Texas Continuing Education Requirements

RNs and LVNs shall earn twenty (20) contact hours of continuing education every two years for licensure renewal.

For each licensure renewal, Board Rule 216.3 requires every nurse to:

• Complete twenty (20) contact hours of continuing nursing education (CNE) in the nurse’s area of practice within the licensing period OR
• Demonstrate the achievement, maintenance, or renewal of a Board-approved national nursing certification in the nurse’s area of practice within the licensing period and meet the applicable targeted continuing education requirements.

Licensees are required to complete “targeted continuing education” that applies to each licensee based on level of licensure and/or area of practice:

• Nursing Jurisprudence and Nursing Ethics. All nurses must complete at least Two (2) contact hours of CNE relating to nursing jurisprudence and nursing ethics before the end of every third two-year licensing period (applicable to licensing periods that began on or after January 1, 2014).
  • The CNE course(s) must contain information related to:
    • Texas Nursing Practice Act
    • Board's rules (including §217.11, Standards of Nursing Practice)
    • Board's position statements
    • Principles of nursing ethics
    • Professional boundaries
  • Contact hours completed for this requirement do count towards completion of the twenty (20) contact hours of CNE required for all nurses.
• Forensic Evidence Collection. Any nurse who is employed in an emergency room (ER) setting, including any nurse who could float to an ER or have shifts scheduled in an ER, as well as any nurse employed under contractual, temporary, per diem, agency, traveling, or another employment relationship whose duties include working in an ER must complete at least two (2) contact hours of CNE relevant to forensic evidence collection and age- or population-specific nursing interventions that may be required by other laws and/or are necessary in order to assure evidence collection that meets requirements under the Government Code §420.031 regarding use of an Attorney General-approved evidence collection kit and protocol. This is a one-time requirement. (Maintain record of course completion indefinitely, even if you change employment.)
  • Contact hours completed for this requirement do count towards completion of the twenty (20) contact hours of CNE required for all nurses.
• Older Adult or Geriatric Care. Any nurse whose practice includes the older adult or geriatric population is required to complete at least two (2) contact hours in every licensing cycle. The content must include information relating to:
  • Elder abuse
  • Age-related memory changes
  • Disease processes, including chronic conditions, end-of-life issues, health maintenance
  • Health promotion
  • Contact hours completed for this requirement do count towards completion of the twenty (20) contact hours of CNE required for all nurses.
• Human Trafficking Prevention. Any nurse who provides direct patient care must complete a human trafficking prevention course that is approved by the Executive Director of Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) that covers identifying and assisting victims of human trafficking before the end of every licensing period.

National certification or completion of 20 contact hours of CNE relevant to the nurse’s “area of practice.” “Area of practice” is defined as including any activity, assignment, or task performed by the nurse that utilizes nursing knowledge, judgment, or skills.

Pharmacotherapeutics. Any APRN who holds prescriptive authority must complete at least 5 additional contact hours of continuing education in pharmacotherapeutics before the end of every licensing period.
These hours are in addition to the 20 contact hours required for all nurses. (APRNs with prescriptive authority who don't prescribe controlled substances need to complete a total of 25 contact hours of continuing education each licensing period.) Certification may not be used to fulfill this requirement. Category I CNE may be used to fulfill this requirement.

Prescription of Controlled Substances. Any APRN who holds prescriptive authority and prescribes controlled substances must complete at least 4 additional contact hours of continuing education related to prescribing controlled substances before the end of every licensing period. These hours are in addition to the 20 contact hours required for all nurses and the 5 contact hours in pharmacotherapeutics required for APRNs with prescriptive authority. (APRNs with prescriptive authority who prescribe controlled substances need to complete a total of 28 contact hours of continuing education each licensing period.) Certification may not be used to fulfill this requirement. Category I CNE may be used to fulfill this requirement.

Tick Borne Disease. Any APRN whose practice includes the treatment of tick-borne diseases is encouraged to participate in continuing education relating to the treatment of tick-borne diseases. The continuing education course(s) should contain information relevant to treatment of the disease within the APRN's role and population focus area of licensure and may represent a spectrum of relevant medical clinical treatment relating to tick-borne disease. Contact hours completed for this requirement do count towards completion of the 20 contact hours of CNE required for all nurses. Certification may not be used to fulfill this requirement. 

Nursing Jurisprudence and Nursing Ethics. All nurses must complete at least 2 contact hours of CNE relating to nursing jurisprudence and nursing ethics before the end of every third two-year licensing period 

Older Adult or Geriatric Care. Any nurse whose practice includes older adult or geriatric populations is required to complete at least 2 contact hours of CNE relating to older adult or geriatric populations before the end of every licensing period

Forensic Evidence Collection. Any nurse who is employed in an emergency room (ER) setting, including any nurse who could float to an ER or have shifts scheduled in an ER, as well as any nurse employed under contractual, temporary, per diem, agency, traveling, or another employment relationship whose duties include working in an ER must complete at least 2 contact hours of CNE relevant to forensic evidence collection and age- or population-specific nursing interventions that may be required by other laws and/or are necessary in order to assure evidence collection that meets requirements under the Government Code §420.031 regarding use of an Attorney General-approved evidence collection kit and protocol.  

Human Trafficking Prevention. Any nurse who provides direct patient care must complete a human trafficking prevention course that is approved by the Executive Director of Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) that covers identifying and assisting victims of human trafficking before the end of every licensing period (applicable to licensure renewals on or after September 1, 2020).

RNs and LVNs shall earn twenty (20) contact hours of continuing education every two years for licensure renewal.

For each licensure renewal, Board Rule 216.3 requires every nurse to:

• Complete twenty (20) contact hours of continuing nursing education (CNE) in the nurse’s area of practice within the licensing period OR
• Demonstrate the achievement, maintenance, or renewal of a Board-approved national nursing certification in the nurse’s area of practice within the licensing period and meet the applicable targeted continuing education requirements.

Licensees are required to complete “targeted continuing education” that applies to each licensee based on level of licensure and/or area of practice:

• Nursing Jurisprudence and Nursing Ethics. All nurses must complete at least Two (2) contact hours of CNE relating to nursing jurisprudence and nursing ethics before the end of every third two-year licensing period (applicable to licensing periods that began on or after January 1, 2014).
  • The CNE course(s) must contain information related to:
    • Texas Nursing Practice Act
    • Board's rules (including §217.11, Standards of Nursing Practice)
    • Board's position statements
    • Principles of nursing ethics
    • Professional boundaries
  • Contact hours completed for this requirement do count towards completion of the twenty (20) contact hours of CNE required for all nurses.
• Forensic Evidence Collection. Any nurse who is employed in an emergency room (ER) setting, including any nurse who could float to an ER or have shifts scheduled in an ER, as well as any nurse employed under contractual, temporary, per diem, agency, traveling, or another employment relationship whose duties include working in an ER must complete at least two (2) contact hours of CNE relevant to forensic evidence collection and age- or population-specific nursing interventions that may be required by other laws and/or are necessary in order to assure evidence collection that meets requirements under the Government Code §420.031 regarding use of an Attorney General-approved evidence collection kit and protocol. This is a one-time requirement. (Maintain record of course completion indefinitely, even if you change employment.)
  • Contact hours completed for this requirement do count towards completion of the twenty (20) contact hours of CNE required for all nurses.
• Older Adult or Geriatric Care. Any nurse whose practice includes the older adult or geriatric population is required to complete at least two (2) contact hours in every licensing cycle. The content must include information relating to:
  • Elder abuse
  • Age-related memory changes
  • Disease processes, including chronic conditions, end-of-life issues, health maintenance
  • Health promotion
  • Contact hours completed for this requirement do count towards completion of the twenty (20) contact hours of CNE required for all nurses.
• Human Trafficking Prevention. Any nurse who provides direct patient care must complete a human trafficking prevention course that is approved by the Executive Director of Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) that covers identifying and assisting victims of human trafficking before the end of every licensing period.

Nurse Aides shall earn twenty-four (24) hours of in-service education every two years for licensure renewal.

• As part of the total twenty-four (24) hours, training shall include geriatrics and care of residents with dementia disorder, including Alzheimer’s disease.
• Nurse Aides may complete computer-based In-Service Training to renew biannual licensure.

HHSC published Provider Letter 2023-14 Web-based Licensure System for Nurse Aides and Medication Aides (PDF). This PL announces that effective July 5, 2023, nurse aides, medication aides, NATCEPs, and providers will complete all licensing applications in TULIP, and provides important dates and information related to TULIP’s benefits and features, as well as instructions for making a successful transition to the TULIP Online Licensure Application System.

While medical assistants are not required to be licensed or certified by the State of Texas, many employers require or prefer certification from a national or private association.