The purpose of this course is to prepare nurses to practice within the parameters of the Florida Nurse Practice Act.
CEUFast, Inc. is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation. ANCC Provider number #P0274.
The purpose of this course is to prepare nurses to practice within the parameters of the Florida Nurse Practice Act.
At the conclusion of this course, the learner will be able to:
All forms, information, and the Florida Administrative Code included in this course are located at the Florida Board of Nursing (FBN) website.
A Nursing license can be obtained by examination, endorsement, and compact act. Graduates of International nursing programs or nursing programs in jurisdictions that are not members of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) have additional requirements for licensure.
APRN
A Nurse currently licensed in Florida may upgrade their licenses to include multi-state practice by submitting a Multi-State License Upgrade Application, Form DH-MQA 5024, obtained here or from the Board office or on the Florida Board of Nursing website.
Dispensing is defined as selling medicinal drugs. Practitioners who write prescriptions and provide samples are not dispensing.
APRNs who prescribe medication must register with the Board of Nursing by submitting a completed Dispensing Application for Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN), form number DH-MQA 1185, 10/18. That form is available here or from FBN or FBN website (FAC, 2020).
The APRN dispensing practitioner must comply with all state and federal laws and regulations applicable to all dispensing practitioners under Section 465.0276. FS Compliance includes using the FAC 64B9-4.016 Controlled Substances Formulary and FAC 64B9-4.017 Standards for the Prescribing of Controlled Substances for the Treatment of Acute Pain (FAC, 2020).
The Florida Department of Health Division Medical Quality Assurance (MQA) is responsible for license renewal for nursing professionals. Nurses licensed in Florida must renew every two years, either with an online or by mail option. Renewal reminders are mailed out to holders of a Florida license, so keep the state Board of Nursing appraised of any address change. The postcard, which comes approximately six weeks prior to the renewal date, will be a reminder of the website for online renewals and the address and fees due for those who prefer to utilize mail.
The MQA renewal website requires a password and user ID issued at the time of original licensure. If you have misplaced your documents, simply follow the help links present on the website. Remember that important documentation should be retained as a health professional, and not much trumps license paperwork in importance.
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If the required continuing education has been met, proof of licensure will be posted promptly on the state verification website or within one to two weeks of receiving your mailed renewal.
During the two-year license renewal cycle, 24 contact hours are required. The courses on ceufast.com meet all the FBN requirements.
Every two-year renewal cycle, the following courses are mandatory (FAC, 2020).
The following continuing education courses are mandatory, and they count towards the total 24 contact hours required for renewal:
A two-hour course in recognizing impairment in the workplace is required every other renewal cycle (FAC, 2020). A two-hour course in domestic violence every third renewal cycle. The domestic violence course does not count in the 24-hour renewal requirement. The nurse will complete 26 contact hours (FAC, 2020).
Continuing education is not required for the first renewal cycle after license by examination. This exemption applies to a person licensed by endorsement during a renewal period if that person was licensed in the original state of licensure by completing an acceptable licensure examination during that biennium (FAC, 2020).
A licensee who was endorsed, reactivated, or reinstated in the middle of a renewal cycle must complete one contact hour for each calendar month remaining in the renewal period. No contact hours are required if the renewal period is equal to or less than six months (FAC, 2020).
An RN who also holds a current license as an LPN may satisfy the continuing education requirement for renewal of both licenses by completing the RN requirements.
An RN who holds an APRN license may satisfy the continuing education requirement for both licenses by completing appropriate continuing education for an RN or may satisfy up to 50% of the continuing education requirement by completing continuing medical education coursework equivalent to the contact hours required (FAC, 2020).
A nurse who is the spouse of a member of the Armed Forces absent from Florida due to the spouse's duties with the Armed Forces shall be exempt from continuing education requirements. The licensee must prove the absence and the spouse's military status (FAC, 2020).
If you serve as an expert witness and probable cause panel member, additional requirements are outlined in 64B9-5.007 (FAC, 2020).
The Florida Department of Health employs an online verification system to confirm the completion of continuing education at the time of renewal. This tracking system checks its records when you renew, and if the required course work is present, the renewal process is allowed to continue. If the requisite hours or specified training are not present, you will be prompted to report completions through the state-contracted CE Broker online service before being allowed to continue your license renewal. A nurse can check their progress toward the completion of contact hours here.
CEUfast.com automatically reports your contact hours to CE Broker the day you complete the course. Some CE providers do not report completed contact hours to CE Broker. It will be up to you to be on top of items that you need to enter by hand into the electronic verification system. Each license holder can report completed hours by logging here.
Documentation that is poor, filled with errors, or appears falsified comprises some of the most frequent complaints filed against a nurse's license. In Florida, the Board of Nursing and the Department of Health take such matters very seriously.
The Florida Department of Education details in its curriculum structure the need for nursing programs to emphasize demonstrating procedures for accurate documentation and record-keeping in nurses' training.
Accurate documentation of care is necessary to meet quality patient care's legal and ethical aspects. Clear, accurate, and succinct charting journals the course of care and provides the foundation for shared information about client and disease management.
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If an RN or ARNP in private practice dies or leaves the practice, additional document maintenance requirements are noted in 64B9-11.001.
Delegation can be a difficult concept with multiple nuances. RNs can delegate. LPNs can supervise or assign, but they cannot delegate. APRNs must delegate tasks just as other RNs would. APRNs may not delegate as physicians do. Training is not the same as delegating. Your responsibility to a trainee ends when his or her training is complete.
In the delegation process, the delegator must use nursing judgment to consider the suitability of the task or activity to be delegated.
The RN or licensed practical nurse shall not delegate (FAC, 2020).:
A CNA can provide care and assist clients with the following tasks.
CNAs will work with knowledge and awareness of a client's rights and developmental level. A CNA shall not perform any task which requires specialized nursing knowledge, judgment, or skills.
A CNA may receive additional training beyond that required for initial certification, and upon validation of competence in the skill, an RN may perform such skills as authorized by the facility.
A CNA shall not work independently without the supervision of an RN or a licensed practical nurse.
Aspects of intravenous therapy that are outside the scope of practice of the LPN unless under the direct supervision of the RN or physician include the following (FAC, 2020).:
FBN has the authority by law to investigate nurses having the appearance of violating practice standards or those against whom allegations have been made. FBN is also authorized to implement disciplinary action.
There are several options that the Board of Nursing might take depending on the results of an individual appraisal process and discipline hearing.
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Another option available in Florida for nurses struggling with impairment is the Intervention Project for Nurses (IPN).
IPN is a free resource for nurses licensed in Florida and provides referrals to Board approved addiction, mental health, or other treatment providers. The staff at IPN assists nurses, working alongside them with ongoing support, and should a disciplinary action already be present, goes with the nurse to hearings confirming that they are engaged in the recovery process.
Unprofessional conduct includes (FAC, 2020).:
The state of Florida needs nurses and is an excellent place to work. Clear, consistent standards describe nursing duties, education, and expectations. Whether seeking a license to practice nursing by exemption or examination, those considering making Florida their home can find a worthwhile career choice as a nurse in the sunshine state.
CEUFast, Inc. is committed to furthering diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). While reflecting on this course content, CEUFast, Inc. would like you to consider your individual perspective and question your own biases. Remember, implicit bias is a form of bias that impacts our practice as healthcare professionals. Implicit bias occurs when we have automatic prejudices, judgments, and/or a general attitude towards a person or a group of people based on associated stereotypes we have formed over time. These automatic thoughts occur without our conscious knowledge and without our intentional desire to discriminate. The concern with implicit bias is that this can impact our actions and decisions with our workplace leadership, colleagues, and even our patients. While it is our universal goal to treat everyone equally, our implicit biases can influence our interactions, assessments, communication, prioritization, and decision-making concerning patients, which can ultimately adversely impact health outcomes. It is important to keep this in mind in order to intentionally work to self-identify our own risk areas where our implicit biases might influence our behaviors. Together, we can cease perpetuating stereotypes and remind each other to remain mindful to help avoid reacting according to biases that are contrary to our conscious beliefs and values.