Tennessee Nursing CE Requirements for RNs, LPNs, CNAs & HHAs

RNs and LPNs may use 10 contact hours of nursing-related continuing education as one of the two activities required to demonstrate continuing competence. Because a nurse must document two qualifying activities, completing 10 hours of CE alone does not satisfy the entire Tennessee continuing competency requirement.

C-E-U.com offers self-paced online nursing continuing education that can support Tennessee RNs and LPNs who choose continuing education as one of their competency activities. Courses provide documented contact hours and completion certificates for the nurse’s records.

Tennessee nurses should retain evidence of their continuing competency activities for four years. Documentation does not ordinarily need to be submitted with renewal but must be provided if requested by the Board during an audit.

Tennessee provides considerable flexibility in how RNs and LPNs demonstrate ongoing competence. In addition to the 10-hour continuing education option, qualifying activities can include satisfactory employer or peer evaluations, current national certification, documented professional-development goals, volunteer nursing service, qualifying nursing coursework, Board-approved refresher or orientation programs, and other activities recognized by the Board.

Tennessee CNAs are listed on the Tennessee Nurse Aide Registry, administered by the state’s health facilities licensure office, and certification renews every two years based on employment rather than continuing education: aides must document at least 8 hours of paid nurse aide work during the 24-month period. Tennessee does not require CE hours for registry renewal, and a lapsed certification requires retaking the competency evaluation.

CNAs employed in Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing facilities must receive at least 12 hours of in-service education each year under federal rules (42 CFR §483.95(g)) — a facility requirement tracked by the employer, not the registry.

C-E-U.com offers self-paced online courses Tennessee CNAs can use toward facility-required annual in-service education and employer training — including dementia and Alzheimer’s care, infection prevention, communication, documentation, resident safety, and professionalism. Certificates download immediately and include verification details your employer can confirm online.

Because Tennessee does not require CE for registry renewal, these courses support employer and facility requirements — confirm with your employer or facility educator that a course fits its in-service plan before enrolling.

Home health aides working for Medicare-certified home health agencies in Tennessee must meet the federal training standard: at least 75 hours of training, including a minimum of 16 hours of supervised practical training, plus a competency evaluation (42 CFR §484.80). Tennessee does not add a separate state CE-hour requirement on top of the federal standard for agency-employed home health aides.

After certification, federal rules require at least 12 hours of in-service training during each 12-month period, supervised by a registered nurse and documented by the employing agency.

C-E-U.com offers online courses home health aides and their agencies can use toward the 12-hour annual in-service requirement — including Alzheimer’s and dementia care, infection prevention, safe transfers and mobility, communication, documentation, and home-care safety. Certificates download immediately with verification details agencies can confirm online.

Agencies remain responsible for RN supervision of in-service training and for competency documentation, so confirm with your agency that a course fits its in-service plan before enrolling.