Importance of Continuing Professional Education

Nursing is one of the medical fields that requires continuing education for licensure.

Continuing professional education is also known as continuing professional development or simply continuing education. Some professionals must participate in continual development to keep their occupational licenses active.

Function

Continuing professional education keeps individuals current on trends, technology and practice requirements for their occupations. These opportunities also provide professionals with the essential knowledge they must know about existing or changing laws and regulations related to their field.

Types

Government legislation and state licensing boards determine the amount of continuing professional education required for each profession. Boards also approve the types or forms these educational requirements can be obtained in. This can include seminars, traditional classroom courses, distance education programs or workshops. Opportunities are available through colleges, universities and professional associations.

Significance

Continuing professional education is important because it provides validation of an individual's knowledge and skills. Professionals--such as those working in the medical, legal and financial fields--need to continually be updated on new standards in addition to being refreshed on the knowledge they may have obtained several years earlier. Continuing education ensures to patients, clients and licensing agencies that professionals are qualified to handle the responsibilities that affect people's lives. For example, the North Dakota appraisal regulations state that the purpose of continuing education is to not only maintain knowledge but also to increase a professional's skill level.

References

• American Nurses Credentialing Center
• North Dakota Legislative Branch: Article 101-04 Continuing Education