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PHYSICAL THERAPIST LICENSING BOARD

 

DIVISION 35
CONTINUING COMPETENCE

848-035-0010
Purpose
The 2005 Oregon Legislation gave new
authority to the Physical Therapist Licensing Board, effective January 1, 2006,
to adopt rules establishing minimum continuing competence requirements for all licensees.
The following rules set out the requirements.
Stat. Auth.: ORS 688.160
Stats. Implemented: ORS 688.160(6)(g)
Hist.: PTLB 1-2006, f. &
cert. ef. 4-14-06; PTLB 1-2014, f. 2-21-14, cert. ef. 4-1-14
848-035-0015
Definitions
As used in this Division:
(1) “Continuing Competence”
means continuing education course work or other professional activities as provided
in OAR 848-035-0030(1).
(2) "Certification period"
means a 24 month continuing competence certification period which runs from April
1st of each even numbered year, through March 31st of the next even numbered year,
i.e. April 1, 2012 through March 31, 2014.
(3) "Initial Certification
Period" means January 1, 2006 through March 31, 2008.
(4) "Hours" means contact
hours.
Stat. Auth.: ORS 688.160
Stats. Implemented: ORS 688.160(6)(g)
Hist.: PTLB 1-2006, f. &
cert. ef. 4-14-06; PTLB 1-2014, f. 2-21-14, cert. ef. 4-1-14
848-035-0020
Required Hours and Period for Completion
(1) All licensed physical therapists
and physical therapist assistants are required within each certification period
to complete 24 hours of continuing competence relating to the delivery or provision
of physical therapy services.
(2) Notwithstanding the provisions
of subsection (1) of this rule, any person who is first issued an Oregon physical
therapist or physical therapist assistant license through examination pursuant to
OAR 848-010-0015, or through endorsement pursuant to 848-010-0020, anytime during
the first year of a certification period (April 1st of an even numbered year through
March 31st of an odd numbered year), must complete the full 24 hours of continuing
competence required for that certification period. A person who is first issued
an Oregon physical therapist or physical therapist assistant license anytime during
the second year of a certification period (April 1st of an odd numbered year through
March 31st of an even numbered year), must complete one-half (12 hours) of the continuing
competence required for that certification period. Thereafter, such licensees must
complete the same continuing competence requirements as other licensees.
(3) Notwithstanding the provisions
of subsection (1) of this rule, a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant,
whose Oregon license has lapsed pursuant to OAR 848-010-0033(1), and who subsequently
renews the lapsed license pursuant to 848-010-0035, anytime during the first year
of a new certification period (April 1st of an even numbered year through March
31st of an odd numbered year), must complete the full 24 hours of continuing competence
required for that certification period. A person whose lapsed physical therapist
or physical therapist assistant license is renewed anytime during the second year
of a certification period (April 1st of an odd numbered year through March 31st
of an even numbered year), must complete one-half (12 hours) of the continuing competence
required for that certification period.
(4) Any licensee whose license
lapses on April 1st of an even numbered year, regardless of the reason, and who
subsequently renews the lapsed license during the first 12 months of a new certification
period, shall provide documentation of completion of the continuing competence requirements
for the immediately prior certification period before the license will be renewed.
(5) For purposes of determining
whether a licensee has satisfied the continuing competence requirement under section
(2), (3) or (4) of this rule, the Licensing Board will accept all qualifying continuing
competence hours completed from the beginning date of the 24 month certification
period in which the license was issued or renewed, regardless of the specific date
the license was issued or renewed. For example, a person whose license is issued
or renewed on June 15, 2013 will receive credit for all qualifying continuing competence
hours completed at any time during the certification period of April 1, 2012 to
March 31, 2014. This includes continuing competence taken by student physical therapists
or student physical therapist assistants, outside their program requirements, while
they are enrolled in a physical therapy program.
(6) Each twenty-four month
period for completion of the required hours shall be April 1st of the even numbered
year through March 31st of the next even numbered year. For example, the current
twenty-four month period will be from April 1, 2012, through March 31, 2014.
(7) Failure to complete the
required continuing competence by March 31st of an even-numbered year shall constitute
a violation of this Division 35.
(8) Notwithstanding the provisions
of this rule and OAR 848-010-0033(6), a physical therapist or physical therapist
assistant who is renewing a license during an even numbered year and who was first
licensed in Oregon between January 1st to and including March 31st of that even
numbered year, is not required to complete continuing competence for the current
certification period. Thereafter such licensees shall be subject to the continuing
competence requirement for all subsequent continuing competence certification periods.
(9) The Board may, in individual
cases involving physical disability or illness, undue hardship, or active military
duty, grant waivers of the continuing competency requirements or extensions of time
to fulfill the requirement. Applications for waiver shall be made to the Board
in writing at least two months prior to license expiration.
Stat. Auth.: ORS 688.160
Stats. Implemented: ORS 688.160(6)(g)
Hist.: PTLB 1-2006, f. &
cert. ef. 4-14-06; PTLB 1-2008(Temp), f. & cert. ef. 2-19-08 thru 4-2-08; Administrative
correction 4-23-08; PTLB 2-2008, f. 12-16-08, cert. ef. 1-2-09; PTLB 1-2010, f.
2-16-10, cert. ef. 3-1-10; PTLB 1-2014, f. 2-21-14, cert. ef. 4-1-14
848-035-0030
Continuing Education Requirements
and Restrictions
(1) The continuing competence requirements
of this Division 35 may be satisfied through the following, which may include but
are not limited to:
(a) Courses, seminars, activities,
and workshops sponsored, certified, or approved by an established and recognized
medical or dental health-related organization or professional association recognized
by the Board;
(b) Courses or activities,
directly related to the delivery or provision of physical therapy services and approved
for continuing education or competency by other states which require continuing
education or competency for physical therapists or physical therapist assistants;
(c) Courses or activities
related to professional conduct, ethics and cultural competency;
(d) Courses provided by an
accredited institution of higher education, which may include but are not limited
to, courses leading to an advanced degree in physical therapy or other courses that
advance the licensee’s physical therapy competence. For purposes of this rule,
one college credit is equal to 10 (ten) contact hours;
(e) Individual study courses,
online courses and webinars, requiring an examination and recognized by an accredited
institution or recognized health-related organization or professional association
recognized by the Board;
(f) Courses in cardiopulmonary
resuscitation (CPR) will be limited to one hour of continuing competence credit,
regardless of the length of the course;
(g) Courses or lectures which
a licensee presents if the course or lecture awards continuing education or competence
units or hours to participants and the licensee requests continuing education or
competence credit from the Board;
(A) The licensee may receive
continuing competence units or hours equivalent to the actual credit hours awarded
to participants for that portion of the program which the licensee presents;
(B) The maximum cumulative
credit granted for presenting courses or lectures shall be no more than one half
of the total continuing competence requirement during any certification period,
or 12 hours and;
(C) A licensee may receive
credit for presenting a particular course or lecture only one time during any certification
period, regardless of how many times the licensee presents that course or lecture;
(h) Publishing an article
in a peer review journal,
(A) The maximum credit granted
for publishing an article shall be one half of the total continuing competence requirement
during any certification period, or 12 hours and;
(B) A licensee may receive
credit for publishing an article only one time during any certification period;
(i) Serving as a certified
clinical instructor as follows:
(A) A licensee who has completed
a Board-approved clinical instructor certification program may receive continuing
competence credit equivalent to 1 credit hour for each 40 hours of direct clinical
instruction to a physical therapist student or physical therapist assistant student
enrolled in a physical therapy or physical therapy assistant program.
(B) The maximum cumulative
credit granted for serving as a clinical instructor shall be no more than one-third
of the total continuing competence requirement during any certification period,
or 8 hours.
(C) The licensee must obtain
a letter or certificate from the student’s academic institution verifying
that the student has completed the course of clinical instruction;
(j) Completion of a specialty
certification through the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialists, which
shall qualify for 24 hours of continuing competence during the period in which the
specialist certification is awarded;
(k) Completion of the Federation
of State Board’s of Physical Therapy’s Practice Review Tool (PRT); which
shall qualify for 6 hours of continuing competence for completion or 12 hours of
continuing competence for completion with a passing score; and
(l) Courses or activities
approved by the Board by special request.
(2) Notwithstanding subsection
1 of this rule, activities which will not satisfy the continuing competence requirement
include:
(a) Courses provided by an
accredited institution of higher education taken as part of the curriculum requirements
of a CAPTE accredited physical therapy program;
(b) In service programs or
required workplace orientation, training or competencies;
(c) Professional association
meetings for purposes of business or policy decisions making;
(d) Entertainment or recreational
meetings; or
(e) Attending meetings, holding
office, or representing a professional association as a lobbyist or delegate.
Stat. Auth.: ORS 688.160

Stats. Implemented: ORS 688.160(6)(g)

Hist.: PTLB 1-2006, f. &
cert. ef. 4-14-06; PTLB 2-2008, f. 12-16-08, cert. ef. 1-2-09; PTLB 1-2012, f. 2-9-12,
cert. ef. 3-1-12; PTLB 1-2014, f. 2-21-14, cert. ef. 4-1-14; PTLB 3-2015, f. 9-9-15,
cert. ef. 1-1-16
848-035-0035
Pain Management Course Requirement
for Physical Therapists
(1) Effective January 2, 2008, all Oregon
licensed physical therapists must fulfill a one-time only pain management education
requirement as defined in ORS 409.500.
(2) Physical Therapists must
complete the coursework requirement within a period of 24 months either before or
after the first renewal of their physical therapist license.
(3) The requirement is seven
hours of pain management education, which includes the completion of a one hour
on-line pain management course sponsored and provided by the Oregon Pain Management
Commission, plus an additional six hours of continuing education relative to the
evaluation, diagnosis or treatment of pain.
(4) Effective November 1,
2012, all physical therapist applicants must provide evidence of completion of the
one hour on-line pain management course as part of the initial application process.
(5) The seven hours of pain
management education may be used to satisfy part of the physical therapist’s
continuing competence requirement under OAR 848-035-0020 for the current period.
However, pain management education hours taken in a prior certification period and
used to satisfy the pain management requirement cannot be used to satisfy part of
the continuing competence requirement for the current certification period.
(6) Physical Therapist Assistants
are exempt from the statutory requirement to complete the pain management education
requirement but may elect to complete the Oregon Pain Management Commission’s
one hour on-line course for credit or complete other hours of education or competency
related to the treatment or management of pain.
Stat. Auth.: ORS 688.160
Stats. Implemented: ORS 688.160(6)(g)
Hist.: PTLB 2-2008, f. 12-16-08,
cert. ef. 1-2-09; PTLB 1-2014, f. 2-21-14, cert. ef. 4-1-14
848-035-0040
Documentation of Continuing Competence
(1) In order to qualify for credit against
the required hours, a continuing competence course or activity must include a completion
certificate. The certificate must include the title of the course or activity, the
name of the sponsor or speaker, date of completion, number of hours and licensee's
name.
(2) The licensee is responsible
for obtaining a completion certificate from the sponsor or speaker. The licensee
is further responsible for retaining the certificate in the event the Board requires
the licensee to produce documentation of completion of the continuing competence
requirement. All completion certificates shall be retained for a minimum of four
(4) years from the certificate date.
(3) A licensee who is seeking
to receive credit for serving as a clinical instructor is responsible for obtaining
a letter or certificate of the student’s completion of the course of clinical
instruction from the academic institution for which the licensee served as a clinical
instructor.
(4) The Board may require
all or any percentage of physical therapists and physical therapist assistants who
are renewing their licenses in the even numbered year to provide documentation of
completion of the continuing competence requirements of this division 35.
Stat. Auth.: ORS 688.160
Stats. Implemented: ORS 688.160(6)(g)
Hist.: PTLB 1-2006, f. &
cert. ef. 4-14-06; PTLB 2-2008, f. 12-16-08, cert. ef. 1-2-09; PTLB 1-2012, f. 2-9-12,
cert. ef. 3-1-12; PTLB 1-2014, f. 2-21-14, cert. ef. 4-1-14

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