Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services — Nursing (NE DHHS Nursing) · NP

0 hours. Every two years. On a fixed renewal cycle.

Below is exactly what Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services — Nursing (NE DHHS Nursing) requires: mandatory topics, exemptions, accepted credit types, and documentation rules.

Updated April 2026Sourced from NDHHS—N(DN~5 min read

Reviewed by Doug Doehrman, MD · Last reviewed April 25, 2026

Mandatory topics

Nebraska has no state-mandated topic requirements beyond the 0-hour total.

Atlas CME tracks each of these mandatory topics against your Nebraska cycle automatically. Start tracking free →
Conditional requirements

These rules apply only when the trigger described under each card is met (for example, holding a state-issued controlled substance registration or treating a specific patient population). Each cites the underlying statute or rule directly.

ConditionalOpioid / controlled substances[1]
3 hrs
Biennial

NPs (nurse practitioners) who prescribe controlled substances

View sourceVerbatim from source
“Effective October 1, 2018, nurse midwives, dentists, physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, podiatrists, and veterinarians prescribing controlled substances must complete at least three hours of continuing education biennially regarding prescribing opiates. Half an hour must cover the prescription drug monitoring program.”
Neb. Rev. Stat. § 38-145See source [1] in Primary Sources
Accepted credit

Credit must come from an organization accredited by the ACCME, AMA, Nebraska Medical Association, or AAFP. ACGME residency or fellowship time accrues toward the requirement. Teaching or presenting accredited CME can satisfy a portion of required hours.

Credit systemNotes
ANCC Contact Hour
ANCC-accredited CE accepted. National certification from a recognized organization may satisfy the continuing competency requirement for RN renewal. APRN/NP licensure requires current national certification under § 38-2317.SourceNeb. Rev. Stat. § 38-2317 / 172 Neb. Admin. Code ch. 101
Board-approved credit
Same broad CE credit types as RN renewal apply to the underlying RN continuing competency requirement. APRN-specific CE: 2,080 practice hours as an NP within the previous 5 years is required for APRN-NP renewal.SourceNebraska DHHS APRN requirements page
Documentation & audit

Physicians are responsible for retaining CME documentation and producing it on request. Requirements include course title, dates, hours, sponsoring organization, and accrediting body.

Waivers & exemptions

Opioid CE sunset provision

FAQ
Does Nebraska require pharmacology CE for NPs with prescriptive authority?
Nebraska requires 3 CE hours on prescribing opiates (including at least 0.5 hours on the prescription drug monitoring program) per biennial period for NPs who prescribe controlled substances, under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 38-145, effective October 1, 2018. This requirement is set to expire January 1, 2029 unless extended by the legislature. There is no separate general pharmacology CE requirement for NPs with prescriptive authority beyond the opioid prescribing mandate.
Does Nebraska require NPs to maintain national certification for APRN licensure?
Yes. Neb. Rev. Stat. § 38-2317 requires NPs to hold current national certification from an approved examination program for their specific practice role as a condition of APRN licensure. NPs must also demonstrate 2,080 hours of practice as an NP within the previous 5 years (or, for initial APRN licensure, evidence of completing 2,000 NP practice hours). National certification must be renewed and kept current throughout the licensure period.
Is Nebraska in the APRN Compact?
Nebraska is a member of the base NLC (Nursing Licensure Compact), which governs the underlying RN license. Nebraska's APRN Compact membership status was not confirmed during the Layer 1 scrape. NPs practicing in multiple states should contact DHHS Regulation and Licensure at (402) 471-4376 or dhhs.nursingoffice@nebraska.gov to confirm Nebraska's APRN Compact status.
Where can I renew my Nebraska NP/APRN license?
Nebraska NPs renew online at https://nebraska.mylicense.com/. Both RN and APRN licenses expire October 31 of even-numbered years. The Nebraska DHHS renewal and CE page at https://dhhs.ne.gov/licensure/Pages/Nurse-Licensing-Renewal-and-Continuing-Education.aspx provides pathway information. DHHS can be reached at (402) 471-4376 or dhhs.nursingoffice@nebraska.gov.

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Sources & Citations

Every mandatory topic and conditional requirement above cites the underlying statute or rule. Numbered references below correspond to the bracketed citations next to each requirement.

  1. Neb. Rev. Stat. § 38-145 — Continuing Competency Requirements
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-23
    Show verbatim text
    “Effective October 1, 2018, nurse midwives, dentists, physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, podiatrists, and veterinarians prescribing controlled substances must complete at least three hours of continuing education biennially regarding prescribing opiates. Half an hour must cover the prescription drug monitoring program.”Neb. Rev. Stat. § 38-145 · Effective 2018-10-01

This page is provided for general educational purposes and reflects the best available information as of the last reviewed date above. CME requirements change. Atlas CME is not affiliated with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services — Nursing (NE DHHS Nursing), or any other state medical board, licensing authority, or professional organization. Physicians are solely responsible for verifying their own current CME requirements directly with their state's medical board before relying on any information presented here.

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