Are You Ready for Your LVN License Renewal? Advice for a Quick & Painless Renewal Process

• The LVN license renewal process can be overwhelming, especially if you’re going through the process for the first time. 
• Learn how to prepare for the LVN license renewal process, including what documents to have and how long to retain them. 
• Nursing CE Central provides required courses that many nurses need for their LVN license renewal. 

Going through nursing license renewal can be overwhelming, especially if you’re a new nurse navigating the process for the first time. Adding to the confusion, there are varying requirements for different nurse credentials.  

I remember going through this process for the first time, and I want to share some advice that has helped me to ensure a quick and painless process. I will break the information into easy to digest sections, and I hope to make you feel less overwhelmed about the renewal process.  

CE Broker for LVN License Renewal

CE Broker is the official continuing education tracking system for more than 2 million licensed professionals nationwide. 

Nursing boards across the United States use CE Broker to track nursing continuing education completion and ensure each licensed nurse is completing the required continuing education for license renewal in accordance with their state. 

Each nurse registers with the website and has their own login information where they can upload continuing education documents. These documents are easily accessible whenever needed.

LVN License Renewal Practice Hours

The number of practice hours you need for license renewal depends on where you live and practice, as well as the type of licensure you hold. As a Licensed Practical Nurse in my state, I need at least 400 practice hours per four years. This is a small number and is easy to achieve, even if you are only working as a PRN nurse. 

Make sure you’re familiar with your state’s requirements and keep track of your practice hours. I have a journal I use specifically for recording practice hours. You’ll want to hold onto this documentation in the event of an audit so you can show you’re in accordance with the law to practice nursing in your state. 

Organizing Nurse Renewal Documents

Organization is a huge part of what makes the license renewal process quick and painless. If you put the extra effort and time into organizing your continuing education documents and practice hours records, it will streamline each renewal process. 

It will also save you a headache in the event you are audited. The thought of being audited may sound like a pain, but knowing you have all the required documentation to prove your case will make the process less stressful. Plan to save all continuing education documents and practice hours documentation for a minimum of two renewal cycles. 

Deciding on the best organization methods largely depends on your personality and lifestyle and what works best for you. As mentioned above, I prefer to keep a record of practice hours in a journal specifically for that purpose. For continuing education certificates or other documentation pertaining to continuing education, I have designated file folders. If you do this, make sure you are organizing them by the year the continuing education was completed to streamline the process.  

Lastly, as discussed above, CE Broker is another way nursing continuing education can be tracked and organized. I would rather be over-prepared than under-prepared, so I use all these practices together to ensure the best organization. 

Saving for Continuing Education and Renewal Fees

In addition to practice hour requirements, you must complete a certain number of continuing education hours for each renewal period. Just as with practice hours, the number of credit hours depends on the type of licensure you hold. LPNs in my state must complete 12 hours of continuing education for every two years of practice. 

Lastly, along with practice hours and continuing education, there are associated state renewal fees. The higher the nursing license, the more expensive the renewal fee. As a Licensed Practical Nurse in my state, I pay around $130 each time I renew my license. CE courses and renewal fees can get expensive quickly and if you are on a tight budget, you may find that regularly putting money aside for continuing education and license renewal is helpful. This way, you are not scrambling to afford your renewal at the last minute.  

Nursing CE Central

Nursing CE Central (NCC) is an accredited provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation (ANCC P0614).

If you’re close to your nursing license renewal and find yourself in need of contact hours, NCC is a great tool to use to ensure you have the continuing education you need. I have taken several courses, including Alzheimer’s Nursing Care, Differentiating Cognitive Aging and Dementia, and End of Life Care for Geriatric Patients.  

My specialty area is long-term care, so I found these courses helpful to my nursing practice. NCC is user-friendly and the material is a breeze to read through. As I was completing the continuing education courses, I found myself thoroughly enjoying them, instead of rushing through just to finish. NCC has a large library of courses, and you are sure to find ones that suit your CE needs and interests. 

The Bottom Line

Renewing your nursing license can be overwhelming, especially if you are completing the renewal for the first time. The requirements and associated fees can easily stress you out. Rest assured, there are countless resources available to ensure you meet your state licensing board’s renewal requirements. Putting a few of the organization tips I mentioned above into place will make the renewal process more efficient. 

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