Rhode Island Board of Nurse Registration and Nursing Education · RN

10 hours. Every two years. Tied to your license anniversary.

Below is exactly what Rhode Island Board of Nurse Registration and Nursing Education requires: mandatory topics, exemptions, accepted credit types, and documentation rules.

Updated April 2026Sourced from RIBNRNE~8 min read

Compiled by Atlas CME from official board sources · Last updated July 4, 2026

Mandatory topics

For RNs, 10 hours is the total CME requirement. Rhode Island also requires a set of one-time topics that count toward the 10-hour total.

Opioid/Substance Use[1]
2 hrs
Biennial
2 of the required 10 CE hours must specifically address substance abuse. Per the RIDOH nurses licensing page.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“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.”
RIDOH Nursing Licensing Page (2hr substance abuse)See source [1] in Primary Sources
Alzheimer's Disease & Dementia[1]
1 hr
One-time
One-time Alzheimer's disease education (1 contact hour) required once per nursing career. Effective August 1, 2019. Not recurring per renewal period — only required once in career.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“Effective August 1, 2019, every nurse has to complete one hour (per career) of CEU training regarding Alzheimer”
RIDOH Nursing Licensing Page / RIGL § 23-1.7See source [1] in Primary Sources
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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.

ConditionalControlled Substance Prescribing[1]
8 hrs
One-time

New DEA-registered practitioners (nurses who obtain new DEA registration)

View sourceVerbatim from source
“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.”
Federal MATE Act / RIDOH Nursing PageSee source [1] in Primary Sources
Accepted credit

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 systemNotes
ANCC Contact Hour
CE from ANCC-accredited providers or ANCC local chapter accepted.Source216-RICR-40-05-3.5(B)
Board-approved credit
CE from other recognized professional nursing organizations, departments/schools of nursing approved by a board of nursing, or other professional/labor organizations approved by the Board.Source216-RICR-40-05-3.5(B)
Documentation & audit

CE records must be retained for 4 years. Attestation of compliance required at renewal. Random audits may be conducted by the Department.

Waivers & exemptions

6-month hardship extension

FAQ
Is the 2-hour substance abuse CE a topic restriction or a standalone requirement?
The 2-hour substance abuse requirement is a topic restriction within the 10-hour biennial total, not an additional requirement beyond it. Rhode Island nurses must complete 10 contact hours per renewal period, and at least 2 of those hours must be dedicated to substance abuse topics. Completing 8 hours of general nursing CE and 2 hours of substance abuse CE satisfies the full 10-hour requirement. A nurse who completed 10 hours of general CE without including any substance abuse content would not have met the requirement even though the contact hour total appears correct. Qualifying substance abuse content includes courses addressing substance use disorder, opioid awareness, addiction recognition and referral, and related clinical topics.
Is Rhode Island in the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC)?
Yes. Rhode Island is a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact. Like the nearly forty states that participate in the NLC, Rhode Island allows a nurse whose primary state of residence is another NLC member state to practice in Rhode Island under that home-state multistate license, and allows eligible Rhode Island residents to hold a multistate Rhode Island license valid across all NLC states. Nurses whose home state is not an NLC member, or who do not qualify for a multistate license, must obtain a single-state Rhode Island license. CE compliance follows the nurse's primary state of residence; nurses holding a Rhode Island license are subject to the state's 10-hour biennial CE requirements.
What is the Alzheimer's training requirement for Rhode Island nurses?
Rhode Island requires all nurses to complete one contact hour of Alzheimer's disease education once per nursing career — not once per renewal cycle. This one-time requirement took effect on August 1, 2019, and applies to all licensees regardless of specialty or practice setting. Nurses who completed this training after August 1, 2019, have permanently satisfied the requirement and do not need to repeat it at subsequent renewals. Nurses who have not yet completed it should do so during their current renewal period to come into full compliance. The training is described on the RIDOH nurses licensing page, though it does not appear in the specific text of 216-RICR-40-05-3.5 as retrieved — it may be codified in a related regulation section or published as a board policy.
Where can I check my Rhode Island RN license renewal date?
Rhode Island nurses can look up their license status and renewal information through the Rhode Island Department of Health licensing portal at health.ri.gov/licensing/nurses. This page links to the state's online license verification and renewal system, where nurses can confirm their current license expiration date and initiate the renewal process. Renewal notices are distributed to the licensee's address on file with the Department, so nurses should keep their contact information current through the RIDOH portal to ensure they receive timely renewal reminders.

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Other roles in Rhode Island

Registered Nurses CME requirements in other states

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. Rhode Island Department of Health — Nurses Licensing Page
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-24
    Show verbatim text
    “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.”RIDOH Nursing Licensing Page (2hr substance abuse)
    “Effective August 1, 2019, every nurse has to complete one hour (per career) of CEU training regarding Alzheimer”RIDOH Nursing Licensing Page / RIGL § 23-1.7 · Effective 2019-08-01
    “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.”Federal MATE Act / RIDOH Nursing Page

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 Rhode Island Board of Nurse Registration and Nursing Education, 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 medical board before relying on any information presented here.

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