South Carolina is an amazing place to live in. If you want to build a successful career in the healthcare sector, it can be a great destination. The state boasts a growing healthcare sector, various job opportunities in diverse healthcare settings, and a lower cost of living than many other states. The average base salary of a registered nurse in South Carolina is $82,000, matching the national average. Combined with a lower cost of living in the state, South Carolina is one of the best places to pursue a promising career as a registered nurse.
Nationwide, over a million registered nurses are expected to leave the workforce by 2030, with South Carolina having the most alarming projections for staffing shortages. At the rate things are going, South Carolina will fall short of 10,400 registered nursing positions needing to be filled by the end of the decade compared to the expected demand. The South Carolina Board of Nursing is responsible for issuing licenses and renewing them in the state. While the board is taking steps to address the shortage, currently practicing registered nurses in the state must also play a role in supporting South Carolina’s healthcare system.
If you are a registered nurse in South Carolina, you must ensure you keep your license active. Renewing your registered nurse license in South Carolina involves more than submitting an application. You must understand the nursing board requirements set by the South Carolina Board of Nursing and the steps involved in renewing your credentials. Fast CE For Less has created this guide to explain the steps to streamline the process to renew your license.
How to Renew Your Registered Nurse License in South Carolina
Nursing boards do not issue permanent licenses to registered nurses. Instead, they issue licenses that expire every two to three years, depending on the state.
To renew their licenses, registered nurses must identify their deadline to apply for a renewed license, fulfill a set of requirements set by the board to prove their continuing competency, and then file an application with the South Carolina Board of Nursing.
This section of the guide will explain the steps to help you understand the nursing board requirements for license renewal in South Carolina.
Step 1: Determine the Last Date to Submit Your Registered Nurse License Renewal Application
Knowing when it is the last day to submit the application to renew your registered nurse license is essential. Failing to submit the application and renew your license on time can cause your license to lapse. If that happens, you must apply to reinstate your registered nurse license, which is a longer, more tedious, and a more expensive process.
In South Carolina, the board has simplified the application deadline, so license holders are less likely to get confused. All registered nursing licenses in South Carolina expire on April 30th in every even-numbered year. If your license was initially issued to you in an odd-numbered year, you must renew it before April 30th of the next year. If you receive your license in an even-numbered year, it will expire on April 30th in the next even-numbered year.
Step 2: Fulfill Nurse Continuing Education Requirements for License Renewal
Each state sets its own nurse continuing education requirements for registered nurses. In South Carolina, license holders have four possible ways to complete the continuing education requirements and qualify for renewed credentials before the renewal period ends.
The first and standard approach is to complete at least 30 contact hours of nursing continuing education courses. The provider must be recognized by the South Carolina Board of Nursing. While you will not be asked to submit proof that you completed the required number of nursing CEUs, you are obligated to hold on to the documents at least until the next renewal period. The board may ask you to provide the certification proving you completed the required number of contact hours during random audits. If that happens, you must have documentation readily available.
In addition to completing 30 contact hours of nurse continuing education courses, getting a certification or recertification by a national certifying body that the board recognizes can also make you eligible. Alternatively, completing an academic program in a relevant nursing program can also qualify you for a license renewal in South Carolina.
Step 3: File the Application with the South Carolina Board of Nursing
Once you complete the necessary contact hours of nurse continuing education courses or any other method to prove your continuing competency, you can apply for a renewed license. To do this, you can visit the South Carolina Board of Nursing’s official website here. Once you log in, the option to renew your license will be visible if the application period is open. If it is, click on the option and follow the prompts by the online portal. After completing the form, you must pay the $75 license renewal fee online to complete and submit the application.
Understand Your Nurse CEU Requirements for License Renewal
Nursing boards nationwide issue licenses that expire every two to three years. The regulatory bodies require the license holders to fulfill a set of requirements within the renewal period to become eligible for a renewed license. These nurses continuing education requirements help the boards uphold a high standard of care delivery. Depending on the state a license holder practices in, these nursing CEU requirements can include completing a number of contact hours via nursing continuing education courses approved by their board. The board can also set a requirement of a minimum number of active practice hours during the renewal period, or a combination of both.
In South Carolina, license holders have a few different ways to become eligible for renewed credentials before their renewal period ends. From 30 contact hours of nurse continuing education courses from a resource approved by the board, to recertification by a national certifying body, there are several ways to qualify. To learn more about the nursing continuing education requirements for license renewal in South Carolina, visit www.fastceforless.com/nursing-ce-south-carolina.
If you have an active license and the renewal period is ending soon, online nursing CEUs like those offered by Fast CE For Less offer a quick, convenient, and affordable way to fulfill your nurse continuing education requirements. To learn more, visit www.fastceforless.com.
