- Continuing Competency
- Workforce Data
Continuing Competency Requirements
Washington nurses must meet continuing education and practice requirements to renew their license.
- These requirements must be done in the renewal period and can't carry over.
- For more information see the Continuing Competency FAQ (PDF)
New Health equity continuing education requirements
As of Dec. 22, 2023, there are new health equity continuing education (CE) requirements:
- 2 hours of health equity CE every renewal period
These hours count toward the RN & LPN required 8 hours total of continuing education every renewal period listed below.
Timeline to complete new health equity CE
All licensed RNs & LPNs have until their 2026 renewal date to complete 2 hours of health equity CE.
- After 2026 renewal, nurses must complete 2 hours of health equity CE every renewal period.
Nurses applying for a new license have until their 2nd renewal date to complete 2 hours of health equity CE.
- After 2nd renewal, nurses must complete 2 hours of health equity CE every renewal period.
Health equity training course requirements
Healthy equity trainers must have demonstrated knowledge and experience related to health equity.
Health equity training must include:
- Implicit bias training to identify strategies to reduce bias during assessment and diagnosis, and may include, but is not limited to at least one of the topics included in RCW 43.70.613 such as training in bias, racism, and poverty, that manifest as health inequities.
- Development of individual and system level interventions and self-reflection to assess how the licensee’s social position can influence their relationship with patients and their communities.
- Skills to enable a health care professional to care effectively for patients from diverse cultures, groups, and communities.
- Assessing the health care professional’s ability to apply health equity concepts into practice.
To learn more about the statutory requirements as well as the model rules, we encourage you to read:
- RCW 43.70.613
- WAC 246-12 (specifically, Part 15 on continuing education health equity).
Get more information and list of free trainings:
Related Rules
- WAC 246-840-222: Continuing competency requirements—Health equity continuing education
- WAC 246-12-830: Health equity continuing education training content
- WAC 246-840-220: Continuing competency requirements—Active status
- RCW 43.70.613 Health care professionals—Health equity continuing education
RN and LPN continuing competency requirements
- 8 continuing education hours. (2 of these hours must be heath equity CE).
- 96 practice hours due every year.
- One-time, 6-hour training in suicide assessment, treatment, and management from a qualified suicide prevention training program.
- Complete e-Notify registration and survey online at Nursys®.
ARNP continuing competency requirements
- Active RN license.
- 30 continuing education hours.
- 15 additional continuing education hours relating to pharmacology if you have prescriptive authority.
- An active certification in each area of advanced practice.
- You must submit a copy of recertification via email to nursing@doh.wa.gov.
Nurse Tech continuing competency requirements
Nursing technicians are eligible to renew a nursing technician registration if the following requirements are met:
- Must be a nursing student enrolled in good standing in a nursing program approved by the Washington State Board of Nursing.
- Must be employed in a hospital licensed under chapter 70.41 RCW, a clinic, or a nursing home licensed under chapter 18.51 RCW.
