Continuing competency

Registered nurses in Washington state must meet practice and continuing education requirements each year. RNs and LPNs are required to have 96 hours of active practice and 8 hours of continuing education each year. An e-Notify registration and Nursys online survey is also required.

Laws and rules do not require continuing nursing education to have formal CNE contact hours, although CNE contact hours are acceptable to the Board of Nursing to meet the 8-hour continuing education requirement. Active practice hours can be paid, unpaid, or as a volunteer performing nursing care. More information on acceptable activities that meet continuing competency requirements can be found in this downloadable PDF:

Nurses are responsible for maintaining their own continuing competency records and may be audited if are formal complaint by the Board of Nursing.