Did you know that over 3 million registered nurses work in the United States and that this number is expected to steadily grow? These professionals can hold anything from a diploma to a master’s degree.
But while nurses have several educational paths to get started, education in the field doesn’t stop once hired. Not only do state nursing boards require continuing nursing education, but employers encourage it due to how it helps nurses, patients, and hospitals in general.
Read on to learn about five reasons why continuing education in nursing is so important.
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Table of Contents
You’ll Keep Your License Current
As long as you want to continue working as a nurse, you’ll need to meet your state’s requirements for nursing CEUs. Often, this means completing a number of course hours on a yearly or bi-yearly basis and submitting an application to renew your license. You can find online and in-person nursing continuing education classes that satisfy your state’s requirements.
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You Can Improve Patient Care
When you complete nursing continuing education, you can refresh your current skills and learn best practices to offer great patient care. Not only can this help you avoid being sued for malpractice, but your whole healthcare facility can become known as a place that looks after their patients well. Your patients will have a better chance of recovery and feel more comfortable during their visits.
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It Can Boost Your Confidence
Did you know that continuing education in nursing can also boost your confidence and mental health? When you take training to improve in your job duties, you’ll feel less stressed when dealing with patients and new issues. You might also find that your job satisfaction improves so that you stay with your employer longer.
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You Can Learn New Skills
Along with helping you improve what you know, taking continuing education classes can help you move into a specialized area of nursing or learn more about a special interest you have. For example, you can find classes about offering nursing care for children, cancer patients, and those with special needs. You can also find nursing management classes that prepare you to take on more administrative tasks.
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You Can Further Your Career and Salary
As you improve your skills and gain nursing experience, you can potentially get promoted to new roles like nurse practitioner or healthcare manager and boost your earnings. For example, you can enroll in a part-time online degree program that lets you get licensed as an advanced nurse practioner or earn your DNP online while still working. Your employer might see your drive and ambition and consider your for leadership roles over other nurses.
Seek Continuing Education in Nursing
As you can see, completing continuing education in nursing not only becomes essential for continuing to work as a nurse. It also plays a role in the level and quality of care you offer to patients and can help provide you with abundant opportunities in nursing in the future.
Consider checking your state’s requirements and talking with your employer about recommended topics to learn about. Know that you can find several continuing education options that fit your budget, needs, and lifestyle.
Would you like to read more about healthcare jobs? Then check out our other blog posts!
