About

About the Nurse Refresher Program

There are separate approved refresher programs for Registered and Licensed Practical (vocational term is used in some states) Nurses. Each program has two components:

  1. Didactic modules and a pre-clinical post-test based on current nursing practice standards.
  2. Clinical hours aimed at developing current skills and utilization of content learned in the didactic modules that are completed under the supervision of a licensed nurse.

Idaho Launch Program

For Idaho residents, the Idaho Workforce Development Council offers a workforce grant that will support the RN or LPN fees for the NRP through a program called Idaho Launch.

Idaho Launch is a program of the Idaho Workforce Development Council that provides financial support to Idahoans for approved training. The Nurse Refresher Program has been approved for support through Idaho Launch. Before you start your training program, please visit this link and fill in the form: Idaho Launch Nursing Refresher Program. Once you fill out the form, you will be instructed to create an Idaho Works account if you don’t already have one. You will also be contacted by a career planner from the Idaho Department of Labor. The career planner will walk you through the process of enrolling in Idaho Launch.

Admission to the Nurse Refresher Program

Admission to take the Nurse Refresher Program is not automatic. Here are the necessary steps to enroll in the program.

  1. Review the policy on NRP requirements first and determine if you are eligible and what you can expect during the program.
  2. If you do not have a current nursing license, contact your State Board of Nursing and discuss the process to re-activate your nursing license, even if you were previously licensed in a different state than where you now live.
  3. If the Board of Nursing determines that you are eligible for the NRP program, ask them to send an Authorization Form (found in the In-Idaho Programs page or the Out-of-Idaho Programs page) to the NRP so that your application file can be opened.
    • Please complete the “Participant Section” of the Authorization Form before it is sent to the Board of Nursing.
    • NOTE: The Authorization Form is required before you are admitted to the program!
  4. Contact nurserefresher@nurseleaders.org for further instructions.

Didactic Modules

Once you are admitted to the Nurse Refresher Program, purchase and complete the didactic modules and post test.

RN Refresher Program

Module 1: Nursing in Idaho Today

Module 2: Basic Skills Checklist

Module 3: Patient Assessment

Module 4: Nursing Care Plans and Documentation

Module 5: Diagnostic Tests

Module 6: Intravenous Therapy

Module 7: Pharmacology

LPN Refresher Program

Module 1: Nursing in Idaho Today

Module 2: Anatomy and Physiology

Module 3: Skills for the LPN

Module 4: The Nursing Process

Module 5: Medication Administration

Module 6: Diagnostic Tests

Module 7: Geriatric Nursing

Module 8: Stress Management and Human Sexuality

Module 9: Patient Care Scenarios

Clinical Hours

After successfully completing the post-test, the NRP will notify you and your Board of Nursing that you can advance to the clinical component of the program. You will be emailed a clinical packet that includes information about your clinical as well as documents that need to be completed during clinicals and emailed to the NRP coordinator. You will then need to contact the Board of Nursing in your state to coordinate what they require to give you a temporary nursing license (which may or may not be required in your state). You can then schedule your clinical time for the required number of hours.

    • Clinical placement may need a clinical experience agreement (contract) with the facility. This document should be signed by the agency where you will get clinical experience and also by the NRP program coordinator. A copy of the clinical experience contract will be maintained in your NRP file for malpractice insurance purposes.
    • The NRP provides malpractice insurance for all participants who enrolled after April 1, 2023.
    • Clinical experience will require a licensed nurse preceptor.
      • If you are an RN, the preceptor must be an RN.
      • If you are an LPN, the preceptor may be either an RN or an LPN.
    • Maintain a log of your clinical hours. At the end of your required hours, submit the log to the NRP coordinator.
    • Your clinical nurse preceptor must also provide a letter that states you successfully completed the required clinical hours and an assessment of your competency level.
      • If you are obtaining an Idaho license, this letter must be emailed directly to ibn@dopl.idaho.gov and cc’d to nurserefresher@nurseleaders.org.