(1) Continuing education is annual training designed to promote professional development and increase a person's knowledge, expertise, and skills. DSHS must approve continuing education curricula and instructors.
(2) The same continuing education course must not be repeated for credit unless it is a new or more advanced training on the same topic. However, a long-term care worker may repeat up to five credit hours per year [on] the following topics:
(a) Bloodborne pathogens and infection control;
(b) CPR training;
(c) First-aid training;
(d) Food handling training;
(e) Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA);
(f) Medication assistance;
(g) Disaster preparedness;
(h) Aging sensitivity;
(i) Client rights as it relates to caregiving issues in chapter
70.129 RCW;
(j) Client safety;
(k) Abuse and neglect identification and mandatory reporting; and
(l) Topics where the home care agency, CDE, or department can demonstrate a need for retraining.
(3) Continuing education must be on a topic relevant to the care setting, care needs of clients, or long-term care worker career development. In addition to the topics listed in subsection (2) of this section, topics or courses may include:
(a) Personal care services;
(b) Mental illness;
(c) Dementia;
(d) Developmental disabilities;
(e) Depression;
(f) Communication skills;
(g) Positive client behavior support;
(h) Developing or improving client centered activities;
(i) Dealing with wandering or aggressive client behaviors;
(j) Deescalating challenging behaviors; and
(k) Medical conditions.
(4) Nurse delegation core and nurse delegation specialized diabetes training hours when not applied to basic training hours may count towards continuing education.
(5) Specialty training, except if completed through a challenge test, may be used to meet continuing education requirements.
(6) When hours from a class approved as specialty training are counted toward basic training requirements, the hours must not be counted toward continuing education.
(7) Successful completion of a department of health approved home care aide certified alternative bridge program may be applied for up to 12 hours of continuing education in the year it was completed.