49 Pa. Code § 21.131 - Continuing education
(a)
Requirement of continuing education. A registered nurse
seeking licensure renewal shall complete 30 hours of continuing education
approved by the Board during the biennial period immediately preceding the
application for renewal in accordance with section 12.1 of the act
(63
P.S. §
222) and this subchapter. At
least 2 of the 30 hours shall be completed in approved continuing education in
child abuse recognition and reporting requirements in accordance with §
21.508(b)
(relating to child abuse recognition and reporting-mandatory training
requirement). The Board will not renew a license of a registered nurse who
fails to verify compliance with the continuing education requirement. A
registered nurse whose license is not renewed by the expiration of the biennial
period may not engage in the practice of professional nursing until the
continuing education requirements are satisfied and the license has been
renewed, reinstated or reactivated.
(b)
Exception. An applicant
applying for initial licensure in this Commonwealth will not be required to
meet the continuing education requirement on the first renewal immediately
following licensure, except for the mandatory continuing education in child
abuse recognition and reporting required under §
21.508(b).
(c)
Board audits ;
proof of completion. The Board may perform audits on registered nurses
to determine compliance with the continuing education requirements. A
registered nurse shall retain documentation of the registered nurse's
completion of continuing education for at least 5 years. A registered nurse
shall comply with a request for submission of documents verifying the
registered nurse's completion of continuing education. The following documents
shall be retained and submitted upon request:
(1) For attendance at continuing education
programs or courses, the registered nurse shall retain the certificate of
attendance provided by the program or course provider.
(2) For academic courses taken from an
accredited college or university, the registered nurse shall retain the
transcript issued by the educational institution.
(3) For publication of a textbook or article,
the registered nurse shall retain a copy of the published item, including the
date of publication.
(4) For a
research project, the registered nurse shall retain a copy of the research
abstract, letter from the institutional review board granting approval for the
research project and list of primary and co-investigators.
(5) For school nurses, evidence that the
nurse's certification by the Department of Education is current.
(d)
Reinstatement of
lapsed license or reactivation of inactive license. A registered nurse
seeking to reinstate a lapsed license or reactivate an inactive license shall
file an application for reinstatement or reactivation and submit, or cause to
be submitted, documentation to demonstrate that the licensee completed 30 hours
of continuing education, including at least 2 hours in approved child abuse
recognition and reporting in accordance with §
21.508(b), within
the biennial period immediately preceding application.
(e)
Reinstatement of suspended
license. A registered nurse seeking to reinstate a suspended license
shall submit, or cause to be submitted, documentation to demonstrate that the
registered nurse completed 30 hours of continuing education, including at least
2 hours in approved child abuse recognition and reporting in accordance with
§
21.508(b), within
the biennial period immediately preceding application for
reinstatement.
(f)
Carry
over. Continuing education hours may not be carried over from one
biennial renewal period to the next.
(g)
Waiver. A registered
nurse may request a waiver of the continuing education requirement because of
serious illness, military service or other demonstrated hardship. The
registered nurse shall submit the request and any supporting documentation to
the Board in writing at least 90 days prior to the registered nurse's license
expiration date unless an emergency or hardship occurs within the 90-day
period. The Board will grant, deny or grant in part the request for
waiver.
(h)
Disciplinary
action authorized.
(1) Failure to
complete a minimum of 30 hours of continuing education in a biennial period in
accordance with subsection (a) will subject the registered nurse to discipline
under section 13(b) of the act (63 P.S. §
223(b)) in accordance with
the schedule of civil penalties in §
43b.18a (relating to schedule of
civil penalties-nurses). A second or subsequent violation will subject the
registered nurse to discipline under section 14(a)(3) of the act (63 P.S. §
224(a)(3)).
(2) A registered nurse who has not completed
a minimum of 30 hours of continuing education shall make up the deficiency
within 6 months of receiving notice of the deficiency.
(3) Notwithstanding any civil penalty
assessed under paragraph (1), failure to provide the Board with documentation
demonstrating the completion of 30 hours of approved continuing education
within 6 months after receiving notice of a deficiency will subject the
registered nurse to discipline under section 14(a)(3) of the act.
(4) Failure to comply with an audit request
for continuing education documentation may subject a registered nurse to
additional discipline under section 14(a)(4)(i) of the act.
Notes
The provisions of this § 21.131 issued under sections 2.1(k) and 12.1 of The Professional Nursing Law (63 P.S. §§ 212.1(k) and 222); amended under sections 2.1(k) and 12.1(a) of The Professional Nursing Law (63 P.S. §§ 212.1(k) and 222(a)); section 17.6 of the Practical Nurse Law (63 P.S. § 667.6); and 23 Pa.C.S. § 6383(b)(2).
This section cited in 49 Pa. Code § 21.29 (relating to expiration and renewal of license).
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