5 Reasons to Choose an ANCC-Accredited Provider
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With so many continuing education unit (CEU) providers out there, how do you know which one is best for developing your career as a nurse? There are many factors to consider when deciding which provider to receive your CEUs from, one of them being whether you should take your courses from a provider certified by the American Nurses Credential Center (ANCC). Opting for an ANCC-accredited CEU provider can give you more career choices, make it easier to renew your license, and ensure that you’re getting a top-notch education.
Let’s learn more about five key reasons to complete your CEUs through an ANCC-accredited CEU provider and explore the answers to some frequently asked questions about this topic.
5 Reasons to Choose an ANCC-Accredited CEU Provider
Below are five compelling reasons for nurses to complete their continuing education requirements through a CEU provider that’s been approved by the ANCC:
1. Receive High Quality Education
Both private and public healthcare facilities in the US rely on the ANCC to set the standards and best practices for nurses across the nation. When you take courses from an ANCC-accredited CEU provider, you know that you’re getting a high-quality education that healthcare professionals over the country turn to for guidance . The ANCC also continually reviews its standards and best practices, so the information you learn in your CEUs will be relevant and up-to-date, which helps you provide the best possible care to your patients.
2. Work Where You Choose
ANCC courses are valid in all fifty states. When you receive your continuing education from an ANCC-accredited provider, you have greater flexibility in where you can work. This can also give you the ability to be a travel nurse or conduct telehealth visits.
3. Make License Renewal Easier
Take some of the stress out of your busy nursing schedule by continuing your education with an ANCC-accredited CEU provider. Since ANCC-accredited CEUs meet standards for all fifty states, this type of continuing education can help make sure that you’re meeting all the requirements for the state where you live or hope to work.
It’s important to note that different states have various CEU requirements for nurses looking to renew their licenses, so be sure to pay attention to the requirements set by your state nursing board.
4. Grow Your Career
Nurses eager to develop their career should consider receiving their CEUs from a provider approved by the ANCC. Whether you hope to advance from an LPN to an RN or focus on a nursing specialty, ANCC-accredited providers can offer the courses you need to meet your state’s requirements for that license or specialty.
5. Align with International Standards
The ANCC is certified by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). That means when you take your CEUs from an ANCC-accredited provider, you’re getting information that’s topical, standardized, and unbiased. In this scenario, unbiased means that the CEU provider has no competing interests, such as by selling healthcare products or pharmaceuticals.
The ANCC is both the first and the only healthcare organization to receive ISO certification. Courses offered by an ANCC-Accredited CEU provider have undergone a rigorous examination by experts at both the ANCC and ISO for quality assurance.
FAQs About Choosing a Nursing CEU Provider
Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions related to choosing a nursing CEU provider:
How Do Nurses Decide Between ANCC-Accredited vs State-Approved Providers?
State-approved providers offer courses that meet licensing requirements for that specific state. This can be a good option for nurses who feel confident that they’ll continue to live and work in the same state .
Some nurses, however, may want more flexibility in where they work or what types of services they provide, such as if they want to offer virtual healthcare or be a travel nurse . In these scenarios, choosing an ANCC-accredited CEU provider can make it easier to get a license in a new state, as you won’t need to retake as many CEUs.
What’s the Difference Between ANCC and IACET?
Like the ANCC, the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) is an accrediting organization that determines the standards and best practices for CEU courses and providers. Although IACET is a global accrediting body, it is not specific to healthcare , and primarily serves professional associations, universities, non-profits, and government organizations.
By contrast, the ANCC is specifically for nurses in the US, even though it’s an organization that’s been accredited by an international body. If you’re a nurse searching for top quality and relevant CEUs, going with an ANCC-accredited CEU provider is a better option to renew your license or explore career development opportunities.
How Do Nurses Choose Their Continuing Education Provider?
Here’s some advice to help you pick your CEU provider:
- Verify accreditation: Check that the provider is accredited by the ANCC.
- Determine the relevance of the course: Make sure you’re taking courses that meet your state’s licensure or nursing specialty requirements.
- Pick a format: Find a provider that offers courses designed to fit your busy nursing schedule. You may want to look, for example, at CEU providers that offer courses online or that can be completed on demand.
- See what others are saying: Talk to other nurses about which CEU providers they’ve used. You can also read reviews online to learn more about the CEU provider’s flexibility, quality, customer service, or other factors that matter to you.
What’s the Difference Between a CE and a CEU?
Some organizations may use the terms CE and CEU interchangeably to refer to continuing education courses. However, CEUs refer to a standardized way of measuring continuing educational activities so that nursing boards or licensing departments can accurately assess someone’s continuing education experience. In comparison, CEs may simply be nursing educational or professional development activities that don’t meet licensing or other standardized requirements.
Ready to take the next step in your nursing career? CE Ready is not only an ANCC-accredited CEU provider, but a high-quality educational organization that nurses can rely on. With our flexible, affordable, and state approved CEUs, you’ll be meeting your licensure requirements or career development goals in no time. Check out our state approved course catalog now or reach out to us with any questions you might have!