Free CE for Nurses / North Carolina
North Carolina RNs must complete one of eight continuing-competence options every 2 years — such as 30 contact hours of CE, or 15 contact hours combined with 640 hours of active practice.
✓ Verified against the North Carolina Board of Nursing on July 30, 2026
Under 21 NCAC 36 .0232 the options include: 30 contact hours of CE; national certification by a Board-recognized credentialing body; 15 contact hours plus 640 practice hours within the previous 2 years; a Board-approved refresher course; 2+ semester hours of post-licensure academic education; or 15 contact hours plus a nursing project, publication, or CE presentation. Acceptable CE providers include ANCC, ANA, NCNA, NLN, NCSBN, and any state board of nursing; employer-sponsored CE is capped at 50% unless separately accredited. Licenses renew every 2 years by the last day of the nurse's birth month; evidence is submitted only if audited (keep documentation 3 years).
Yes — North Carolina accepts continuing education from nationally accredited providers, so courses from an accredited provider like the ones on Pulse count toward your renewal.
North Carolina Board of Nursing
https://www.ncbon.com/licensure-listing-continuing-competence
Requirements change. Confirm all figures on the board site above before relying on them.
Pulse offers free, accredited CE for RNs and LPNs. Local healthcare organizations cover the cost — you pay nothing, and the hours apply toward your North Carolina requirement (subject to the board rules above).
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