Continuing Education Program for Nurses at Benefis Receives Accolade

Benefis Health System is approved with distinction as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by Montana Nurses Association, an accredited approver with distinction by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Commission on Accreditation.

The Approved Provider Unit at Benefis is responsible for continued education or professional development offerings. In 2025, they offered 67 activities that provided 1,556.5 continuing education hours to 553 nurses, eight advanced practice nurses, and 273 “other” learners.

The Approved Provider Unit was established about 15 years ago, and they are required to submit a self-study every three years to maintain the ability to provide continuing education hours to nurses. The latest study submitted led to the approval with distinction.

"Although we have maintained this approval status over the years, approval with distinction is a special designation that reflects our commitment to nursing professional development at a time when it can be described as a burden or just an obligation," says Unit-Based Educator Tiffany Otheim, BSN, RN. "We see education as more of a strategic investment in nurses as professionals, and we want to support lifelong learning and reduce any barriers to continuing education. These efforts are important as healthcare is an increasingly complex environment and standards of care and best practices quickly change."

We commend the Approved Provider Unit and the all of the nurse educators in Organizational Development for their commitment to providing high-quality, evidence-based educational opportunities for nurses at Benefis. Thank you for all you do!