PERMANENT RULES
Date of Adoption: October 23, 2001.
Purpose: To implement the provisions of 2000 legislation (chapter 93, Laws of 2000). The proposed rules will mandate and define continuing education requirements for licensed respiratory care practitioners.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 18.89.050(1).
Other Authority: RCW 18.89.140.
Adopted under notice filed as WSR 01-13-117 on June 20, 2001.
Changes Other than Editing from Proposed to Adopted Version: Effective date of the rules is amended to October 2003. New section WAC 246-928-442 Acceptable continuing education, clarified subsection (1)(d) to include initial and renewal certification courses; subsection (1)(e) to include the word "any" accredited college; and subsection (1)(g) clarified passing the National Board for Respiratory Care's self-assessment competency examination with a minimum score of seventy-five. Three hours of continuing education may be applied for successful completion of this examination.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 4, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making:
New 0,
Amended 0,
Repealed 0;
Pilot Rule Making:
New 0,
Amended 0,
Repealed 0;
or Other Alternative Rule Making:
New 4,
Amended 0,
Repealed 0.
Effective Date of Rule:
Thirty-one days after filing.
October 23, 2001
M. C. Selecky
Secretary
OTS-4845.4
NEW SECTION
WAC 246-928-440
Continuing education requirements.
Purposes. The ultimate aim of continuing education is to ensure
the highest quality of professional work. Continuing education
consists of educational activities designed to review existing
concepts and techniques and to convey information and knowledge
about advances in respiratory care as applied to the work
settings. The objectives are to improve and increase the ability
of the respiratory care practitioner to deliver the highest
possible quality of respiratory care work and to keep the
professional respiratory care practitioner abreast of current
developments in a rapidly changing field. All respiratory care
practitioners licensed under chapter 18.89 RCW will be required
to meet the continuing education requirements set forth in these
rules as a prerequisite to license renewal.
[]
(2) Effective October 2003, renewal of any current license or reinstatement of any license lapsed or on disciplinary status shall require evidence of completion of continuing education which meets the requirements of subsection (3) of this section.
(3) Requirements. RCW 18.89.140 requires that all licensed respiratory care practitioners seeking to renew their license shall acquire thirty credit hours of continuing respiratory care education every two years as required in chapter 246-12 WAC, Part 7.
[]
(a) Additional courses approved by the American Association for Respiratory Care.
(b) Category I level formal in-service approved by the American Association for Respiratory Care.
(c) Courses in respiratory care approved by the American Medical Association, the American Osteopathic Association and the American Nurses Association.
(d) Initial and renewal certification courses in Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support and Neonatal Resuscitation Program.
(e) Courses in respiratory care at any accredited college.
(f) Self-study courses in respiratory care.
(g) Passing the National Board for Respiratory Care's self-assessment competency examination with a minimum score of 75. Three hours of continuing education may be applied for successful completion of this examination.
(h) Educational offerings in respiratory care which include learning objectives provided by hospitals or health organizations.
(i) Educational offerings in respiratory care which include learning objectives, where the licensee serves as the instructor subject to the limitation described in subsection (3) of this section.
(2) Documentation. Licensees are responsible for acquiring and maintaining all acceptable documentation of their continuing education activities. Acceptable documentation shall include transcripts, letters from course instructors, or certificates of completion or other formal certifications provided by hospitals, course instructors, and health organizations, as required in chapter 246-12 WAC, Part 7. In all cases other than transcripts, the documentation must show the participant's name, activity title, number of continuing education credit hours, date(s) of activity, instructor's name(s) and degree and the signature of the verifying individual program sponsor.
(3) The licensee who prepares and presents lectures or education courses that contributes to the professional competence of a licensed respiratory care practitioner may accumulate the same number of hours obtained for continuing education purposes by attendees as determined in WAC 246-12-220. The hours for presenting a specific topic lecture or education may only be used for continuing education credit once during each renewal period.
[]
(a) Verify on renewal forms provided by the department, that the minimum continuing education has been completed within the two-year renewal cycle prior to the licensee's renewal date; and
(b) Keep records for four years as required in chapter 246-12 WAC, Part 7.
(2) Audits. The department may conduct random compliance audits of continuing education records, as described in chapter 246-12 WAC, Part 7.
(3) Exemptions. In certain emergency situations, the department may excuse all or part of the continuing education requirement as described in chapter 246-12 WAC, Part 7. The department may require verification of the emergency.
[]