(a) Each person renewing his or her license under Section 2811 shall submit proof satisfactory to the board that, during the preceding two-year period, he or she has been informed of the developments in the registered nurse field or in any special area of practice engaged in by the licensee, occurring since the last renewal thereof, either by pursuing a course or courses of continuing education in the registered nurse field or relevant to the practice of the licensee, and approved by the board, or by other means deemed equivalent by the board.

(b) Notwithstanding Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, the board, in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code, shall do the following:

(1) By January 1, 2019, deliver a report to the appropriate legislative policy committees detailing a comprehensive plan for approving and disapproving continuing education opportunities.

(2) By January 1, 2020, report to the appropriate legislative committees on its progress implementing this plan.

(c) For purposes of this section, the board shall, by regulation, establish standards for continuing education. The standards shall be established in a manner to ensure that a variety of alternative forms of continuing education are available to licensees, including, but not limited to, online, academic studies, in-service education, institutes, seminars, lectures, conferences, workshops, extension studies, and home study programs. The standards shall take cognizance of specialized areas of practice, and content shall be relevant to the practice of nursing and shall be related to the scientific knowledge or technical skills required for the practice of nursing or be related to direct or indirect patient or client care. The continuing education standards established by the board shall not exceed 30 hours of direct participation in a course or courses approved by the board, or its equivalent in the units of measure adopted by the board.

(d) The board shall audit continuing education providers at least once every five years to ensure adherence to regulatory requirements, and shall withhold or rescind approval from any provider that is in violation of the regulatory requirements.

(e) The board shall encourage continuing education in spousal or partner abuse detection and treatment. In the event the board establishes a requirement for continuing education coursework in spousal or partner abuse detection or treatment, that requirement shall be met by each licensee within no more than four years from the date the requirement is imposed.

(f) In establishing standards for continuing education, the board shall consider including a course in the special care needs of individuals and their families, including, but not limited to, all of the following:

(1) Pain and symptom management, including palliative care.

(2) The psychosocial dynamics of death.

(3) Dying and bereavement.

(4) Hospice care.

(g) This section shall not apply to licensees during the first two years immediately following their initial licensure in California or any other governmental jurisdiction.

(h) The board may, in accordance with the intent of this section, make exceptions from continuing education requirements for licensees residing in another state or country, or for reasons of health, military service, or other good cause.

(Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 520, Sec. 7. (SB 799) Effective January 1, 2018.)