Below is exactly what Iowa Board of Nursing (administered by DIAL — Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing) requires: mandatory topics, exemptions, accepted credit types, and documentation rules.
Compiled by Atlas CME from official board sources · Last updated April 25, 2026
Iowa has no state-mandated topic requirements beyond the 36-hour total.
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.
RNs who examine, attend, counsel, or treat children in Iowa
“The person shall complete the core training curriculum relating to the identification and reporting of child abuse every three years.”
RNs who examine, attend, counsel, or treat dependent adults in Iowa
“The person shall complete the core training curriculum relating to the identification and reporting of dependent adult abuse every three years.”
Credit must come from an organization accredited by the ACCME, AMA, Iowa 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 | ANCC-accredited CE and equivalent nursing CE accepted under the current subject-matter test (product-modeling mapping onto Iowa Admin. Code r. 481—619.2(3); Iowa no longer names ANCC by rule as of the 6/4/25 re-promulgation). 1 contact hour = 60 minutes of didactic instruction, self-study, or clinical/laboratory practicum. Up to 18 contact hours from a prior renewal period may be carried over if the 36-hour minimum was exceeded.SourceIowa Admin. Code 481-619.2(2)-(3)[3] |
Board-approved credit | nursing practice CE, professional development, sciences underlying nursing, health care ethics/law/social aspects, patient education, academic coursework (1 semester hour = 15 contact hours; 1 quarter hour = 10 contact hours), national certifications (= 36 hours), preceptorships (minimum 60-hour preceptorship = 6 contact hours), and nurse residency programs (= 36 hours). CPR/BLS, orientation in-services, and self-help courses do not count.SourceIowa Admin. Code 481-619.2(3)[4] |
Physicians are responsible for retaining CME documentation and producing it on request. Requirements include course title, dates, hours, sponsoring organization, and accrediting body.
Active military duty during the renewal period
Current licensure in another mandatory CE state — Iowa accepts proof of CE completed in another state with a mandatory CE requirement as satisfying the Iowa CE obligation
Nursing employment outside the United States during the renewal period
Documented physical or mental disability that prevented completion of CE during the renewal period, with board approval of an extension
Current national certification or recertification related to nursing practice — counts as the full 36 contact hours of CE
Completion of a board-approved nurse residency program — counts as 36 contact hours of CE
Approved make-up credit may be used once per renewal period for CE completed after the renewal deadline
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.
“The person shall complete the core training curriculum relating to the identification and reporting of child abuse every three years.”Iowa Code § 232.69(3)(b); rule layer Iowa Admin. Code r. 481—617.8(3)'d'(2)
“The person shall complete the core training curriculum relating to the identification and reporting of dependent adult abuse every three years.”Iowa Code § 235B.16(5)(b); rule layer Iowa Admin. Code r. 481—617.8(3)'d'(3)