Procrastination is not something that is usually in my repertoire. I like to have it done yesterday.
If you tell me a writing project is due next year, I’ll have it done next week.
There is a backup bottle of Dawn dish liquid on my sink, an extra tube of toothpaste in each bathroom, along with a whole pack of toilet paper, extra body wash, shampoo and conditioner.
My pantry and freezer have at least two of everything.
I like to be prepared.
So what am I whining about? Continuing Education Units.
It’s not that they are difficult. You read the modules and answer questions at the end. More often than not, the questions center on things that have changed in the last two years, so it kind of jumps out at you after thirty years in the profession, whatever is different. But it’s time consuming.
In Georgia, employers are required to provide continuing education to nurses. In Florida, nurses have to be accountable for their own CEUs. In my entire career, I have NEVER known of ANYONE to get audited.
But now, the State has brought in a third party company, CE BROKER, and all CEU providers and all nurses must file CEUs through them. Everything is computerized and if you are not up to date, Wham! They got ya!
In the past, I never worried about not being up to date. I stayed up to date easily doing a little at a time.
Last year, though, I spent all of my time writing and editing a novel. So now, I get to play catch-up with my CEUs and it’s no fun. They’re due ninety days before renewal date which is April 30, 2015. So I’m a bit behind, and praying that going with an online company that reports hourly will help me out here.
You may wonder, why bother? You’re retired and you only work occasionally doing basic health screenings. Here’s the deal. You don’t keep up your professional license and decide to go back to work in your field and you have to take State Boards all over again. I sure don’t want to risk that.
Don’t you want a health care provider who is up to date on the latest and greatest techniques and skills? I’m so ashamed.
Eleven years of hardship and school for a four year degree, thirty years of experience, and lose it because of a few online classes and tests!
That’s why I’ve been offline for a bit and probably will be for the next few weeks. I’m going to be focused on medical error prevention, Florida domestic violence, Florida Laws and Rules, osteoarthritis, ischemic stroke, Aids /HIV, and Humor in Health Care: The Laughter Prescription.
Wish me luck!
S.K. Nicholls 
And all this comes smack in the middle of tax season, but you are probably on top of that since you are so much more organized than I am! Good luck Susan! ~Elle
Thanks Elle. There is nothing for me to do with taxes. I shove everything into a box and my husband takes it to the tax lady. Done. 🙂
I wish!
One of the few perks us State of California employed attorneys get is that we don’t have to comply with the continuing legal education requirements other California licensed attorneys have to comply with. That right there is worth all of the negative things that come with being a state employee. 😉 For 17 years now, I have been able to skip the whole CLE crapfest.
So jealous! Seems like experience should account for something. It’s also, according to the tests I have completed so far, just more of the same.
I did have to take CLE courses for the first four or five years I was an attorney and I think that’s the problem with it. It’s just a repetitive cycle of the same thing you have to go through every three years. And, here’s the thing — most attorneys don’t pay attention to it, they don’t learn anything. The ones who actually desperately need some continuing education are the worst ones because they’re the ones who believe they know everything already and the CLE courses are just a waste of time. So, it doesn’t help the ones who need it.
These tests are not really hard. I don’t ever feel like I am learning anything much new. Maybe one or two new rules that don’t even apply to me and what I do. They’re just time consuming. A show of dedication.
Good luck!!!!
Thanks. Fun, fun, fun!
Sounds like a smart reason to stay up to date. Good luck.
Yep. State boards again???? I don’t know if I could handle the stress at my age.
I remember doing stuff like that for a teacher’s certificate in Florida. Not fun. Probably worse for your area of expertise.
I’m okay with all of the medical type questions, but the legal ones throw me for a loop because the law changes so fast.
True. Seems to change every year, which is head spinning.
It’s the way they word things also. There were several Bills enacted, for example, to address the problem of domestic violence, but each one was for a specific thing. I just missed one question because House Bill 1099 was one of those things. But the way the book worded it, House Bill 1099 was specifically enacted for transferring funding from one organization to another, NOT directly related to addressing the problem like the other seven Bills were. So on semantics, I got that one wrong.
Ugh. Semantics were my bane when researching rules and laws. I always thought of it one way, but the test or teacher were looking at it another. Kind of glad those aren’t a part of writing . . . sort of. Still get into deciphering issues.
True, writers do. And you have to word things clearly so as not to be misunderstood. I love medicine and the science of it, but the legal jargon blows my mind. I worked a s a legal nurse consultant for about four months. Hated it.
To be fair, even clear wording can be misunderstood. I’ve been clear to a bunch of people and then a single person turns up that doesn’t get what I’m saying. This happened at a job once. Everyone would understand what I was explaining, except one. Sadly, that was the boss.
I can identify. I maintain CME hours in both pediatrics and public health. Many, many hours. Luckily between conferences and a wide array of online opportunities, I have plenty to choose from. Good luck!
I got really lucky. I received a book in the mail that is from a recognized provider and it had a code on back to enter online. Voila! The book has all of the reading material and the test questions. I just go online and click on my answers. It’s an open book test. Sweet. I think being on the mailing list for Florida Nurses Association is what brought this to my doorstep. One time I am grateful to be on a mailing list.
Damn, Girl! That’s a tough row to hoe, but you have got this. Good Luck anyway. 🙂
Thanks Lockie. I’m peaking away at it. One is completed already. According to this, your situation…had it occurred in the States I guess, would be considered a sentinel event and a medical liability for prosecution. I thought of you as I read it. A good lawyer and some expert witness testimony and who knows?
Hope you get everything accomplished! With Real Estate (I’m marketing/tech/social media, but licensed) we used to have to show proof of CEUs, now you just log-in to an online site and verify you’ve completed your 14 hours every two years. But– the RE Commission randomly audits so woe to anybody who says they’ve done their CE and hasn’t! We do have online courses now, too, which helps,although I usually do classroom setting because it gets me out of the office, LOL! And hey, it’s good to know I’m not the only one who likes to have a back-up of everything on hand in the pantry, freezer and bathrooms! 🙂
Ours used to be honor system reporting, but computers have made it easier for the State to monitor. I’m a little pissed that I have to pay this third party to do all of the reporting, seems like the State ought to have to pay that company they chose to do it. Money, money, money money$$$. Ha! The only things I really worry about running out of feed my addictions; diet cokes, Marlboro, coffee and wine.
Good for you. I was a C.P.M. (certified purchasing manager) and let the CEUs get me. No big deal but should not be something that happens.
So far I’ve only missed one question and I’ve completed two tests. (it was a trick question) Blah! I don’t want to do anymore today.
Take a break. Here take one of your inferior margaritas (you know, limeade and tequila)
Gone on you and much success too. Your energy wears me out. Maybe something’s going around. I don’t know. Just draggy. Might be this winter weather.
Oh, I hope you get your zest back soon. You inspire me. Phooey on this weather. It’s been cold here all day and no sunshine. No fun.
We had a wee bit of sun, more of a tease with cold breezes. I’ll be fine. Too many things gone wrong all at once. That’s all. 😦
Aww…<3
Nuts. I can’t even type. GOOD is the first word. Sorry. 😦
I got it 🙂
😀 😀 😀
Snappy title! I understand about CEUs. My sister, an RN, used to comply with the state rules, trying to pick the most attractive courses available. Then one day she gave up, and now she can’t “practice” any more. She’s into homeopathy, which is more her style. Best wishes – You’ll DUE just fine!
I can relate to your sister. Homeopathy is more my style , too. I just dread the possibility of having to go back into healthcare delivery and not being prepared.
Oh my gosh–good luck! Continuing education is great, but in my opinion, experience should count for more.
I wish, Michelle! I always feel better when I am finished with it though. It makes me feel good to know I’m keeping up despite my retirement.
Good luck, Susan! I have no doubt you’ll get it done. When I worked as a mortgage broker, I had to keep up with state required continuing education. It was a pain, but worth it.
I used to have an insurance licence to help my dad in his office in GA, but I didn’t keep that up. All that business stuff makes my head swim now. I don’t think I could do that again.
Hopefully it will be done and dusted soon, and you can get your smile back – good luck! 🙂
Thanks Jo. I’m about half way there :0
So many professions require these now–my husband has to do these online continuing credit things for teaching, which are often a waste of time.
But as you said, you do want to think people taking care of your medical needs are up-to-date! Good luck!
It’s a good thing, just time consuming.
I DO wish you luck, Susan – I can relate with CLE (legal). I have been adjunct teaching for 17 years and didn’t know I could get CLE credit until about 5 years ago. Ugh! While I can also relate to the pantry backups and the abundance of toilet paper, I can’t relate to the lack of procrastination. I, sadly, dwell in PROCRASTINATIONVILLE. It’s a dreary place. I want to be like you when I grow up and be able to declare that I am procrastination-free. (Hello, my name is Shel Harrington – and I’m a procrastinationholic . . ) [Hmmmm, I believe I have just stumbled upon the start of my next blog post!)
Hahaha! Procrastinationville sounds like a town in the South.
Best of luck, Susan. Keeping up your license is well worth the effort.
Like you, I prepare many things ahead of time. But there are always things I put off. Doing my income tax is one of them.
I know what it’s like to lose a career. After twenty-some years of living overseas in countries where I was unable to work as a teacher, we finally returned to the US, and by then too much had changed. I felt it was too late to go back to teaching.
That’s so sad. I’m sure you would have done a wonderful job, but the student population has changed so much it would have been more than a challenge.
Good luck on paying the piper. I too retired from a midlevel medical position and found the cost of upkeep more than a paycheck. Not only would I have to renew my RN CEUs but also my Midlevel CEUs and retake the certification exam totalling about $6,000 +. All of this was NOT tax deductible unless I was working. Have you noticed the lack of RNs in healthcare? Those uniformed aides are not licensed only certified and receive half the pay of a RN.
The PAs and have pushed their way into the RN’s traditional role. Here, their pay is twice that of an RN and they are most often men. MAs and CNAs are picking up the lower end at half the pay of an RN. It’s only a matter of time before the term nurse is no longer even used.