Tennessee Nursing CE Courses
Last updated Mar 1, 2026
Tennessee Nursing Continuing Education Requirements
RN Requirements
- 5 hrs of continuing education each renewal period
- RN/
- APRN with Certificate of Fitness: TWO contact hours (minimum) of continuing education designed specifically to address controlled substance prescribing practices. The continuing education must include instruction in the TN department of Health’s treatment guidelines on opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and carisoprodol.
LPN Requirements
- 5 hrs of continuing education each renewal period
- LPN: Every 2 years.
- APRN with Certificate of Fitness: TWO contact hours (minimum) of continuing education designed specifically to address controlled substance prescribing practices. The continuing education must include instruction in the TN department of Health’s treatment guidelines on opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and carisoprodol.
APRN Requirements
- 10 CE hours as one RN competency option of continuing education for advanced practice nurses
- Renewal cycle: 2 years
- Pharmacology: 2 hours controlled-substance prescribing CE if APRN has a Certificate of Fitness
- Required topic: Opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, carisoprodol; prescribing/addiction/risk management
Show me the course list for my licence
Tennessee RN required courses
10 contact hours in this list, included with your yearly pass. Always confirm with your board before you renew.
This board names no specific required topic for RNs — any of our courses count toward your hours.
Elective courses
Pick from these to finish your hours. Every one is included with the yearly pass.
10 contact hoursApply current nursing ethics codes, structured reasoning, informed consent standards, advocacy practices, and professional accountability to common clinical dilemmas.
Tennessee nursing CE questions
Straight from the Tennessee board
- Renewal period
- RN/LPN: Every 2 years.
- RN requirement
- Two continuing-competency items; 5 CE hrs is one option
- LPN / LVN requirement
- Two continuing-competency items; 5 CE hrs is one option
- Mandatory topics
- APRN with Certificate of Fitness: TWO contact hours (minimum) of continuing education designed specifically to address controlled substance prescribing practices. The continuing education must include instruction in the TN department of Health’s treatment guidelines on opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and carisoprodol.
- Required courses
- RN/LPN: Tennessee's current rules provide multiple ways to demonstrate continuing competence. CE may be used as one pathway. Action: Do not list the old 5/10-hour figures as the only requirement until the current Board rule is confirmed. Source: Tennessee Board of Nursing.
- Good to know
- Tennessee requires continuing competency for renewal. The nurse must complete the applicable CE/competency requirements before renewal. Your old information of 5 hours / 10 hours if not practicing should be treated as needing verification against the current Board rules rather than automatically carried forward.
- Advanced practice CE
- 10 CE hours as one RN competency option
- Renewal period
- 2 years
- Pharmacology
- 2 pharmacology contact hours. 2 hours controlled-substance prescribing CE if APRN has a Certificate of Fitness
- Who it applies to
- APRNs with Certificate of Fitness / prescriptive authority
- Controlled substances / opioids
- Yes
- Pain and opioid content
- Yes
- Prescriptive authority
- Yes — Certificate of Fitness
- Who approves the course
- Tennessee Board of Nursing / Department of Health
- Accepted providers
- Qualifying CE under Tennessee continuing-competence rules
Source citation pending admin review (placeholder). Reviewed Mar 1, 2026. User self-report (confirm with Board)
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Answers come from Fast CE For Less's own course list and our notes on state requirements. Always check your board's own rules before you count hours.