Continuing Education

CNE Changed to NCPD The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), an accrediting body for nursing education, has changed the term continuing nursing education (CNE) to nursing continuing professional development (NCPD). ANCC-approved educational providers began using the new term in 2020. ONCC will accept both CNE and NCPD for initial certification or renewal points as long as the CNE or NCPD credit is approved by an acceptable accreditor of nursing education (see list, below).

Acceptable Approval Bodies/Providers of Nursing Continuing Education

Continuing education programs in nursing must be approved by an acceptable accreditor to be used for initial certification or renewal points. Refer to this list of acceptable approvers and providers. The certificate awarded for a program must contain an accreditation statement such as: "The [name of organization] is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing education by the [name of accrediting body]." You may also find this information in the promotional information for a program.

  • American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP)
  • American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN)
  • American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA)
  • American Nurses Association (ANA)
  • Any agency, organization or educational institution accredited by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
  • Association of Pediatric Hematology Oncology Nurses (APHON)
  • Association of Women's Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN)
  • European Oncology Nursing Society
  • International Association for Continuing Education & Training (IACET)
  • Korean Oncology Nursing Society
  • Medom Nursing CE
  • National Association of Neonatal Nurses (NANN)
  • National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health (NPWH)
  • National Association of Pediatric Nurse Associates and Practitioners (NAPNAP)
  • National League for Nursing (NLN)
  • Oncology Nursing Society (ONS)
  • Royal College of Nursing
  • Royal College of Nursing, Australia
  • State Boards of Nursing in Alabama, California, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Nevada, Ohio, and West Virginia
  • State Nurses Associations
  • Wisconsin Society for Health Education and Training (WISHET)

Examples of Acceptable Continuing Medical Education (CME)* Providers

  • Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME)
  • Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)
  • American Medical Association (AMA)
  • American Osteopathic Association (AOA)
  • Mainpro
  • Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
  • State Medical Societies
* CME may be used for renewal points. However, for initial certification eligibility, no more than 5 of the 10 required contact hours may be CME

Note: Candidates who received their nursing education or nursing license outside of the United States, its territories, or Canada must have their education and licensure evaluated for U.S. equivalency by a foreign credential evaluation service.

Online Continuing Education Resources

Earn free or low cost nursing continuing education (CE) from many websites, journals, and organizations. Check the accreditation of each offering. Some providers award multiple types of credit and the type of credit may vary among offerings.

Websites

Journals

Need ideas for CNE?

Find CE offerings and CE conferences that have already been approved for ILNA points.

Do you offer CE programs?

Make your programs more appealing by identifying how they can be used for renewal points. Learn about ILNA Coding for CE Providers.

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