CONTINUING
EDUCATION
Wyoming Nurses Association Registered Nurse Refresher Program
General Information
The Registered Nurse Refresher Program, sponsored by the Wyoming Nurses Association, is designed for registered nurses 1) whose licenses are inactive or lapsed, 2) who have worked in a particular health care setting for a number of years and who wish to return to practice in another setting, and/or 3) desire an update in professional nursing for any other valid reason.
The program is designed to follow the guidelines established by the Wyoming State Board of Nursing for refresher courses and builds on prior knowledge and skills. It can be accomplished by the participant in any region via correspondence study and a supervised clinical practicum.
The theoretical portion of the program includes twenty-two self-study modules which cover issues, trends, and legal/ethical aspects of contemporary nursing practice, a pharmacology update, an anatomy and physiology review, principles of psychosocial nursing care, and the use of the nursing process as a framework for the nursing care of clients throughout the lifespan. Objectives for the modules address the following:
- Current trends affecting nursing practice
- Legal and ethical issues
- Health care teaching and discharge planning
- Importance of continued professional growth
- Communication/collaboration with the health care team
- Quality assurance issues
- Implementation of the nursing process with clients throughout the lifespan
- Pharmacotherapeutics
The clinical practicum takes place in an agency of the nurse's choosing under the direction of a qualified registered nurse preceptor. Agencies recommended for the clinical practicum include hospitals, nursing homes, and community or home health care agencies. Specialized facilities such as psychiatric units, emergency rooms, intensive care units, and physician's offices are not recommended as pracicum sites because of the difficulty in accomplishing the required clinical skills. A minimum of eighty (80) hours is required for the practicum experience.
The program is designed to be flexible so that participants may remain in their own areas and proceed at their own pace. A participant is allowed twelve (12) months to complete the program, but may finish it as early as twelve weeks. Nurses who complete the course successfully will receive a certificate of achievement.
Students may enroll at any time of the year. In order to be eligible for the program, the applicant must have:
- Evidence of unencumbered licensure as a registered nurse. If the license has lapsed, contact the Wyoming State Board of Nursing, 2020 Carey Avenue, Suite 110, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82002, or call (307)777-7601 for information about obtaining conditional licensure.
- Current professional liability insurance.
- Arrangements with a local health care agency for a clinical practicum of not less than eighty (80) hours with a nurse preceptor. The preceptor must be a registered nurse who holds a unencumbered license in the State of Wyoming, has at least two years of clinical experience within the last three years, and possesses professional liability insurance as an individual, or is covered by the employing agency. This process need not be started until evidence has been shown that the theoretical portion of the program is near completion.
In order to complete the program successfully, the participant must:
- Submit all forms, evaluations, and fees as required by Wyoming Nurses Association.
- Engage in all learning activities as specified in the course outline.
- Complete and submit all study materials as required by the course outline.
- Complete all written tests with a grade of 75% or better on each test. If a grade on a test is lower than 75%, the test may be repeated. A maximum of three different test may be repeated once. The average of the original test and the repeated test must be 75% or better.
- Receive a satisfactory rating for the clinical practicum.
For more information contact:
Laura Meloche, CE Committee Chair
Home Phone: 307-742-9673
e-mail: meloRN@bresnan.net
Go to WNA Registered Nurse Refresher Course
