WSNA’s best-kept secret: Continuing Nursing Education
WSNA’s Continuing Nursing Education (CNE) Program seems to be the best-kept secret among our members!
January 19, 2023 • 5 minutes to read
This story was published in the Winter 2023 issue of The Washington Nurse.
WSNA’s Continuing Nursing Education (CNE) Program seems to be the best-kept secret among our members!
Our FREE, on-demand, CNE modules are mobile-compatible (for iPhone and Android) and cover topics our members care about, such as workplace violence, protecting nurses from aerosol transmissible diseases, and cultural humility. There are currently 11 CNE modules available for a total of 9.5 credit hours. Modules are continually being added and updated to ensure the content is current, relevant, and meaningful for our members.
Simply go to wsna.org/cne. To sign in, go to the upper right. If you don’t have an account, you can create one. (We strongly recommend using your home email address instead of your work address.)
Click on the course you want and simply enroll. The course shows on your personalized dashboard for easy viewing later. You can stop and restart where you left off at any time. The course must be 100% complete for you to access your certificate. Certificates are available for printing at the course’s completion or via your account settings (located on the top right section of the web page). Each course also has a list of references and resources at the bottom, including a printable one-pager of relevant information. You can reprint both the certificates and course materials any time you need, even after you complete the course.
While Washington nurses must complete at least eight hours of continuing education per year, those hours do not need to specifically be CNE. However, CNE hours generally count toward that requirement. And nurses who are seeking to obtain or renew national certification must complete required hours of CNE.
Below is a list and short description of each of our modules. Happy learning!
Cultural Humility
0.75 contact hours
Provides an overview of cultural humility and its interrelatedness to concepts like social determinants of health, health disparities, cultural competency, implicit biases, and privilege. A great companion course to Implicit Bias.
Implicit Bias
1.0 contact hours
This course explores how implicit bias pervades the clinical arena and can adversely impact patient care. The three “Rs”— restate, remove, and reflect — are used to help learners strengthen their ability to discuss race, combat implicit bias, and align professional values with decision making. An excellent companion course to Cultural Humility.
Legislative 101
1.0 contact hours
This course provides a comprehensive overview of how state and federal governments function, how bills become law, and the role of the registered nurse in political advocacy efforts. A great introduction to effective nurse advocacy!
Meal, Rest Breaks, and Overtime Protections
0.5 contact hours
State legislation passed in 2019 expanded and strengthened break and overtime protections for healthcare workers. The course provides an overview of the law and its impact on healthcare workers.
Nurse Practice and ARNPs
1.0 contact hours
Provides history on the formation and evolvement of the ARNP role in Washington state and regulatory requirements to maintain licensure. This course is for anyone curious about the four advanced practice nursing roles, and the ways in which advanced practice nurses have influenced care in Washington state.
Protecting Nurses from Aerosol Transmissible Diseases
1.0 contact hours
This course provides foundational knowledge for the nurse caring for patients with aerosol-transmissible diseases, often referred to as “Airborne Precautions.” Topics include proper use of PPE, respiratory hygiene, planning, and environmental controls. COVID-19-specific information is available on the printable one-pager.
Radiation Exposure Awareness for Nurses
1.0 contact hours
This course reviews important information on radiation exposure and exposure prevention for registered nurses. At the end of the module, learners will be able to identify at least one action to reduce personal/community exposure to radiation.
Service Animals
0.5 contact hours
This module gives guidance on the rights and responsibilities of individuals with disabilities accompanied by service animals in healthcare facilities. Topics include the definition of a service animal, the provider’s role in assisting an individual with a service animal, and regulatory and legal requirements.
Telehealth Assessment for Providers
1.25 contact hours
Telehealth care has grown substantially in the pandemic. This course explores what telehealth is, legal and regulatory requirements in providing telehealth care, and evidence-based practices for providing successful, comprehensive telehealth care. (Note: this course does NOT meet Washington State telemedicine training requirements.)
Workplace Violence: An Ounce of Prevention
0.75 contact hours
This course provides tips and techniques for personal safety and workplace violence prevention in the professional practice environment. A great companion course to Workplace Violence Prevention: Washington Requirements.
Workplace Violence Prevention: Washington Requirements
0.75 contact hours
In 2019, the Washington State Legislature passed an updated workplace violence prevention bill, which strengthened protections for healthcare workers, including workplace-violence-prevention training, incident reporting, safety plans, and updated language defining workplace violence to include verbal and physical threats of violence. Know your rights to stay safe!