Virginia Continuing Education Requirements

A. To renew an active nursing license, a licensee shall complete at least one of the following learning activities or courses:

1. Current specialty certification by a national certifying organization, as defined in 18VAC90-19-10;
2. Completion of a minimum of three credit hours of post-licensure academic education relevant to nursing practice, offered by a regionally accredited college or university;
3. A board-approved refresher course in nursing;
4. Completion of nursing-related, evidence-based practice project or research study;
5. Completion of publication as the author or co-author during a renewal cycle;
6. Teaching or developing a nursing-related course resulting in no less than three semester hours of college credit, a 15-week course, or specialty certification;
7. Teaching or developing nursing-related continuing education courses for up to 30 contact hours;
8. Fifteen contact hours of workshops, seminars, conferences, or courses relevant to the practice of nursing and 640 hours of active practice as a nurse; or
9. Thirty contact hours of workshops, seminars, conferences, or courses relevant to the practice of nursing.

B. To meet requirements of subdivision A 8 or A 9 of this section, workshops, seminars, conferences, or courses shall be offered by a provider recognized or approved by one of the following:

1. American Nurses Credentialing Center American Nurses Association;
2. National Council of State Boards of Nursing;
3. Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) in any state in which the AHEC is a member of the National AHEC Organization;
4. Any state nurses association;
5. National League for Nursing;
6. National Association for Practical Nurse Education and Service;
7. National Federation of Licensed Practical Nurses;
8. A licensed health care facility, agency, or hospital;
9. A health care provider association;
10. Regionally or nationally accredited colleges or universities;
11. A state or federal government agency;
12. The American Heart Association, the American Health and Safety Institute, or the American Red Cross for courses in advanced resuscitation; or
13. The Virginia Board of Nursing or any state board of nursing.

C. Dual licensed persons.

1. Those persons dually licensed by this board as a registered nurse and a licensed practical nurse shall only meet one of the continued competency requirements as set forth in subsection A of this section.
2. Registered nurses who also hold an active license as a nurse practitioner shall only meet the requirements of 18VAC90-30-105 and, for those with prescriptive authority, 18VAC90-40-55.

D. A licensee is exempt from the continued competency requirement for the first renewal following initial licensure by examination or endorsement.

E. The board may grant an extension for good cause of up to one year for the completion of continuing competency requirements upon written request from the licensee 60 days prior to the renewal date. Such extension shall not relieve the licensee of the continuing competency requirement.

F. The board may grant an exemption for all or part of the continuing competency requirements due to circumstances beyond the control of the licensee such as temporary disability, mandatory military service, or officially declared disasters.

G. Continued competency activities or courses required by board order in a disciplinary proceeding shall not be counted as meeting the requirements for licensure renewal.

APRNs shall meet the following requirements every two years for license renewal:

• Hold a current professional certification in the area of specialty practice from one of the certifying agencies OR
• Complete at least 40 hours of continuing education in the area of specialty practice approved by on of the certifying agencies or approved by Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) of the American Medical Association as a Category 1 Continuing Medical Education (CME) course

A licensee with prescriptive authority shall meet the following requirements:

• Meet continuing competency requirements as a licensed nurse practitioner with requirements adressing issues such as ethical practice, an appropriate standard of care, patient safety, and appropriate communication with patients.
• Obtain a total of (8) eight hours of continuing education in pharmacology or pharmacotherapeutics in addition to the minimum requirements for compliance with subsection B of 18VAC90-30-105.

A. To renew an active nursing license, a licensee shall complete at least one of the following learning activities or courses:

1. Current specialty certification by a national certifying organization, as defined in 18VAC90-19-10;
2. Completion of a minimum of three credit hours of post-licensure academic education relevant to nursing practice, offered by a regionally accredited college or university;
3. A board-approved refresher course in nursing;
4. Completion of nursing-related, evidence-based practice project or research study;
5. Completion of publication as the author or co-author during a renewal cycle;
6. Teaching or developing a nursing-related course resulting in no less than three semester hours of college credit, a 15-week course, or specialty certification;
7. Teaching or developing nursing-related continuing education courses for up to 30 contact hours;
8. Fifteen contact hours of workshops, seminars, conferences, or courses relevant to the practice of nursing and 640 hours of active practice as a nurse; or
9. Thirty contact hours of workshops, seminars, conferences, or courses relevant to the practice of nursing.

B. To meet requirements of subdivision A 8 or A 9 of this section, workshops, seminars, conferences, or courses shall be offered by a provider recognized or approved by one of the following:

1. American Nurses Credentialing Center American Nurses Association;
2. National Council of State Boards of Nursing;
3. Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) in any state in which the AHEC is a member of the National AHEC Organization;
4. Any state nurses association;
5. National League for Nursing;
6. National Association for Practical Nurse Education and Service;
7. National Federation of Licensed Practical Nurses;
8. A licensed health care facility, agency, or hospital;
9. A health care provider association;
10. Regionally or nationally accredited colleges or universities;
11. A state or federal government agency;
12. The American Heart Association, the American Health and Safety Institute, or the American Red Cross for courses in advanced resuscitation; or
13. The Virginia Board of Nursing or any state board of nursing.

C. Dual licensed persons.

1. Those persons dually licensed by this board as a registered nurse and a licensed practical nurse shall only meet one of the continued competency requirements as set forth in subsection A of this section.
2. Registered nurses who also hold an active license as a nurse practitioner shall only meet the requirements of 18VAC90-30-105 and, for those with prescriptive authority, 18VAC90-40-55.

D. A licensee is exempt from the continued competency requirement for the first renewal following initial licensure by examination or endorsement.

E. The board may grant an extension for good cause of up to one year for the completion of continuing competency requirements upon written request from the licensee 60 days prior to the renewal date. Such extension shall not relieve the licensee of the continuing competency requirement.

F. The board may grant an exemption for all or part of the continuing competency requirements due to circumstances beyond the control of the licensee such as temporary disability, mandatory military service, or officially declared disasters.

G. Continued competency activities or courses required by board order in a disciplinary proceeding shall not be counted as meeting the requirements for licensure renewal.

You must have worked for pay during the last two years to be eligible for renewal. According to 18VAC90-25-80, "A certified nurse aide who has not performed nursing-related activities for compensation during the two years preceding the expiration date of the certification shall repeat and pass the nurse aide competency evaluation prior to applying for recertification."

No continuing education is required for renewal. Please check with your facility/employer to ensure your continuing education courses are accepted. 

Medical assistants in Virginia do not need to be licensed or certified to work in the state.