Free CE for Nurses / Texas

Texas RN CE Requirements

Texas RNs must complete 20 contact hours of continuing education in their area of practice every 2 years, or instead hold a Board-approved national certification — plus targeted courses that apply based on where and how they practice.

✓ Verified against the Texas Board of Nursing on July 30, 2026

At a glance

CE hours required
20 contact hours (one qualifying option)
Renewal cycle
Every 2 years
Licensing board
Texas Board of Nursing

Mandatory topics in Texas

TopicHoursHow often
Nursing jurisprudence and ethics2every third two-year licensing period; counts within the 20 hours; cannot be met by certification
Human trafficking prevention (HHSC-approved course)every renewal, for nurses providing direct patient care
Older adult / geriatric care2every renewal, if your practice includes older adult or geriatric populations; counts within the 20 hours
Forensic evidence collection2one-time, for nurses practicing in an emergency room setting (within 2 years of beginning ER practice)

The fine print

Board Rule 216.3 allows either 20 contact hours in your area of practice or achieving/maintaining/renewing a Board-approved national certification. Certification can NOT substitute for the nursing jurisprudence and ethics requirement, and the human trafficking prevention course (required for nurses providing direct patient care) must come from the HHSC executive commissioner's approved course list. Targeted-topic hours count within the 20, not on top of it.

Does nationally accredited CE count in Texas?

Yes — Texas accepts continuing education from nationally accredited providers, so courses from an accredited provider like the ones on Pulse count toward your renewal.

Official source

Texas Board of Nursing
https://www.bon.texas.gov/education_continuing_education.asp.html

Requirements change. Confirm all figures on the board site above before relying on them.

Meet part of this requirement free

Pulse offers free, accredited CE for RNs and LPNs. Local healthcare organizations cover the cost — you pay nothing, and the hours apply toward your Texas requirement (subject to the board rules above).

Pediatric Palliative Care: Interdisciplinary Team Roles and Collaboration
1 CE hr · Palliative Care
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Across The Lifespan: Therapeutic Approaches and Meaningful Intervention
1 CE hr · General
Think FAST: The Essentials of Stroke Care and Rehabilitation
1 CE hr · Rehabilitation
A Day in the Life of an Alzheimer's Patient: Enhancing Care Through Activity Modification
1 CE hr · Mental Health
Achieving Optimal Health: Reducing Illness by Improving the Patient’s Stress Response
1 CE hr · General
Advance Care Planning and Ethical End-of-Life Issues
1 CE hr · Ethics
Aging in Place: There's No Place Like Home
1 CE hr · General
Alzheimer's Disease: The Latest Research on Prevention, Detection and Treatment
1 CE hr · Mental Health
Behind the Wheel with the Elderly: To Drive or Not to Drive?
1 CE hr · General
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RN CE requirements in other states

Florida · Georgia · Illinois · Kansas · Louisiana · Michigan · North Carolina · Ohio · Pennsylvania

This page is informational and not legal or licensing advice. Confirm all continuing-education requirements with the Texas Board of Nursing before relying on them.