What is the difference between the Clinical Category and the Other Category listed on the log sheet?
Clinical Category CE’s would be any educational offerings that help you directly with patient care, such as: Teaching Diabetic Patients or Pathophysiology. The Other Category would be any educational offerings that would be related to the emergency care system or the professional practice of nursing, such as: Legal Aspects of Nursing or Medical Ethics.
Can I renew by CE’s even though I renewed by CE’s last time?
Yes, that procedure has changed beginning of 2002 and you may recertify by CE’s each time provided you do not let your certification expire.
How do I keep track of my CE’s?
Each time you take a course or in-service you should receive a certificate with the number of contact hours given for the lecture or presentation. You should keep the certificates or cards they provide when you complete the session. This will be handy when your recertification comes up and all that will be needed is to log each course down on the log sheet accordingly. The certificates/cards received for the four years certified should be kept and accessible if randomly audited.
What do I need to submit to recertify by CE’s?
You must submit the Air-RO application, appropriate payment, and the completed log sheet.
Do my CE’s have to be from an accredited nursing organization?
No, as long as the content is beneficial to nursing and is a minimum of 50 minutes.
What is the difference between CE’s, CEU’s, CECH’s, and CME’s?
These are specific contact hours given with different measurement and guidelines. Many organizations will use these terms for contact hours and will use them interchangeably. BCEN uses contact hours, which is the same as CE (Continuing Education). If you find an organization using CECH’s, CERP’s, CEARP’s, and CME’s they all equal the same as a contact hour. If an organization uses CEU’s it is not the same as contact hours. For every CEU it equals 10 contact hours.
If I teach courses can I use them for credit?
Yes, as long as each lecture/presentation is a minimum of 50 minutes. If you teach the same lecture each year you cannot use it more than once.
I helped author a book but it is not published yet, can I still use the contact hours for recertification?
No, you may only use published items for recertification.
What do I do if I’m audited?
You will receive a letter from BCEN stating you have 30 days to submit all documentation listed on the log sheet provided. We will need copies of all certificates showing the number of contact hours earned. If you do not have a certificate you must contact the organization that originally gave you the contact hours to provide a letter of attendance with the number of contact hours.
Can I use college courses for recertification?
Yes. There are specific formulas to find how many contact hours would be given for each course. The formulas are given by the type of credit hour system the college or university may have such as: semesters, quarters, or trimesters. For every semester credit it equals to 15 contact hours. For every quarter credit it equals 10 contact hours. For every trimester credit it equals 12 contact hours.
When should I submit my Air-RO by CE application?
It is preferable to submit the completed application 3 months prior to your CFRN expiration date.
My facility keeps track of my continuing education can I just submit the print-out as my log sheet?
Yes, as long as it provides the information requested on the log sheet that would be fine.
Can I fax my Air-RO by CE application to the office?
Yes, with a credit card payment.
