After deciding to become a nurse, you might have had several career goals in mind. From completing your education to securing a well-paying job, learning more about your specialty areas, and helping your community by providing care while at it. If you have become a registered nurse in Kansas, you have opened yourself up to incredible opportunities to pursue those goals.
Kansas offers plenty of lucrative career opportunities for nurses, fantastic places to live, and a vibrant arts and culture scene you can enjoy whenever you are not at work. The average base salary for a registered nurse in Kansas is $80,780 per year, with more experienced nurses earning six-figure salaries. Despite the excellent opportunities it provides to nurses, Kansas also suffers from a staff shortage across healthcare facilities. According to the Kansas Department of Labor’s occupational outlook report, the state will face a shortfall of over 18,000 registered nurses by 2026.
The Kansas Board of Nursing and educational institutes are launching initiatives to address the problem statewide. However, the staffing shortage will not be solved overnight. As the relevant bodies continue working to address the problem, it is up to currently practicing registered nurses like yourself to support the state’s healthcare system.
A vital part of achieving this goal is maintaining your current license and renewing it on time to prevent it from lapsing. Fast CE For Less has created this guide to explain the process, ensuring that you can renew your credentials without risking a lapsed license.
How to Renew Your Registered Nurse License in Kansas
Renewing your registered nurse license is more than maintaining your current license. While you need to renew your license to continue practicing, doing everything it demands also helps you gain more training and education that can help your career. In this section of the guide, we will help you understand how to determine your application deadline, what you must do to prove your continuing competency, and how to fill out and submit your application to the Kansas Board of Nursing.
Step 1: Identify the Deadline to Renew Your Registered Nurse License
A critical part of maintaining your license is being mindful of when it expires. Nursing boards typically issue licenses to registered nurses that expire two to three years. Before their license expires, nurses must fulfill nursing CEU requirements set by their respective nursing boards, complete the license renewal application, and submit it to their state’s board of nursing.
In Kansas, registered nurse licenses expire after two years. The Kansas Board of Nursing has made it simple for license holders to remember their license renewal deadline, as it is connected to the registered nurse’s birthday. If you are a registered nurse in Kansas, your license will expire on the last day of your birth month every two years, and the renewal period begins 90 days before the expiration date. This means you will have plenty of time to fulfill your nursing continuing education requirements, complete your application, and file it with the Kansas Board of Nursing.
You are responsible for knowing you license expiration date. If you do not receive the board’s reminder notification regarding your license renewal and application deadline, you will still be accountable it expires, and you will have to pay additional fees to have it renewed. The key to avoiding these problems is to start the renewal process before the cycle begins so you have plenty of time to submit your application without facing complications.
Step 2: Fulfill Nursing Continuing Education Requirements
Nursing boards across all states set their own requirements for license holders to prove their continuing competency. The requirements can include a combination of a specific number of contact hours through nursing continuing education courses, completing practice hours, or gaining additional education and certifications relevant to their practice.
In Kansas, registered nurse license holders must complete at least 30 contact hours of nursing continuing education courses to qualify for license renewal. Completing 30 contact hours is essential to proving to the Kansas Board of Nursing that you are fit to continue providing quality patient care.
While the board will not request proof of completing the necessary credit hours, we strongly recommend holding onto the certification documents. The board may conduct random audits at any time during the license period.
Step 3: File Your License Renewal Application with the Department of Occupational and Professional Licensing
Once you complete the required number of contact hours through nursing continuing education courses, the next step to renew your registered nurse license is to file your application with the Kansas Board of Nursing.
First, you must visit the license verification page on the board’s official website here to confirm your license. When the renewal cycle begins, you can access the license renewal portal through the Kansas Board of Nursing website through this link. Follow the prompts and provide all the required information.
While filling out the form, always double-check the information you enter to ensure that it is error-free and accurate. Once you fill out all the details, you can complete the renewal process by paying for the $85 renewal fee online.
Understand the Importance of Renewing Your Registered Nurse License on Time
Renewing your Registered Nurse license on time is crucial. It not only ensures that you are legally allowed to work, but also signifies your commitment to maintaining professional standards. Timely renewal avoids the inconvenience and potential penalties of letting your license lapse. It also reflects your dedication to the nursing profession and your role in safeguarding public health.
Keeping your license active is fundamental to continuing your practice without interruption, supporting your career progression, and contributing positively to healthcare outcomes in Kansas. When completing your nursing CEUs you must ensure that you do them through a provider approved by the Kansas Board of Nursing.
For detailed information about nursing continuing education requirements to renew your registered nurse license in Kansas, you can visit www.fastceforless.com/nursing-ce-kansas.
To access convenient and affordable nursing continuing education courses approved by the Kansas Board of Nursing, the online nursing CEUs by Fast CE For Less are available at www.fastceforless.com.
