The WV RN Board performs audits to verify registered nurse licensee compliance with continuing education requirements. You should obtain and keep CE certificates of completion for all continuing education activities. Beginning with 2024, your CE compliance will be electronically verified at the time of renewal if you have utilized CE Broker for your CE tracking. You should consider activating your West Virginia RN Board CE Broker Basic account to enter and track your compliance with West Virginia RN and APRN license Renewal Requirements as follows:
- Select Explore other plans.
- Select Get Basic to choose the Basic Account option
- Enter your RN license number (i.e., 12345) and get started. You will need to activate both your Basic Account for your RN license CE (i.e., 12345) and your APRN license (i.e., APRN12345)
CE Information for WV APRN Licensure (Applies to new and current CRNAs)
All WV APRNs must still renew their WV RN license, but the WV RN renewal fee will be waived. WV APRN licenses and RXA privileges depend on having an active WV RN license. Please be advised that while the CE you earn for your WV APRN license will satisfy the 12 hours of CE required for your WV RN license renewal, the CE cycles for each license are different. The WV APRN license and CE cycle is July 1 (odd year) to June 30 (odd year). After this year (2024), your WV RN license and CE cycle will be from July 1 (even year) to June 30 (even year). You must be sure that at least 12 hours of the CE you earn for your WV APRN license (odd years) be earned during the WV RN cycle (even years) as well.
What do you need to know about the continuing education requirements necessary for your APRN license renewal?
There are APRN specific CE requirements that you must meet to renew your APRN license. An APRN must complete 12 hours of pharmacotherapeutics (i.e., advanced pharmacology) and 12 hours of clinical management practice (i.e., advanced assessment, diagnoses, outcome identification, planning, intervention, and/or evaluation, etc.) two-year renewal cycle. For any CRNAs who have Limited Prescriptive Authority in WV, 8 of the 12 hours of CE in pharmacotherapeutics required for APRN licensure may also be used for Limited Prescriptive Authority renewal.
For any CRNA gaining WV APRN licensure for the first time who has not previously held a WV RN license, 3 contact hours of CE for drug diversion training, best-practice prescribing of controlled substances training and training on prescribing and administration of an opioid antagonist if the CRNA will prescribe, administer, or dispense controlled substances, must be completed within 1 year of receiving his or her initial license from the Board. This specific CE may be used to satisfy 3 of the 12 hours of pharmacotherapeutics CE required during the initial renewal period. After completing this initial 3 contact hours of CE for drug diversion, you will not be required to complete this specific type of CE for subsequent renewals.
The training may be in one (1) or more courses provided the brochure or agenda describes the content and the number of hours related to 12 hours of pharmacotherapeutics and 12 hours of clinical management. Similarly, if a certificate is provided, then be sure it indicates how many of the CE credits awarded were designated as pharmacotherapeutics and/or clinical management CE credits.
The WV RN Board has told the WVANA that they will accept CEs from nurse providers such as state/national nursing associations, national certification bodies and any state board of nursing in the US or its territories, if the target population includes advanced practice registered nurses.
The CEs you are already earning to maintain CRNA recertification can be used to meet these APRN CE requirements. However, they must meet the above criteria for content, be earned in the correct time frame, and be of the required hour amount.
*Risky scenario*: APRN license CE requirements begin within the license period starting with the first day of licensure. For instance, if you were licensed May 1 of an odd year, then it expires June 30 of that same year. The license renewal timeframe for this example would be May 1 of the odd year to June 30 OR approximately 60 days. Therefore, 12 hours of pharmacotherapeutics and 12 hours of clinical management practice CE must be completed during this time.
CE Information for WV RN Licensure
All registered nurses (RN) in West Virginia (WV) are required to complete Continuing Education (CE) to maintain state licensure. All WV RN licenses will expire this October 31, 2024, then it will expire on June 30th of each EVEN year. Twelve (12) hours of CE are required during each two-year renewal cycle. This includes a requirement of 3 contact hours of CE for drug diversion training, best-practice prescribing of controlled substances training and training on prescribing and administration of an opioid antagonist if the RN will prescribe, administer, or dispense controlled substances, within 1 year of receiving his or her initial license from the Board. After completing this initial 3 contact hours of CE for drug diversion, you will not be required to complete this specific type of CE for subsequent renewals.
West Virginia Board of Examiners for Registered Professional Nurses
The practice of WV CRNAs is regulated by the WV RN Board. Every CRNA in WV should be familiar with the state nurse practice act, along with the rules and regulations of the state WV RN Board. For more information visit the website of our WV RN Board.
