Running head: CONTINUING EDUCATION 1

Continuing Education 

Nurses have a mandatory continuing education requirement which is needed to renew

their license. Completing the mandatory continuing education requirement assures the

government that nurses remain up to date in their practice. Continuing education allows nurses to

maintain expertise during their career in a non-degree seeking way (Black, 2017, p.81).

According to Eslamian, Moeini, & Soleiamni, (2015), “Continuing education lead to

improvement of nurses’ attitudes, skills, and knowledge and, consequently, promote nurses’

function and care plan in the society” (p. 378). Mandatory continuing education provides

opportunities and obstacles for nurses. Advantages for nurses of continuing education include

individually driven, variety of options, and lifelong learning. Whereas nursing disadvantages of

continuing education include time consuming, having a deadline, and out of pocket spending.

Completing mandatory continuing education is individually driven by nurses meaning

they can choose how, when, and what they are going to do to meet their mandatory continuing

education hours. This is beneficial to nurses since they have individual schedules and

responsibilities. It also gives the chance for nurses to complete mandatory continuing education

hours at their own pace and time. Another advantage of continuing education is that there are

various options on how to receive credit hours including workshops, institutes, conferences,

short courses, evening courses, and instructional modules offered in professional journals and by

professional organizations online (Black, 2017, p. 81). “Seminars, workshops, and conferences

provide a chance for constant professional development and empowerment” (Eslamian et al.,

2015). Although continuing education is mandatory it provides nurses to achieve lifelong

learning which is beneficial to their individual nursing practice and for the care of their patients.
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Although continuing education is individualized there is a deadline which can be stressful

and difficult to meet for nurses. Since it is not the employer's responsibility for their nurses to

complete continuing education hours, nurses must find time outside of work to complete them.

This takes away nurses valued time from their family, friends, and school. Another disadvantage

to continuing education is that it can cost money for nurses. For example, subscribing to

professional organizations like the American Association of Critical Care Nurses costs money,

but is needed since they provide accepted continuing education opportunities. A payment is also

required to access some accepted continuing education journals, articles, webinars, and

conferences. 

In conclusion, there are advantages and disadvantages to mandatory continuing education

for nurses. Benefits of continuing education for nurses include individually driven, variety of

options, and lifelong learning. Whereas nursing disadvantages of mandatory continuing

education include difficulty meeting deadlines, time consuming, and out of pocket spending.

Although there are disadvantages to mandatory continuing education it is beneficial for nurses,

but are there other ways that they can prove they are competent in their practice? 
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References

Black, B. (2017). Professional Nursing Concepts and Challenges. Missouri: Elsevier.

Eslamian, J., Moeini, M., & Soleimani, M. (2015). Challenges in nursing continuing education: 

A qualitative study. Iranian journal of nursing and midwifery research, 20(3), 378–386