Tennessee Continuing Education Requirements

Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses Continued Competency:
Maintain evidence of two items from the following list: 

1. Copy of a satisfactory employer evaluation
2. Letter from a peer providing a satisfactory evaluation of your nursing performance
3. Letter from a patient or family member giving evidence of a satisfactory nurse/patient relationship
4. Copy of a contract of renewal or re-appointment to a nursing position
5. Written self-evaluation based on the standards of competence listed in the rules
6. Evidence of current national certification
7. A document that identifies two nursing goals and how you met these goals
8. A letter from the agency where you volunteered as a nurse  
9. Documentation from a school of nursing stating that you participated in the education of nursing students (RNs only)
10. Certificate/evidence of five contact hours of continuing education (for RNs/LPNs who are not practicing, ten contact hours will fulfill the competency requirement)
11. Copy of a published article relevant to nursing written by the licensee  
12. Letter of satisfactory completion of a nursing refresher course
13. Letter of satisfactory completion of a comprehensive nursing orientation program
14. Official transcript (may be student issued) demonstrating two hours of nursing credit
15. Evidence of successfully retaken NCLEX 

APRN With Certificate of Fitness (CF) 

1. Current national certification (NOT state license; example: from ANCC, AANP, NBCRNA)
2. ONE item from the Registered Nurse proof of competence below (in addition to national certification)
3. TWO contact hours of continuing education designed specifically to address controlled substance prescribing practices including the Tennessee Chronic Pain Guidelines  http://tn.gov/health/article/nursing-coedu
4. Copy of current Collaborative Request/APRN Supervisory Request (formerly Notice and Formulary) if prescribing  https://lars.tn.gov/datamart/mainMenu.do  

1. Current national certification (NOT state license; example: from ANCC, AANP, NBCRNA) 2. ONE item from the Registered Nurse proof of competence below (in addition to national certification) 

1. Copy of a satisfactory employer evaluation
2. Letter from a peer providing a satisfactory evaluation of your nursing performance
3. Letter from a patient or family member giving evidence of a satisfactory nurse/patient relationship
4. Copy of a contract of renewal or re-appointment to a nursing position
5. Written self-evaluation based on the standards of competence listed in the rules
6. Evidence of current national certification
7. A document that identifies two nursing goals and how you met these goals
8. A letter from the agency where you volunteered as a nurse  
9. Documentation from a school of nursing stating that you participated in the education of nursing students (RNs only)
10. Certificate/evidence of five contact hours of continuing education  (for RNs/LPNs who are not practicing, ten contact hours will fulfill the competency requirement)
11.  Copy of a published article relevant to nursing written by the licensee  
12. Letter of satisfactory completion of a nursing refresher course
13. Letter of satisfactory completion of a comprehensive nursing orientation program
14. Official transcript (may be student issued) demonstrating two hours of nursing credit
15. Evidence of successfully retaken NCLEX 

• Controlled Substances: A Prescriber Guide
• Prescribing Controlled Substances and Drug Diversion, Best Practices

Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses Continued Competency:
Maintain evidence of two items from the following list: 

1. Copy of a satisfactory employer evaluation
2. Letter from a peer providing a satisfactory evaluation of your nursing performance
3. Letter from a patient or family member giving evidence of a satisfactory nurse/patient relationship
4. Copy of a contract of renewal or re-appointment to a nursing position
5. Written self-evaluation based on the standards of competence listed in the rules
6. Evidence of current national certification
7. A document that identifies two nursing goals and how you met these goals
8. A letter from the agency where you volunteered as a nurse  
9. Documentation from a school of nursing stating that you participated in the education of nursing students (RNs only)
10. Certificate/evidence of five contact hours of continuing education (for RNs/LPNs who are not practicing, ten contact hours will fulfill the competency requirement)
11. Copy of a published article relevant to nursing written by the licensee  
12. Letter of satisfactory completion of a nursing refresher course
13. Letter of satisfactory completion of a comprehensive nursing orientation program
14. Official transcript (may be student issued) demonstrating two hours of nursing credit
15. Evidence of successfully retaken NCLEX 

The due date for licensure renewal is the last day of the month in which a licensee’s birthday falls. Occupational Therapist in Tennessee are required to complete twenty-four (24) continued competence credits for the two (2) calendar years (January 1 - December 31) that precede the licensure renewal year.

The due date for licensure renewal is the last day of the month in which a licensee’s birthday falls. Occupational Therapy Assistants in Tennessee are required to complete twenty-four (24) continued competence credits for the two (2) calendar years (January 1 - December 31) that precede the licensure renewal year.

1. Each respiratory therapist who holds a Tennessee license must get 12 hours of CE every calendar year. The previous requirement was 10 hours.
2. At least 5 of the 12 hours must pertain to the clinical practice of respiratory care or to research related to the cardio-pulmonary system.
3. At least 1 of the 12 hours must pertain to “patient safety” (as that term is defined by the Joint Commission).
4. At least 1 of the 12 hours must be a course focused on the professional or ethical standards required of respiratory therapists.
5. The remaining 5 hours may pertain to other topics, such as education or management.