Best Workshops for Nurses in NYC to get Continuing Education Units

Making time for Continuing Education Units (CEUs) can be incredibly difficult for nurses. Although New York City is full of hospitals and universities, most physicians and nurse trainers are too busy with their own work to offer Continuing Education Units.

While some nursing specializations have organizations that offer specific CEUs and workshops, smaller subspecialties may have a limited number of workshops for nurses.

Fortunately, there is a growing number of CEU providers, and the number of online offerings is increasing. Although prerecorded online Continuing Education Units offerings don’t have the same level of activities as live ones, they can be an option for busy nurses.

Here are the best workshop and continuing education providers in New York City and the surrounding area.

New York-Presbyterian

The list of conferences and courses through New York-Presbyterian is impressive. Nursing professionals of all specialties should find something here. Topics range from palliative care to Spanish for nurses. Later in the year, the conferences tend to host at least some workshops that are eligible for Continuing Education Units. This is one of the best options for live training and seminars, so don’t miss out.

NYC Health + Hospitals

The NYC Health + Hospitals corporation has a good list of workshop offerings, many of which are eligible for nursing CEUs. They have both online and in-person courses, covering a variety of topics. The workshops are generally not posted more than a month in advance, so check back often for more postings.

PESI Healthcare

PESI offers both online and in-person training at locations around the country. Although some of their training focuses on physicians, many are applicable to nursing. Topics in NYC in 2020 include postpartum care, cardiac care, and much more. They also have specialized training on behavioral health and rehabilitation topics. When signing up, double-check to make sure the event you want is eligible for CEUs.

New York State Nurses Association

This union offers excellent in-person CEU opportunities, which are steeply discounted for members. Topics for 2020 include telehealth and charting, but more topics are added regularly. NYSNA also facilitates non-CEU training, medical missions, and much more, so it’s worth checking their website for new opportunities.

Elite Healthcare

Elite Healthcare’s workshops are online, but they are certified for CEUs in New York state. They’re an excellent option for busy nurses who don’t live or work near another workshop option.

Elite Healthcare’s courses cover a vast range of topics, and many can be finished in just a few hours. They offer up-to-date information on medical ethics, technology, and even health risks like electronic cigarettes. Though they are usually pre-recorded instead of live, Elite has well-designed course content that keeps participant questions to a minimum.

Great Nurses

Although Great Nurses concentrates in CCRN review courses. They also organize in-person seminars on specialized topics. Dr. Laura Gasparis Vonfrolio is an energetic and highly qualified trainer who can make CEU hours more engaging than most.

The seminars are hosted on an irregular basis, so you’ll need to keep an eye out for a topic that interests you. However, one of their most popular training is more like a vacation: Great Nurses occasionally organizes trips to Jamaica with CEU hours built-in! 

In-Person vs. Online

There are many New York state certified online CEU providers, and good CEUs don’t have to cost a lot. Online CEUs can cost under $15 per hour, but these have minimal interactivity and are not designed for asking lots of questions. The same goes for mail-in CEUs, which almost never have meaningful interactivity but can still be full of useful information. 

In-person options can cost upwards $20 per CEU hour, or more if it’s on a very specialized topic. Most in-person workshops have a maximum number of participants, and the lower the maximum number is, the more the workshop will typically cost.

However, small in-person training can be well worth the cost for specialized hands-on experience. Especially if you prefer live training that allows time for questions. Some unions and professional organizations will also offer subsidized rates for members. So it’s worth checking out any professional organization you’re part of.

Watch Out for Scams!

Some medical conferences and training advertise good workshops but are misleading in their advertising and are inadequately managed or vetted. These “predatory conferences,” as academics often call them, often appear well-organized on the surface. Fake or poorly vetted training has begun to appear in nursing circles in recent years, thanks in part to how easy it is to make a professional-looking website.

In some cases, these conferences will contain helpful information despite not being qualified for CEUs. However, some conferences and training will try to sell you things you don’t need or even try to rope you into a sketchy business venture. Online and mail-in CEU opportunities are often legitimate but are sometimes scams as well.

Stick to reputable workshops and conferences. If you can’t find good reviews and information about the event organizer, just pick another workshop. New York City is full of experienced and properly licensed medical professionals who can provide a wide range of training for rookie and veteran nurses. Whether you’re continuing as an RN or are looking to advance your nursing career, you’ll find something that improves your skills.