Targeted CNE Requirements for Texas Nurses
In Texas, nursing isn't just a career—it's a commitment to lifelong learning. To maintain licensure and uphold high standards of patient care, the Texas Board of Nursing (BON) mandates specific targeted Continuing Nursing Education (CNE) requirements for RNs, LVNs, and APRNs.
Below is a clear overview of the required targeted CNE topics, who needs them, and when to complete them — plus recommended Pedagogy Education courses to help you fulfill these requirements.
1. Forensic Evidence Collection – One-Time CNE
Who is required to complete this?
- Any nurse employed in an emergency room (ER) setting, including full-time, part-time, float, per diem, agency, and travel nurses
- Any nurse who performs forensic exams on sexual assault survivors
What’s included in the 2 contact hours of CNE?
- Evidence collection protocols that align with Texas Government Code §420.031
- Use of an Attorney General–approved sexual assault evidence collection kit
- Age/population-specific nursing interventions
- History taking, documentation, and survivor psychological support
When is it required?
- Within 2 years of starting employment in an ER setting
- Before performing a forensic exam, if applicable
How long should you keep records?
-
Indefinitely, even if you change jobs or leave the ER
🟢 Recommended Course:
Sexual Assault Evidence Collection (SANE) Education for Texas Nurses
This course provides the detailed training needed for nurses working in ERs or performing forensic exams on sexual assault survivors.
2. Older Adult or Geriatric Care – Renewal CNE
Required for nurses whose practice includes care of older adult populations (65+).
Minimum: 2 contact hours of CNE per renewal period.
Topics may include:
- Aging physiology
- Dementia and comorbidities
- Elder abuse prevention
- Best practices in geriatric nursing
🟢 Recommended Course:
Nursing of the Geriatric Patient
This course covers essential knowledge and skills for caring effectively for older adults in any healthcare setting.
3. Nursing Jurisprudence & Nursing Ethics – Renewal CNE
All nurses must complete this CNE each renewal cycle.
Focuses on:
- The Texas Nursing Practice Act
- BON Rules and Position Statements
- Ethical decision-making
- Legal responsibilities and boundaries
🟢 Recommended Course:
Texas Jurisprudence and Ethics
This 2-contact-hour course is fully online and provides the knowledge needed to meet this Texas BON requirement.
4. Pharmacotherapeutics – Renewal CNE
Required for APRNs with prescriptive authority.
- Minimum of 5 contact hours of CNE in pharmacotherapeutics
- Content includes:
- Drug classifications
- Mechanisms of action
- Adverse effects and interactions
- Safe administration and monitoring
🟢 Recommended Courses:
- Intravenous Antibiotics: Where We Are and Where We’re Going – Antifungals
- Intravenous Antibiotics: Where We Are and Where We’re Going – Glycopeptides
- Intravenous Antibiotics: Where We Are and Where We’re Going – ß-lactams
- Intravenous Antibiotics: Where We Are and Where We're Going – Antivirals
- Intravenous Antibiotics: Where We Are and Where We’re Going – Additional Classifications
These courses provide comprehensive education on intravenous antimicrobial therapies essential for pharmacotherapeutic competence.
5. Pain Management & Prescription of Opioids – Renewal CNE
Required for nurses who provide pain management or prescribe medications.
- Safe opioid prescribing practices
- Alternatives to opioid therapy
- Mitigating the risk of addiction and misuse
🟢 Recommended Courses:
Both courses are designed to enhance your knowledge and skills in effective, safe pain management in today’s healthcare environment.
6. Texas Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) – One-Time CNE
Required for APRNs with prescriptive authority.
This CNE covers:
- Accessing and interpreting PMP data
- Proper usage and legal responsibilities
- Integrating PMP data into clinical decisions
7. Human Trafficking Prevention – One-Time CNE
All nurses must complete a Board-approved CNE course on human trafficking before license renewal.
Includes:
- Recognizing signs of human trafficking
- Legal reporting requirements
- Trauma-informed care strategies for survivors
🟢 Recommended Course:
Human Trafficking Education for Texas Healthcare Professionals
This course equips nurses with critical tools to identify, intervene, and report human trafficking.
8. Tick-Borne Diseases – One-Time CNE
Required for RNs and LVNs.
Complete 1 contact hour of CNE on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of tick-borne diseases common in Texas, including:
- Lyme disease
- Ehrlichiosis
- Rocky Mountain spotted fever
🟢 Recommended Course:
Tick-Borne Diseases
This course covers key information to help nurses identify and manage tick-borne illnesses prevalent in Texas.
Staying Compliant
- You must complete 20 total contact hours of CNE every 2 years
- Targeted CNE hours count toward your total
- Courses must be approved by the Texas BON or a recognized provider
- Keep CNE certificates for at least 4 years (or indefinitely for one-time courses)
Make Continuing Nursing Education Easy
Pedagogy Education offers a wide range of online, self-paced CNE courses—including those that meet Texas’s targeted CNE requirements.
Courses can be purchased individually, or nurses can save money with one of our annual memberships.
Staying current with your targeted CNE isn’t just a rule—it’s a responsibility that helps protect patients, elevate your practice, and keep your Texas license in good standing.
