Why don't rns have to have continuing ed. to renew their licenses?

Question

Just wondered why rns don't have to get continuing ed. to renew their licenses. Live in IN. I work with a lady who states that she is an RN, but as soon as she graduated she took a job in the factory we work in. She never held a job as an RN. She's been working for 7 years and never did anything with her license except renew it every other year. States that she keeps it to be able to get a job if our factory ever shuts down. Wouldn't she forget some of the processes and procedures she learned after all that time if she never did anything or got any continuing ed? I can't imagine a health facility hiring her without making her take some kind of update ed. Can someone enlighten me on this.

Answer 1

She will have to take some sort of refresher class after having been away from patient care for that long. And even after that she will have to work along side another RN for a while since she's never done any patient care. These classes aren't easy either, the State Nursing Boards make sure of that. And RNs that are practicing DO have to do continuing eds, a certain amount a year but it varies from state to state. It just makes things easier when you keep your license up to date.

Answer 2

This is not entirely true. It is State Law that anyone in the medical field complete 8 hours of continuing education every year to renew their license. Even Drs! Although, there is no specification as to what those hours have to cover. Having said that, yes, you could have a nurse who has packaged meat for the past 7 years with only CE hours focused on practice management. Dangerous huh?!

Answer 3

Just because she holds a license doesn't mean she'll be able to get a job; my sister, who is also an RN (BSN from a well-known nursing school) is going through this right now. She did some nursing, then took time off to have her children and raise them. Now, she's going back to work, but starting out "small" - in a practice with 5 doctors. She eventually hopes to work in a particular field for which she'll have to take specific training; before she does that, she anticipates going from the doctor's office to floor nursing to relearn old skills, and to learn new ones.

Answer 4

RNs must complete 8 classroom hours to initiate a license renewal every year.

Answer 5

well it is a state thing, in some state like Florida they have to CEs to maintain the license and other states to maintain the license you have to work at least some hours in a time period. it is a state law. so if your saying it right then there may not any CEs. question do they get paid more at the factory. I know Nurses make a nice amount.

Answer 6

I think anybody who would hire an RN who hasn't had any current training would be asking for trouble, just think of the lawsuits that would come from that. I don't have any hard knowledge about this, but common sense tells me that she is either 'pulling your leg' or just doesn't know what she's talking about. In any case, I wouldn't rely on that person if I were feeling ill.