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Content Specific Continuing Education (CE) Courses

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Content Specific Courses

What are the content specific CE courses? When, where and how often must they be completed?

One Time and Annual Content Specific CE Courses

Effective January 13, 2022 Pursuant to 201 KAR 20:215 Continuing competency requirements all RNs, LPNs, and APRNs must complete the following contact hours in Suicide Prevention and Implicit ​​Bias.

Suicide Prevention

  • A minimum of 2 contact hours in suicide prevention which includes:
    • 1 contact hour in suicide prevention generally; and
    • 1 contact hour that addresses:
      • Chronic toxic stress and secondary traumatic stress potentially increasing the incidence of suicide amongst nurses;
      • A confidential and standardized pathway to care for nurses that addresses screening, assessing, safety planning, referrals, and follow-up for nurses at risk for suicide;
      • Systems of care, evidence-informed approaches, and best practices to reduce suicide rates; and
      • Ethical legal considerations for caring for patients and nurses who are suicidal.

Implicit Bias

  • A minimum of 1.5 contact hours in implicit bias that addresses:
    • The impact of historical racism and other forms of invidious discrimination on the provision of healthcare;
    • Methods of evaluating the presence and extent of implicit bias; and
    • Measures that may be taken to reduce implicit bias.

Nurses who hold an active license on July 1, 2022 must complete the hours by July 1, 2023.

Nurses who obtain a license by examination, endorsement, or reinstatement after July 1, 2022 must complete these hours within 3 years of licensure.

These are one-time requirements and will not need to be repeated. RNs and LPNs may apply these contact hours to their annual CE requirements for the earning period in which they are completed. APRNs will not be able to apply these hours to their annual CE requirements, as they do not include pharmacology content.

Additional information on continuing education requirements is found at https://kbn.ky.gov/Education/Pages/Continuing-Education-Competency.aspx.

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In December of 2011, Kentucky programs of nursing including pediatric abusive head trauma shaken baby syndrome as part of their curriculum.  This course is 1.5 contact hours and may be applied to the continuing education required for the earning period in which it is completed.

  • Who must complete this course?
    • Nurses who graduated from a nursing program outside of Kentucky; and
    • Nurses who graduated from a Kentucky program of nursing prior to December of 2011
  • When must it be completed? Within the first 3 years of licensure
  • How often must it be completed? Only once.

You will find a list of KBN approved providers who offer Kentucky Pediatric Abusive Head Trauma on the following page: Oracle Pediatric Abusive Head Trauma CE provider list.

You can find information on free course offerings through TRAIN for Pediatric Abusive Head Trauma​

Domestic Violence CE Course

KRS 194A.540 mandates domestic violence training requirements for several licensed and certified professionals including nurses licensed under KRS 314.

Amendments of 201 KAR 20:215, 201 KAR 20:220, & 201 KAR 20:320, effective January 13, 2022, are in alignment with statutory requirements for completion of a 3 contact hour course on domestic violence.

In May of 1998, Kentucky programs of nursing began including domestic violence in their curriculum.

​This course is 3 contact hours and may be applied to the continuing education required for the earning period in which it is completed.

  • Who must complete this course
    • Nurses educated at a nursing program outside of Kentucky, and
    • Nurses who graduated from a Kentucky program of nursing prior to May of 1998.
  • When must it be completed? - Within the first 3 years of licensure.
  • How often must it be completed? Only once.

Here is a list of KBN approved providers who offer domestic violence continuing education.

You can find information on free course offerings on domestic violence through TR​AIN.

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You can find information regarding Infusion Therapy by an LPN in the document library, before an LPN may perform infusion therapy. The course provides education required by 201 KAR 20:490 in the document library. An amendment to the regulation requires programs of nursing for LPNs to begin including the material in the curriculum for students admitted after September 15, 2019. This course may be applied to the continuing education required for the earning period in which it is completed.

  • Who must complete the continuing education course?
    • Nurses educated at a nursing program outside of Kentucky; and
    • Nurses who were admitted to a Kentucky program of nursing prior to September 15, 2019.
  • When must it be completed?
    • Prior to performing infusion therapy
  • How often must it be completed?
    • Once.

On the following page, you will also find a list of KBN approved providers who offer Infusion Therapy Courses.


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Completion of at least 5 contact hours are required every earning period. Forensic medicine or domestic violence continuing education courses will meet this requirement. These hours may apply to the total number of hours required for the earning period.

  • Who must complete this requirement?  All nurses who hold a SANE credential.
  • When must it be completed?  During the earning period for renewal, November 1 through October 31.

On the following page, you will find a list of KBN approved providers who offer SANE CE courses and Online Resources for SANE CE Courses.


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  • All APRNs are required to complete at least 5 contact hours in pharmacology every earning period.
  • APRNs Advanced Practice Registered Nurses with a CAPA-CS are required to complete at least 1.5 of contact hours in the dual subjects of pharmacology and either pain management, or addiction disorders, every earning period.**  

APRNs with a DEA-X Registration (Drug Enforcement Agency Registration Waiver) permitting the prescription of Buprenorphine and Buprenorphine/Naloxone to patients suffering from withdrawal symptoms must complete a total of 4 contact hours in the dual subject of addiction disorders, including at least 1.5 CE contact hours in addiction disorder pharmacology, every earning period. 

​201 KAR 20:215 effective January 13, 2022, CE in the use of KASPER will no longer be accepted. This will be in effect beginning with the November 1, 2021 – October 31, 2022 earning period.

You will find additional information related to continuing education requirements for licensure renewal on the following page. KBN CE/Competency.


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Document Library

All KBN documents and forms can now be found in our Document Library.

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