Below is exactly what Rhode Island Department of Health, Board of Nurse Registration and Nursing Education requires: mandatory topics, exemptions, accepted credit types, and documentation rules.
Reviewed by Doug Doehrman, MD · Last reviewed May 12, 2026
For CRNAs, 10 hours is the total CME requirement. Rhode Island also requires a set of one-time topics that count toward the 10-hour total.
“Nurses seeking to renew a nursing license must complete 10 continuing education hours during every two year licensing cycle, two of those hours must be about substance abuse.”
“Effective August 1, 2019, every nurse has to complete one hour (per career) of CEU training regarding Alzheimer's disease. RI LAW: RIGL section 23-1.7.”
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.
DEA-registered practitioners (including CRNAs/APRNs) must complete at least 8 hours of education on treating or managing patients with opioid or other substance use disorders, per the federal MATE Act (effective June 27, 2023). This is a one-time requirement tied to DEA registration/renewal, not per biennium.
“the US Congress' new one-time requirement that went into effect on June 27, 2023, requiring any new or renewing Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)-registered practitioners, with the exception of veterinarians, to complete at least eight hours of education on the treatment or management of patients with opioid or other substance use disorder.”
CRNAs must hold and maintain current NBCRNA national certification as a condition of RI APRN-CRNA licensure.
Credit must come from an organization accredited by the ACCME, AMA, Rhode Island 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 system | Notes |
|---|---|
ANCC Contact Hour | Courses approved by the American Nurses Credentialing Center accepted.Sourcehttps://health.ri.gov/licensing/nurses/[1] |
NBCRNA Class A | NBCRNA Class A credits accepted.Sourcehttps://www.nbcrna.com/continued-certification[2] |
NBCRNA_CLASS_B | NBCRNA Class B credits accepted.Sourcehttps://www.nbcrna.com/continued-certification[2] |
Board-approved credit | Recognized professional nursing organizations, Board-approved nursing schools, and other organizations recognized by the Board.Sourcehttps://health.ri.gov/licensing/nurses/[1] |
Physicians are responsible for retaining CME documentation and producing it on request. Requirements include course title, dates, hours, sponsoring organization, and accrediting body.
No formal waivers or exemptions are published for Rhode Island.
Atlas CME tracks your hours, maps them to your state requirements, and reminds you before your your license anniversary renewal.
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.
“Nurses seeking to renew a nursing license must complete 10 continuing education hours during every two year licensing cycle, two of those hours must be about substance abuse.”216-RICR-40-05-3.5
“Effective August 1, 2019, every nurse has to complete one hour (per career) of CEU training regarding Alzheimer's disease. RI LAW: RIGL section 23-1.7.”RIGL § 23-1.7 · Effective 2019-08-01
“the US Congress' new one-time requirement that went into effect on June 27, 2023, requiring any new or renewing Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)-registered practitioners, with the exception of veterinarians, to complete at least eight hours of education on the treatment or management of patients with opioid or other substance use disorder.”21 U.S.C. § 823(g); RIDOH guidance · Effective 2023-06-27