Continuing Ed: A Love/Hate Relationship
September 2002
by Vicki Peterson, Director of Marketing
www.AAACEUs.com

As a youngster, I always dreamed of the day I'd be all grown up and free from the demands of homework! Certainly I thought that when I graduated, not only would I "know it all", but I'd never have to take another test!   So I finished school, became a registered nurse, got certified . . . AND THEN was informed about all the continuing education requirements!
   As if I had time to do anything other that work and work!    Well, it isn't that I don't like to learn because I love to learn new things. . I just don't have the time to go to a class or a conference. If I had extra time, I'd either take a nap, read a book, sit in the sun, visit with the kids (or grandkids), get a massage, go to the movies, garden, take a walk, go for coffee with friends, go shopping, (did I mention anything about completing a continuing ed class?)    So much for the love-hate relationship of continuing ed.
    And now that I have an alphabet of letters after my name, RN, BSN, CMCN, CCM, CDMS, CRC, CRRN, COHN, COHN-S, CPHQ, etc. I'm expected to take (what seems like) 100's of continuing ed contact hours each year.
   Wait -- in comes the Internet (on the proverbial white horse) to save the day. And I thought the internet was just for email and checking airline rates.
    Now there are online continuing ed classes that are interesting, relevant affordable AND approved for (almost) every certification!    I really can wait until the last minute to fulfill those continuing ed requirements!
    One such site -- recently introduced to the case management community -- is: www.CEUs4CaseManagers.com (Owned and managed by an experienced, practicing Case Manager).
    The course topics range from introductory to advanced and include actual case studies as well as classes covering

• Disease Management,
• Catastrophic Case Management,
• Managed Care Issues,
• Ethics,
• Utilization Review,
• Discharge Planning,
• Quality Assurance,
• Communication Skills,
• Rehab CM
• and much more.

    Most importantly, the courses are extremely convenient and easy to complete. I can take each class on my own schedule (even in my own home after everyone else goes to bed). I just print off the course content (click on FILE and PRINT), read the material at my leisure and return to take the test and print off my certificate(s) -- whenever I have time. Relatively painless, in the realm of things.
   Since maintaining my licenses and certifications is so important, especially when it comes to getting a job or a promotion, then I guess I will have to learn to love continuing ed.
    The good news is that I can now take my continuing ed online -- I have a wide choice of topics and the courses are extremely affordable.
    For these reasons, many Employers have corporate accounts with websites such as www.CEUs4CaseManagers.com and are paying for the courses taken by their employees!  (especially when they require these certifications in the first place).
    The answer to this love-hate relationship is as close as my computer and who knows. . . maybe I will end up loving continuing ed after all.

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