Nurses are the backbone of healthcare systems throughout the country. The nationwide staffing shortage among nurses has increased since the onset of the pandemic, which was already a growing concern raised by healthcare leaders prior. Like the rest of the country, Alabama is dealing with this growing shortage.
The Alabama Board of Nursing (BON) is encouraging qualified people to join the ranks of nurses across all specializations, especially registered nurses (RNs). With an average nurse’s age in Alabama at 54, it’s crucial for new professionals to join the ranks to replace colleagues nearing retirement. While the shortage may be alarming, there are great opportunities for new nurses to find lucrative employment opportunities.
If you are already a registered nurse in Alabama, you have an essential role in upholding the state’s healthcare system. Besides delivering excellent patient care, you must ensure you retain your registered nurse license. Failing to renew your RN license in Alabama can result in it lapsing, preventing you from working as a nurse until your license is reinstated.
Nursing licenses issued by various state nursing boards nationwide expire every two to three years. These regulatory bodies do this to ensure the professionals are keeping pace with the latest developments in care delivery, with each state setting its own requirements for continuing competency. To continue practicing legally, every license holder must renew their credentials before they expire. To renew your license, you must understand the nursing board requirements for license renewal in Alabama.
Fast CE For Less has created this guide for RNs nearing their license renewal periods. By explaining the process, this guide will better prepare you for your license renewal.
How to Renew Your Registered Nurse License
Understanding the nursing board requirements for license renewal is the key to completing your license renewal on time. The Alabama Board of Nursing requires RNs to renew their license to stay current. In addition to completing an application, every license holder must also fulfill the state nursing board’s competency requirements.
If you fail to complete the competency requirements and file the application on time, your license will lapse. If this occurs, to be able to practice as an RN again you will be required to apply for license reinstatement. This section of the guide will cover what you must know about the deadline, competency requirements, and filing the application.
Step 1: Determine the Deadline to Submit Your License Renewal Application
Each state’s nursing board determines the duration of renewal periods. While many nursing boards tie the renewal deadline to every license holder’s birthday, the Alabama Board of Nursing has a set date range.
In Alabama, the Alabama BON requires registered nurses to renew their credentials every even-numbered year between September 1 and November 30. However, license holders have a late deadline up to 4:30 pm on December 31 before their license will lapse. You must visit the Verification page on the Alabama BON website to confirm the status of your license.
Step 2: Complete Your Nursing Continuing Education Requirements
Once you confirm your license status, you must fulfill the nursing CEU requirements set by the Alabama BON to qualify for license renewal. In every renewal period, license holders must complete at least 24 contact hours via nursing continuing education courses. To ensure you experience no issues, you must take courses given by a state-board-approved provider like Fast CE For Less at www.fastceforless.com.
If it is your first renewal, the Alabama BON has a one-time requirement to do at least four out of 24 contact hours on the Nurse Practice Act through the board itself. To take the course, you must go to the board’s website, select the Nursing CE tab, and choose the mandatory class. At this point, the website will prompt you to log in. The username to log in will be your license number. As for your password, it will be the last four digits of your Social Security Number.
Step 3: File Your Application with the Alabama Board of Nursing
Once you complete the required number of contact hours and the remaining continuing competency requirements, you can begin your application for registered nurse license renewal in Alabama. Before you begin, visit the Renewal Information page on the Alabama BON website. The page will provide specific requirements, but here’s a quick overview of the process.
To begin, visit the Renewal Login page on the Alabama BON website. After selecting your specialization, enter your license number and the last four digits of your SSN to log in. After accessing your account, follow the prompts for license renewal, providing the information requested by the website. After providing all the required information, you can complete the renewal process by paying your license renewal fee online.
One important thing to note: The Alabama BON requires all license holders to keep proof of continuing education completion for each renewal period for at least four years. The board requires this documentation if it ever audits a nurse within that timeframe.
Understand the Competency Requirements for Registered Nurse License Renewal
To maintain a high standard of care delivery, the Alabama Board of Nursing requires nurses across all specializations to renew their licenses every two years. For registered nurses, license renewal periods end every even-numbered year. If you hold an R license in Alabama, you must apply for license renewal every even-numbered year to retain your ability to practice legally in the state.
Completing 24 contact hours of nursing continuing education courses within the license renewal period is crucial. For a license holder renewing their credentials for the first time, the Alabama Board of Nursing has an additional requirement: Completing at least four hours on the Nurse Practice Act.
While you can complete the remaining contact hours of nursing continuing education courses through any state-board-approved provider like Fast CE For Less, you must complete four hours on the Nurse Practice Act through the Alabama Board of Nursing itself. It is a one-time requirement for every license holder’s first renewal in Alabama. You can learn more about Alabama’s continuing competency requirements by visiting www.fastceforless.com/nursing-ce-alabama.
If the time to renew your nursing license is near and you have yet to complete your competency requirements, online nursing CEUs like those by Fast CE For Less are a great option. You can find convenient and affordable course bundles tailored to your needs at www.fastceforless.com.
