Ala. Admin. Code r. 610-X-10-.02
Continuing Education General Standards
Effective Sep 1, 2022Effective March 22, 1991. Amended: August 29, 1994. Amended: May 24, 1996. Repealed and Replaced: Filed January 29, 2002; effective March 5, 2002. Amended: Effective November 1, 2004. Repealed and Replaced: Filed February 23, 2009; effective March 30, 2009. Amended: Filed January 25, 2011; effective March 1, 2011. Repealed and New Rule: Filed February 8, 2016; effective March 24, 2016. Amended: Filed May 18, 2018; effective July 2, 2018. Amended: Published November 29, 2019; effective January 13, 2020. Amended: Published June 30, 2021; effective August 14, 2021. Amended: Published July 29, 2022; effective September 1, 2022.Alabama Board of Nursing
- (1) Licensed nurses shall be individually accountable for continued competence to practice nursing.
- (2) The Board of Nursing may prescribe a refresher course for reentry into practice.
- (3) Individual requests to verify approval for a specific course or activity may be submitted to a Board-approved provider.
- (4) Licensed nurses shall meet continuing education requirements as stated in Rule 610-X-4-.08, Renewal of License.
- (5) Pharmacology continuing education hours are required for Certified Registered Nurse Practitioners (CRNP), Certified Nurse Midwives (CNM), Clinical Nurse Specialists, and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA), as stated in Rule 610-X-4-.08, Renewal of License.
- (6) The Board-provided continuing education related to statutory and administrative frameworks for nursing regulation, scope of practice, and standards of practice described in §610-X-4-.08 is required for each licensed nurse for the first license renewal period and may be viewed by any licensed nurse at any time. A licensed nurse may receive continuing education credit for completing any of the required courses once each renewal period.
- (7) Failure to comply with continuing education requirements may result in disciplinary action by the Board.
(8) Units of measure for continuing education shall be:
- (a) 1 contact hour = 50 minutes
- (b) 0.5 contact hour = 25 minutes
- (c) 15 contact hours = 1 academic semester credit hour
- (d) 10 contact hours = 1 academic quarter credit hour
- (e) 1 contact hour = 0.1 continuing education unit (CEU)
- (9) The Board may accept contact hours(s) earned from a continuing education provider that uses different units of measurement without conversion.
- (10) Continuing education classes and activities may not be repeated within the earning period for credit. A class may be audited (no credit awarded) as allowed by the continuing education provider.
- (11) Licensed nurses shall not enter any courses to their individual continuing education record from a Board-approved provider with an ABNP number.
(12) In the case of standard national courses approved by the national organization that established the standardized course, the maximum number of contact hours the Board shall recognize, unless a provider that is Board-approved or Board-recognized awards more, are as follows:
- (a) Basic Life Support (BLS): 1.75 hours
- (b) Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS): 8 hours
- (c) Pediatric Life Support (PALS): 8 hours
- (d) Trauma Nurse Core Curriculum (TNCC): 12 hours
- (e) Neonatal Resuscitation Provider (NRP): 11 hours
- (13) Serving as an appointed facility preceptor for students and/or new hire orientation may be recognized for 8 contact hours.
Author: Alabama Board of Nursing
Statutory Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§34-21-2, 34-21-23(f).
History: Effective March 22, 1991. Amended: August 29, 1994. Amended: May 24, 1996. Repealed and Replaced: Filed January 29, 2002; effective March 5, 2002. Amended: Effective November 1, 2004. Repealed and Replaced: Filed February 23, 2009; effective March 30, 2009. Amended: Filed January 25, 2011; effective March 1, 2011. Repealed and New Rule: Filed February 8, 2016; effective March 24, 2016. Amended: Filed May 18, 2018; effective July 2, 2018. Amended: Published November 29, 2019; effective January 13, 2020. Amended: Published June 30, 2021; effective August 14, 2021. Amended: Published July 29, 2022; effective September 1, 2022.