(1) General provisions. Each licensed naturopathic physician must complete sixty hours of continuing education every two years, as provided in chapter 246-12 WAC, Part 7.

(2)(a) A license holder's first sixty hour continuing education requirement is due on the third renewal date after the license is issued. After that, it is due every other year on the licensee's renewal date.

(b) A licensee may begin to accrue continuing education from the date of initial licensure and apply it toward the fulfillment of their first continuing education requirement.

(c) License reissuance. When applying for reissuance of an expired license, a naturopathic physician must attest to sixty hours of continuing education for the two years preceding the reissuance application. Upon reissuance, the licensee's continuing education sequence will resume based on the last active license continuing education cycle.

(3) Licensees must complete a minimum of fifteen continuing education hours over two years on the subject of pharmacology consistent with naturopathic scope of practice in this state. Course content, or a portion thereof, must be designated as pharmacology by an entity listed in subsection (5)(a)(i) or (b)(i) of this section. Examples of eligible pharmacology course content include:

(a) Legend substances as defined in RCW 69.41.010;

(b) Controlled substances in chapter 69.50 RCW;

(c) Biopharmacology, which is the study of medicinal or drug products manufactured in, extracted from, or semi-synthesized from biological sources;

(d) Pharmacognosy, which is the study of medicinal drugs derived from plants or other natural sources;

(e) Contraindications or interactions of drug-to-drug, drug-to-herb, or drug-to-nutrient; or

(f) Other subjects approved by the board.

(4) Suicide prevention requirements. As part of continuing education, a licensed naturopathic physician must complete a board-approved one-time training that is at least six hours long in suicide assessment, treatment, and management. This training must be completed by the end of the first full continuing education reporting period after January 1, 2016, or the first full continuing education reporting period after initial licensure, whichever is later.

(a) Until July 1, 2017, a board-approved training must be an empirically supported training in suicide assessment, including screening and referral, suicide treatment, and suicide management, and meet any other requirement in RCW 43.70.442.

(b) Beginning July 1, 2017, training accepted by the board must be on the department's model list developed in accordance with rules adopted by the department that establish minimum standards for training programs. The establishment of the model list does not affect the validity of training completed prior to July 1, 2017.

(d) The hours spent completing the training in suicide assessment, treatment, and management under this subsection count toward meeting any applicable continuing education requirements.

(e) Nothing in this subsection is intended to expand or limit the naturopathic scope of practice.

(5) Categories of creditable continuing education.

(a) Category 1. A licensee is required to obtain a minimum of twenty hours over two years in this category; however, all sixty hours may be earned in this category. Category 1 credit hours and activities include:

(i) Live-attended, both in-person and remote-attendance, education related to the naturopathic scope of practice in this state approved or offered by the following sources:

(A) American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP);

(B) Washington Association of Naturopathic Physicians (WANP);

(C) North American Naturopathic Continuing Education Accreditation Council (NANCEAC) through the Federation of Naturopathic Medicine Regulatory Authorities (FNMRA); or

(D) Naturopathic medicine academic institutions and scholarly organizations approved by the board according to WAC 246-836-150.

(ii) Prerecorded education meeting the requirement in (a)(i) of this subsection related to the naturopathic scope of practice in this state. To qualify for credit under this section the course must require the licensee to pass an examination in order to complete the course.

(iii) Completion of a one year residency accredited by the council on naturopathic medical education (CNME) meets the full two year continuing education requirement.

(iv) Licensees completing a medical marijuana continuing education course approved by the department may claim the hours designated by the course provider for this activity. This activity can only be claimed once during a two year continuing education cycle.

(v) Licensees completing the suicide prevention requirement in subsection (4) of this section may claim six hours for this activity. This activity can only be claimed once during a two year continuing education cycle.

(b) Category 2. Category 2 credit hours and activities include:

(i) Live-attended, both in-person and remote-attendance, education relevant to various other health professions, however licensees may only claim those hours that have content consistent with naturopathic scope of practice in this state. Hours must be obtained through an entity that is accredited or nationally recognized, examples of which include, but are not limited to, courses accredited by:

(A) The accreditation council for continuing medical education (ACCME);

(B) The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC); or

(ii) Prerecorded education meeting the requirement in (b)(i) of this subsection, however only content related to naturopathic scope of practice in this state may be claimed. To qualify for credit under this section the course must require the licensee to complete an examination in order to complete the course.

(iii) Teaching, lecturing, or serving as a residency director, which shall equate one full-time work week to one continuing education hour.

(iv) Publishing in a peer-reviewed, scientific journal or textbook. Ten credit hours may be claimed for each paper, exhibit, publication, or chapter. Credit shall be claimed as of the date materials were presented or published.

(c) Category 3. A licensee may claim up to a maximum of five hours over two years in this category. Category 3 credit hours and activities include:

(i) Online study not otherwise specified above;

(ii) Multimedia education (CD/DVD);

(iii) Certification or recertification in basic life support (also known as cardiopulmonary resuscitation);

(iv) Self-study including, but not limited to, board examination preparation or reading papers and publications where an assessment tool is required upon completion; and

(v) Courses in nonclinical practice topics, such as:

(A) Health promotion;

(B) Health care cost management;

(D) Regulatory affairs; or

(E) Professional ethics, disciplinary prevention, or jurisprudence. Licensees completing the board's jurisprudence examination may claim two hours for this activity. This activity can only be claimed once during a two year continuing education reporting cycle.

(vi) In-person attendance at a board of naturopathy business meeting. Each meeting counts for one hour. Acceptable documentation is the licensee's presence recorded in the board's minutes.

(6) Documentation. A licensee must submit documentation upon request or audit. Acceptable documentation includes:

(a) Certificates of completion;

(b) Transcripts;

(d) Other records, which must include participant's name, course title, course content, dates, provider(s) name(s), and signature of sponsor or instructor.

(e) For self-study activities that do not offer documentation, licensees should keep lists with hours spent reading publications, papers, or articles; or hours spent preparing for specialty board examinations.

(7) Waiver or extension. In emergent or unusual situations, such as personal or family illness, the board may waive all or part of the continuing education requirement for a particular continuing education reporting period for an individual licensee if the board determines there is good cause. The board may also grant the licensee an extension period in order to meet the full requirement if the board determines there is good cause. Licensees requesting an extension must include a detailed plan on how they will obtain the deficient hours. Hours obtained for an extension can only be applied to the extension and cannot be used for any other continuing education reporting cycle. The board may require verification of the emergent or unusual situation as is necessary.

PDFWAC 246-836-080

Continuing competency program.