To ensure safe and high-quality care, nurses are required to regularly update their knowledge and competencies through Continuing Nursing Education (CNE). This is possible only by having a standard uniform system of CNE implementation guidelines across the country. Absence of such a framework leads to issues:

● For individual nurses: Without CNE, nurses and midwives have outdated knowledge, weaker clinical competencies, and limited career progression.

● For employer: Nurses with outdated knowledge may not provide top quality care to the patients, compromising on employer image in the market.

● For the public: It may translate into compromised quality of care, reduced patient safety, and a workforce unprepared to respond to changing disease patterns and health needs.

78 The Indian Nursing Council has formulated guidelines for implementation of CNE across the country during the year 2005 and revised in 2019 and some state nursing registration councils have implemented these CNE guidelines. The National Nursing and Midwifery Commission Act 2023 states that The National commission may set up regulations to provide basic standards for continuing professional education.

To ensure continuous upskilling of nurses and midwives so they remain professionally competent and deliver safe, high-quality care to the public.

  • A state-level CNE policy should establish a framework for professional development, and
    approved educational activities. It must also define the criteria for awarding credit points and
    set up a system for monitoring and evaluation to ensure compliance and effectiveness.

    • Highlights from the Bihar CNE policy: Eligibility: Eligible entities to conduct CNE sessions include the State nursing council
      (SNRC), SNRC-recognized nursing institutions, and certain government and autonomous
      institutions.
      CNE coordinator and members from different nursing specialties
      workshops, and seminars.
      ● Committee Composition: will have 8 members which includes the Chairperson, Secretary,
      ● Activities: The program includes various activities such as webinars, conferences,
      ● Credit Points: To renew their registration, nurses must obtain a maximum of 150 CNE
      points every five years by attending CNE programs or modules.
      ● Approval Process: Institutions must apply online at least one month in advance, and the
      CNE committee will provisionally approve sessions by a specific date of the month.
      ● Observer: An observer is required for CNE sessions that are four hours or longer and are
      tentatively assigned credit points.
      80
      ● Monitoring: The CNE committee monitors the development of programs by reviewing
      pre-test, post-test scores, and participant feedback within a fixed timeline.
      ● Violations: If an institution is found to have violated the policy, it can be blacklisted for at
      least two years and barred from conducting CNE programs.
      ● Transferring Points: A nurse transferring from another state must provide a letter of
      accrued credit points, or they will forfeit those points.
      ● Grievance Redressal: Institutes or nurses can file a written complaint or email the CNE
      coordinator if they encounter any grievances.

2025 Nursing Corporation. All rights reserved.