Nursing
Continuing Education
In the ever-changing arena of healthcare, nurses must be diligent in
their profession, and stay abreast of constantly changing technology,
research, and practice related issues. There are many nursing
continuing education courses available in a variety of topics pertinent
to the nurses' area of expertise or interests. Most states require a
number (which varies by state) of continuing education units (CEUs) to
be completed each license renewal period, usually every two years.
There are many websites devoted strictly to CEUs, as well as those
offered by various professional nursing organizations. Some nursing
continuing education providers offer free courses, some offer unlimited
CEUs for a flat fee per year, others base fees per course and number of
CEUs awarded. Topics range from general, such as pain management or
diabetes, to more specific, like intravascular catheter-related
infections. Many courses can be combined with travel to fun
destinations, with many discounts available for hotels, meals, and
possibly some attractions, especially if attending a conference in the
Las Vegas area.
There are many course offerings available throughout the year, and are
offered at various locations across the country. Nurses can join
professional nursing organizations, such as the Nurses Service
Organization or the American Nurses Association among others, and
receive regular subscriptions of nursing trade magazines with many CEU
offerings at a discount, as a membership benefit. These publications
also offer updates on care planning, new health concerns, such as the
Avian flu or bioterrorism, new treatment modalities, and present
research findings among many other topics.
A nurse is a professional that must be able to meet constant challenges
in a consistently expanding healthcare arena. In order to be able to
meet these demands, nursing continuing education should be a priority
for all nurses, so that the best level of care can be provided to
patients in a variety of healthcare settings. Holistic care is the core
of nursing, and patients depend on nurses to be well educated in their
field, and proficient in the performance of nursing skills pertinent to
their care. As a great majority of our population, the Baby Boomers,
age, they will seek healthcare in a new era, one filled with
technological advances allowing treatment modalities that have never
been available before. Many alternative treatments and therapies are
offered as well, which allows the healthcare consumer a vast array of
choices.
It is a nurse's responsibility to be well informed of this expanding
healthcare arena, which is why nursing continuing education is so very
important to the profession. Nurses provide the bulk of care to
patients; they educate, advocate, nurture, and have the ability to make
a difference in every patient's healthcare experience. Patients depend
on nurses and trust they will provide them with the best care. Aside
from being required for license renewal, the vast amount of nursing
continuing education opportunities available makes it a painless,
comfortable, interesting, and enjoyable way for nurses to expand their
knowledge and skill level, and know that they are making a difference
for their patients.
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