Continuing Education for Nurses

Children's Hospital Colorado's Division of Patient Care Services leaders and team members value professional development. All nurses are encouraged to participate in continuing education activities annually.

Our continuing nursing education options include unit-based programs, conferences and self-study programs. Children’s is approved as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by Colorado Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.

Annual nursing conferences

We offer a variety of healthcare conferences throughout the year for nurses.

Pediatric Advanced Practice Conference

This annual conference is presented with support from the Rocky Mountain Chapter National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. During the conference, we address clinical updates in evidence-based care for a variety of diagnoses and professional issues for advanced practice providers. The conference includes keynote addresses, panel presentations and workshops.

Ethics Conference

This popular interdisciplinary conference delves into various approaches to the ethical analysis of complex medical decisions in pediatric care. During the conference, we inquire skillfully into the complex narratives we often encounter in the medical field. We analyze our personal and professional values, as well as the objectivity necessary for practical ethical analysis.

Perinatal Clinical Update

During this conference, we review aspects of assessment, stabilization and acute care of high-risk pregnant women, fetuses and newborn infants. Discussions focus on clinical cases, current perspectives and evidence-based information.

O’Neil Pediatric Clinical Update

This conference, held in conjunction with the Nursing Research and Evidenced-Based Practice Poster Fair, focuses on assessment and management of common pediatric conditions in hospital, ambulatory and community settings. Interprofessional participation is encouraged for nurses, advanced practice providers, child life specialists, medical assistants, therapists, social workers, EMS providers and others interested in improving the care of infants, children and youth.

Community and School Health Pediatric Conference

At the Community and School Health Pediatric Conference, presenters emphasize an integrated approach among family, community and healthcare teams. We focus on how to transition infants, children and youth with increasing complex health needs back to their communities.

End of Life Nursing Education Consortium

Over two days, conference presenters address different aspects of perinatal or pediatric terminal illness and the bereavement process. We teach attendees how to provide evidence-based care for patients as well as emotional and spiritual support for caregivers and survivors.

Resilience and self-care for nurses

We support self-care and resilience for nurses by providing a variety of courses and resources for team members throughout their careers. Our offerings include:

• Caritas Circles: The nursing care team comes together at the beginning of each shift to support one another and prepare for the workday.
• Heart Math: This class provides a unique set of techniques to lower stress and boost resilience, while engaging the power of positive emotions to promote well-being and self-care.
• Three Vital Questions: This class teaches attendees how to act as a creator and achieve goals.
• The Kali Whittle Resilience Conference: This conference brings together resiliency experts to support staff by creating opportunities to find peace and healing while caring for others.

Nurses at Children's Colorado have many opportunities for continuing education. Learn more about current continuing education opportunities, and view our Research and Evidence-Based Practice Continuing Education (.pdf) overview.