Many professional licenses are required to be renewed periodically. Your nursing license is no different. While this may feel like little more than a nuisance, the rationale for maintaining this requirement does have merit. License renewal often includes conditions that keep the professional nurse up to date with current practice and competency. Of course, what that looks like exactly is up to each individual state.
If you are a licensed professional nurse in the state of Michigan, your nursing license will be valid for two years, and your renewal is due March 31. As with other states, the Michigan nurse license renewal requirements are specific and well-defined. Knowing how many hours of continuing education you need, what education content is required, and some tricks of the trade in how to obtain certain hours will make the renewal process go more smoothly.
With the mention of expiration, you may be wondering what happens if you don’t renew in time. If you don’t, that’s OK. Michigan does allow for a 60-day grace period. It’s going to cost an additional $20, but it will prevent you from having to deal with getting licensed all over again.
Michigan Nursing Licenses
The State of Michigan offers both LPN and RN licenses, both of which are on a two-year renewal cycle. For those RNs pursuing advanced practice, Michigan provides the option to obtain a specialty certification as a nurse practitioner, nurse-midwife, clinical nurse specialist, and nurse anesthetist.
The basic Michigan nurse license renewal requirements are the same across the board for RNs and RNs that move into advanced practice with specialty certification.
Continuing Education for Michigan Nurse License Renewal Requirements
A common requirement for nursing license renewal across many states is related to continuing education. Michigan defines a specific number of hours required to be completed during the two years leading up to your license renewal date for LPNs, RNs, and RNs with specialty certification. Within those hours, Michigan also requires specific topics that need to be included.
When it comes to tracking those hours, that is your professional responsibility. Although you will not be required to submit proof of those hours on renewal, you must be able to produce proof of completion if asked. Keep in mind that the state board of nursing conducts random audits, and if you’re selected, you’ll have to provide proof of up to 4 years worth of continuing education.
Continuing Education Hours
During the two-year period of licensure, all Michigan nurses are required to complete 25 hours of continuing education. The education must be provided by an accredited organization accepted by the state of Michigan as an approved provider of continuing education credits, like Premiere Education.
Inside those 25 hours, two hours must be on the topic of pain and pain symptom management. This can include content like assessing for pain, the signs and symptoms of pain, and best practices in treating pain, and can be completed at any time during the two-year period.
Continuing education has tremendous benefits for nurses and the patients they serve. It contributes to one’s professional growth and allows nurses to maintain competency as current medical practices and treatments continue to advance.
Human Trafficking Training Requirement
As of March 2018, prior to obtaining their license, nurses are required to complete human trafficking training.
This requirement includes a variety of elements: the types and venues where trafficking commonly occurs, victim identification in the healthcare setting, the warning signs of human trafficking for adults and kids, and resources for reporting should you suspect someone is a victim of trafficking.
A course like Human Trafficking Training for Healthcare Professionals offered by Premiere Education dives deeply into all the required elements and more. This course is beneficial to healthcare providers across the spectrum of roles, preparing the learner well to recognize and respond to potential victims of human trafficking.
Implicit Bias Training
In June of 2022, another topic specifically required for licensure by Michigan is implicit bias training. All nurse license renewals after this date are required to complete 1 hour of implicit bias training per each year of licensure.
The implicit bias training must include elements of equitable access to healthcare with diverse populations, strategies to mitigate implicit bias, the consequences of implicit bias, and current research on its impact on the delivery of healthcare services.
The goal is to strengthen nurses’ understanding of what implicit bias is and its relation to patient outcomes. This can be achieved through courses like Implicit Bias Training for Healthcare that covers these subtopics and is easily applicable to an array of healthcare roles.
Best Practices and Tips for Completing Continuing Education Hours in Michigan
The process of continuing education to meet Michigan nurse license renewal requirements is guided by some basic rules of engagement unique to the state.
Keeping these in mind, plus some tips for how to take advantage of some unique ways to complete these hours can make your life a little easier.
- You can’t complete more than 12 of the required 25 continuing education hours in any 24-hour period. Doing so just isn’t conducive to effective learning.
- You can earn 5 continuing education credits for each semester credit hour completed in pursuit of a nursing-related university degree (for example, taking 4 university courses would mean 20 continuing education credits). This would need to be approved by the state board of nursing.
- If you obtain specialty certification (nurse anesthetist, nurse midwife, nurse practitioner, CNS) you can earn 25 hours of continuing education credits.
- Publishing a chapter or article related to nursing in an academic healthcare publication can earn you 10 hours of continuing education.
- You can earn 3 hours (to a max of 6 hours) for every 60 minutes of presentation at an academic program if it isn’t part of your regular professional role.
- Being a preceptor for at least 1 nursing student or new employee taking orientation, for a minimum of 120 hours can earn continuing education up to a max of 5 hours.
Easily Meet the Michigan Nursing License Renewal Requirements
Online education is bigger than ever, making it easy to enroll in courses that cover Michigan’s required training for nurses: human trafficking, pain and pain system management, and implicit bias. Simultaneously, keeping up to date with your nursing license is convenient and affordable when you have access to unlimited nursing continuing education subscription that meet all licensing requirements.
