Out of State Programs Continuing education programs completed outside of Texas or used to fulfill CE requirements for other states may be accepted for CE credit in Texas. Obtaining 20 hours within your advanced specialty area will satisfy the requirements to renew both your RN license and APN authorization. In addition to the 20 contact hours of continuing education in the advanced specialty, if the Advanced Practice Nurse has Limited Prescriptive Authority, the APN has to complete at least five contact hours of continuing education in pharmacotherapeutics within the preceding two years. I contact hours. Where to Find CE Offerings You may contact local colleges, universities, nursing schools or large hospitals to find out about their schedule of offerings and to be placed on their mailing list.
Many nursing journals contain a schedule of offerings.
Your professional nursing association is another resource. If you are not practicing professional nursing, you may place your license on inactive status when you are mailed your license renewal notice. Continuing education is not required as long as you are inactive. Should you wish to reactivate and you have been inactive for less than four years, you must show proof of completion of 20 hours of continuing education within the two years prior to your request for reactivation. If you have been inactive for more than four years, and have not been practicing as a Registered Nurse in another state, in addition to the CE hours, you will be required to complete a nursing refresher or extensive orientation course.