
Board may approve other sources of CE on a case by case basis
Acceptable content:
An offering by one of the approved sources listed above and that does not fall into the category
below as unacceptable content.
Continuing education must be relevant to patient care or professional nursing in a general or
specialty area and enhance the knowledge and application of the physical, social, biological
and behavioral sciences.
Courses in areas related to nursing such as (not inclusive):
o Human sexuality.
o Death, dying and grief.
o Foreign language relevant to health care.
o Therapeutic interpersonal relationship skills.
