Oregon Continuing Education Requirements for Registered Nurses

The health care industry is in constant transition as new technology and new treatments come online almost every day. In order to ensure that patients are receiving the very best in medical care, many states require nurses to take continuing education courses as a requirement to their maintaining a license to practice. Nursing is regulated on a state by state basis, so each state has its own rules. The state of Oregon does not mandate a certain number of continuing education hours or credits, but it does have some minimal requirements for nurses.

Pain Management Education

• The lone required area of continuing education that is mandated by the state of Oregon is pain management. Registered nurses and licensed practical nurses in Oregon must renew their license every two years, and they must take seven hours worth of continuing education courses in pain management within the first 24 months, or before their first license renewal. Six of the seven courses can be completed through one of the many independent suppliers of continuing education for nurses, but the focus of the classes taken must be pain management. Credits are available through taking online courses or by attending workshops, seminars and other in-person events.

Oregon Pain Management Commission

• One of the hours that is required specifically is the course provided by the Oregon Pain Management Commission. The commission was created in 1999 by the state legislature as it recognized the missed man-hours in the workplace due to chronic pain. This class gives general information about the resources available to help people deal with pain and focuses on the issues chronic pain presents to medical people and patients. The goal of the course is to train nurses in the creation of strategic plans for dealing with chronic pain and the financial and emotional impact it can have. The course is taken online.

Optional Continuing Education

• Although the state nursing commission does not require it, Oregon nurses are also encouraged to keep themselves educated by taking other continuing education courses and attending seminars on different subjects related to the developments in nursing and health care. Courses are available online as well and can be taken in areas such as critical care, emergency care, surgical nursing, occupational therapy and women's health. The state will not withhold a nurse's license for passing on these other continuing education opportunities, but the nurse's career path will certainly improve acquiring this additional knowledge.