All RN licenses expire October 31 of each year.

The West Virginia Board of Nursing will not accept courses approved for less than 1.0 contact hour.

New Requirement – RNs must initially complete 2 contact hours of continuing education in mental health conditions common to veterans and family members of veterans to include screening for conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, risk of suicide, depression and grief, and prevention of suicide. This requirement must be completed by October 31, 2015 and may be counted as part of the current 12-hour annual CE requirement.

After the first two-hour course, RNs must complete two hours of continuing education in in mental health conditions common to veterans and family members as part of the current 12-hour annual CE requirement and must be completed on or before October 31 of each year.

Course Specific Requirement – RNs must initially complete 3 contact hours of continuing education in drug diversion training and best practice prescribing of controlled substances. This requirement must be completed by October 31, 2015 and may be counted as part of the current 12-hour annual CE requirement.

After the first three-hour course, RNs must complete one hour of continuing education in drug diversion training and best practice prescribing of controlled substances as part of the current 12-hour annual CE requirement. Completion of the 12 contact hours of CE required annually for RN relicensure may be accomplished by:

1) Completing 12 contact hours of CE from an approved CE provider; OR

2) Completing 6 contact hours of CE from an approved CE provider which may include 2 contact hours of self-study and one of the following completed during the reporting period:

A. National certification initially earned or in effect the entire reporting period;

B. Completion of a nursing research project as principal investigator, co-investigator or project director;

C. Published a nursing related article in a national nursing or healthcare journal;

D. Participated as a clinical preceptor for at least one student or one new employee undergoing orientation and have one hundred-twenty hours of one-on-one relationship as a clinical preceptor during the reporting period;

E. Completion of an approved nursing refresher or re-entry course.

For more information visit the West Virginia State Board of Examiners for Registered Professional Nurses.