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Weekly Q&A: Does TX-state mandated education alter requirements for CE?

HCPro's Weekly Update on the ANCC Magnet Recognition Program®*, June 14, 2005

This week, a reader asks whether state-mandated educational requirements in Texas change ANCC Magnet Recognition Program® application requirements for continuing education. Read the response below from one of our advisors, Cole Edmonson, MS, RN, CHE, CNAA,BC, associate administrator, patient care services, Medical City Dallas Hospital and Medical City Children's, Dallas, TX.

Q: Texas is a state that has mandatory education requirements for licensure. Does this fact change what we must report with regard to the continuing education information that the Magnet Recognition Program requires?

A: The short answer is no, it does not change what you must report in your application. However, your application should indicate

• that your state has a required number of continuing education credits that a nurse must achieve in order to renew licensure
• how your facility assures compliance with the state law

An example of compliance could be documentation that your CNO delegates license verification to human resources (e.g., a license verification policy). The link between continuing education and the license verification process is that the board of nurse examiners does not renew licenses without an audit process in place to monitor individual staff nurses' compliance with continuing education requirements.

Designated facilities strive to go above the minimum standards set by state law for continuing education of the professional nurse, so you should demonstrate your facility's plan to help nursing not only meet the minimum standard, but go above the standard to increase the continuing education hours that they pursue. Continuing education is the vehicle to drive competency and ultimately patient outcomes.To document this commitment in your application, provide the continuing education opportunities that your facility provides onsite, or illustrate programs that support offsite education of nurses, or both.

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