Vermont Continuing Education Requirements

RNs shall meet the following every two years for licensure renewal:

• Active practice hour requirement:
  • 50 days (400 hours) in the last two years for paid compensation as a licensed practical nurse OR
  • 120 days (960 hours) within the last five years of the current licensing period; OR  
• Completed 20 hours of continuing education (CE) within the last two years.
• Hold a nationally recognized nursing certification.

(a) To renew a nursing assistant license the nursing assistant shall document a minimum of 50 days (400 hours) in the last two years of paid compensation as a licensed nursing assistant. (1) Eight hours are equivalent to one day of nursing assistant practice. (2) Only time acquired while the LNA license is active will be accepted toward the active practice requirement. (b) Applicants may be required to provide a job description or other evidence that they have been engaged in active LNA practice, or a similar role that reasonably reinforces the training and skills required of a nurse assistant. Documentation must be certified as true by your employer(s).
No continuing education is required for renewal. Please check with your facility/employer to ensure your continuing education courses are accepted. 

Vermont APRNs shall complete the following every two years:

• Maintain current CPR and Neonatal Resuscitation Protocol (NRP) certifications
• Earn 20 continuing education credits
• Participate in the peer review process with other licensed midwives
• File a timely certificate of birth for each birth they attend

No more than ten hours will be credited in a single subject area towards the 20-hour biennial continuing education requirement. No more than five hours will be granted for informal study or self-study of midwifery or scientific journals, audio- or videotaped presentations, or preceptorships.

Effective with the passage in Act 173 (2016), Sec. 9, Office of Professional Regulation (OPR) licensees with a registration number from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), or who have a pending application for a DEA number, or who dispense controlled substances shall complete at least two (2) hours of continuing education as a condition of license renewal, on the topics of:

• the abuse and diversion, safe use, and appropriate storage and disposal of controlled substances;
• the appropriate use of the Vermont Prescription Monitoring System;
• risk assessment for abuse or addiction;
• pharmacological and nonpharmacological alternatives to opioids for managing pain;
• medication tapering and cessation of the use of controlled substances; and,
• relevant State and federal laws and regulations concerning the prescription of opioid controlled substance.

Additional information can be located here.

LPNs shall meet the following every two years for licensure renewal:

• Active practice hour requirement:
  • 50 days (400 hours) in the last two years for paid compensation as a licensed practical nurse OR
  • 120 days (960 hours) within the last five years of the current licensing period; OR  
• Completed 20 hours of continuing education (CE) within the last two years.
• Hold a nationally recognized nursing certification.

Vermont is unique in that it has no specific laws regulating medical assistants.