Point out state licensure renewal requirements. While the specific requirements vary slightly from state to state, all states require that nurses participate in continuing education in order to renew their nursing license. Discuss these requirements with your nurses, and ensure that they fully understand what they must do prior to their license expiration date to be eligible for renewal.
Provide information about upcoming professional development opportunities. Post information about professional development opportunities in a conspicuous place. Dedicate a board strictly to information of this type, or send out regular emails detailing any opportunities that arise.
Celebrate nurses who participate in professional development. Give a public pat on the back to any professional development participants by posting their names on a staff bulletin board, or featuring them in the staff newsletter. Play up their accomplishments in an attempt to entice others to follow their good examples.
Allow paid time off for nurses who elect to participate in workshops. If nurses know that they can participate in day-long workshops on the clock, they will be likely to take advantage of the opportunity. Offer all nurses the opportunity to get paid while they attend workshops or professional development classes to ensure that financial limitations are not stopping them from partaking in the valuable opportunity.
Offer bonuses for continuing education. Provide a monetary incentive for participation. Offer quarterly or annual bonuses for nurses who voluntarily participate in a professional development program.
Make continuing education requisite to employment. Regardless of your efforts to promote the positive nature of continuing education, there will still be employees who opt not to participate. If you want to ensure that all staff participates in continuing education, make regular participation required of employees.