If you see a nurse engrossed in her or his smartphone, don’t assume the nurse is just catching up on social media. 

A new mobile app developed by a Cedar Rapids-based software company aims to make it easier for nurses across the country to more easily earn their continuing education credits on the go. Genova Technologies Inc. recently rolled out its CEHQ app, which enables nurses to complete credits using content from a database of medical sources compiled by the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. 

“Nurses are some of the busiest women and men in the workforce, juggling multiple professional responsibilities, in addition to their personal lives,” said Dawn Ainger, Genova’s chairman and CEO, who has owned the company since 2001. “We recognized the need to simplify the process by which nurses earn their continuing education.”  

Genova is well-known for its work in the defense and aviation industries; among its products is avionics software for Rockwell Collins. The mobile application is the first in the state to be approved for continuing education by the Iowa Board of Nursing, said Laura Hudson, the board’s associate director for continuing education/workforce. 

Licensed practical nurses and registered nurses in Iowa are required to complete 24 contact hours of continuing education for their initial re-licensure and then 36 contact hours every three years. The CEHQ app has also been approved by the boards of nursing in every state requiring continuing education, Ainger said. 

The response from nurses across the country has been overwhelming, she said. “They are thankful to have a tool that breaks their CEUs into short chunks that they can tackle while treating patients, during their commute, in the bleachers watching a child’s sporting event, or over a lunch break.” 

The app is available on Google Play and the Apple iTunes Store for $69 for a year of unlimited credits or $99 for two years. The company offers a money-back guarantee, and nurses can earn one free credit on a trial basis. Visit www.myCEHQ.com for more information.