Fla. Admin. Code Ann. R. 64B17-9.001 - Continuing Education
(1) Every person
licensed pursuant to Chapter 486, F.S., shall be required to complete
twenty-four contact hours of continuing education courses approved by the Board
in the twenty-four months preceding each biennial renewal period as established
by the Department. With the exception of the required courses in the prevention
of medical errors and HIV/AIDS, applicants who become licensed in the second
half of the biennium are exempt from this continuing education requirement for
their first renewal.
(a) Continuing Education
for licensure renewal shall consist of a minimum of twelve (12) hours of formal
live lecture format or via approved webinar. An approved webinar must be
recognized pursuant to paragraphs
64B17-9.001(7)(b) and
(c), F.A.C., and must meet the following
conditions:
1. The webinar must contain
specific relevant learning objectives,
2. The webinar must provide for an
interactive format,
3. The webinar
must provide for a post-course assessment; and,
4. The webinar provider must ensure
attendance.
Web based, satellite transmitted, video or audio transmitted, or on-line instruction programs offered in real-time which allow participants to communicate with an instructor during the presentation of the program are considered live.
(b) The Board will accept a maximum of twelve
(12) contact hours taken via self-paced format during each biennium. Self-paced
format is independent study and requires a certificate of completion and an
examination. These courses may include, but are not limited to, digital media
courses, mail-order courses, courses with pre-recorded video instruction,
pre-programmed computer sources, smart phone applications, home study, directed
study and other self-education courses.
(2) A contact hour shall consist of fifty
clock minutes. One half contact hour shall consist of twenty-five clock
minutes. Ten contact hours, also referred to as CE Hours (CEH), constitute one
continuing education unit (CEU).
(3) Acceptable subject areas for physical
therapy continuing education include professional ethics, clinical education,
clinical practice, clinical research, clinical management, clinical science,
Florida law relating to physical therapy, basic sciences, risk management, and
HIV/AIDS. No more than five contact hours of courses in risk management shall
be accepted within a biennium. Up to three contact hours in HIV/AIDS education
pursuant to rule Chapter 64B17-8, F.A.C., may be included in the 24 contact
hours. Up to three contact hours in prevention of medical errors education
pursuant to rule Chapter 64B17-8, F.A.C., may be included in the 24 contact
hours.
(4) Course instructors
providing continuing education to licensees under this chapter shall receive up
to six contact hours credit per biennium. This shall be awarded on a contact
hour for each contact hour presented. However, instructors teaching their
normal course of instruction shall not be granted contact hours toward their
continuing education.
(5) Clinical
Instructors shall receive 1 contact hour for every 120 hours of clinical
internship limited to a maximum of 8 contact hours per instructor per bienium.
Clinical instructors must be credentialed by the American Physical Therapy
Association (APTA) to receive clinical continuing education credits.
(6) The Board recognizes continuing education
credit for the following:
(a) Courses
sponsored by a program in physical therapy at a college or university which
provides a curriculum for training physical therapists or physical therapist
assistants, when approved by the physical therapy or physical therapist
assistants program, which is accredited by, or has status with an accrediting
agency approved by the United States Department of Education. One credit hour
of a college course is equivalent to 15 contact hours.
(b) Courses sponsored or approved by the
American Physical Therapy Association.
(c) Courses sponsored or approved by the
Florida Physical Therapy Association, so long as they meet the criteria set
forth in paragraphs 64B17-9.001(1)(a)
-(b), F.A.C., above.
(d) Attendance
at Florida Board meetings where disciplinary cases are being heard if the
licensee is not on the agenda or appearing for another purpose. The number of
risk management contact hours for such attendance is based on the definition of
contact hour as set forth in subsection (2).
(e) Former Board members who serve on the
Board's Probable Cause Panel shall receive five contact hours of continuing
education risk management credit per biennium for their service on the
Panel.
(f) Licensees who file DOH
form DH-MQA 1144, "Final Order/Continuing Education Credit Florida Laws and
Rules Application," (revised 05/2021), incorporated herein by reference, which
is available through www.floridasphysicaltherapy.gov/resources,
or at http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-13350,
and take and pass the Florida laws and rules examination shall receive two (2)
hours of continuing education per biennium. The continuing education credit
shall be awarded only for the biennium in which the examination was taken and
passed. Continuing education credit shall not be awarded to licensees who take
and pass the examination as a result of a disciplinary proceeding or as a board
ordered condition of initial licensure or reinstatement.
(7) The Board shall make exceptions for
licensees from the continuing education requirements including waiver of all or
a portion of these requirements or the granting of an extension of time in
which to complete these requirements upon a finding of good cause by majority
vote of the Board at a public meeting following receipt of a written request
for exception based upon emergency or hardship. Emergency or hardship cases are
those:
(1) involving long term personal
illness or illness involving a close relative or person for whom the licensee
has care-giving responsibilities;
(2) where the licensee can demonstrate that
the required course(s) are not reasonably available; and
(3) other demonstrated economic,
technological or legal hardships that substantially relate to the ability to
perform or complete the continuing education requirements. Licensees requesting
an exception from continuing education requirements must provide the Board with
documentation supporting the claim of emergency or hardship that is the basis
of the request.
(8) The
licensee must retain such receipts, vouchers, certificates, or other papers as
may be necessary to document completion of the appropriate continuing education
offerings listed on the renewal form for a period of not less than four years
from the date the offering was taken.
Notes
Rulemaking Authority 456.013(6), 456.013(9), 486.025, 486.109(5) FS. Law Implemented 456.013(6), 456.013(9), 486.109, 486.125(3) FS.
New 4-6-92, Formerly 21MM-9.001, Amended 3-7-94, Formerly 61F11-9.001, Amended 12-5-95, Formerly 59Y-9.001, Amended 2-14-02, 4-21-02, 1-2-03, 6-28-04, 4-9-06, 5-28-06, 2-17-08, 5-21-09, 8-10-09, 6-30-10, 9-23-10, 12-24-13, 11-23-14, 9-20-15, 10-23-17, 2-24-21, 8-10-21, 4-10-23, 12-4-23.
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