Continuing Education Requirements

Practitioners are required to have completed fifteen (15) hours of continuing education acquired after January 1, 2019. Licenses will expire on December 31, 2020.

If you were issued your license before January 1, 2019, you are required to have a total of fifteen (15) hours of continuing education earned during the current biennium in order to renew your license. Continuing education is not required for the year in which the initial license was issued. Therefore, a person who was issued an original respiratory care practitioner's license between the date of January 1, 2019 and December 31, 2019 is only required to submit 7.5 hours of continuing education. A person who was issued an original license after January 1, 2020 is not required to submit continuing education for this renewal period.

A licensee is not required to submit copies of their continuing education certificates at the time of renewal. The licensee must verify at the time of renewal all continuing education requirements have been met. After the renewal, a percentage of practitioners will be chosen in a random audit to present copies of their continuing education certificates. If the licensee fails to submit the requested information or if the information is insufficient to establish that you have complied with the continuing education requirements, the Committee will proceed with the terms of IC 25-1-4-5 and IC 25-1-4-6.

 

CONTINUING EDUCATION SPONSORS WITH AUTOMATIC APPROVAL AND PROGRAMS WITH LIMITED HOURS
Continuing education programs for respiratory care practitioners sponsored by the following organizations are approved as follows:

1. American Association of Respiratory Care or one (1) of its chartered affiliates.
2. American Medical Association.
3. American Nurses Association.
4. Indiana State Nurses Association.
5. American College of Chest Physicians.
6. American Academy of Pediatrics
7. American Academy of Pediatrics Certification/Recertification, including the following:
   1. Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) - eight (8) hours.
   2. Neonatal Resuscitation Certification (NRC) - four (4) hours.
   3. Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) Instructor Course - eight (8) hours.
   4. Neonatal Resuscitation Certification (NRC) Instructor Course - four (4) hours.
8. American Heart Association seminar programs.
9. American Heart Association Certification/Recertification, including the following:
   1. Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) - eight (8) hours.
   2. Basic Cardiac Life Support (CPR) - two (2) hours
   3. Advance Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) Instructor Course - eight (8) hours
   4. Basic Cardiac Life Support (CPR) Instructor Course - four (4) hours
   5. Automated External Defibrillator Certification - four (4) hours.
   6. Automated External Defibrillator Certification Instructor Course - four (4) hours.
10. Society of Critical Care Medicine.
11. American Association of Critical Care Nurses.
12. American Society of Anesthesiologists.
13. American Polysomnographers Technologist.
14. American Osteopathic Association.
15. National Society for Cardiopulmonary Technologists.
16. American Thoracic Society.
17. American Lung Association.

The following programs shall be approved by the committee for the following number of hours:

1. Intermediate Electrocardiography (EKG) - one (1) hour.
2. Atlanta School of Sleep Medicine and Technology, "Seminar on Sleep Study and technology" - two (2) week seminar - eight (8) hours.

AUTOMATIC APPROVAL OF RESPIRATORY CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAMS
Under the statutory provision as listed below, if a program is designed to directly enhance the practitioner's knowledge and skill in providing services relevant to the practitioner's profession or occupation and falls under an "Approved Organization" it is no longer necessary to submit an application for continuing education approval by the Indiana Respiratory Care Committee.

Under IC 25-1-4-0.2:

• Sec. 0.2. As used in this chapter, "approved organization" refers to the following:
  1. United States Department of Education.
  2. Council on Post-Secondary Education.
  3. Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals.
  4. Joint Commission on Healthcare Organizations.
  5. Federal, state, and local government agencies.
  6. A college or other teaching institution accredited by the United States Department of Education or the Council on Post-Secondary Education.
  7. A national organization of practitioners whose members practicing in Indiana are subject to regulation by a board or agency regulating a profession or occupation under this title or IC 15.
  8. A national, state, district, or local organization that operates as an affiliated entity under the approval of any organization listed in subdivisions (1) and (7).
  9. An internship or a residency program conducted in a hospital that has been approved by an organization listed in subdivisions (1) through (7).
  10. Any other organization or individual approved by the Board.

Also, under IC 25-1-4-0.5:

• Sec. 0.5. As used in this chapter, "continuing education means an orderly process of instruction that is approved by an approved organization or the board that is designed to directly enhance the practitioner's knowledge and skill in providing services relevant to the practitioner's profession or occupation.

CORRESPONDENCE COURSES
Correspondence courses are acceptable for continuing education credit. No more than 7.5 hours of continuing education can be obtained through correspondence courses during the biennium.

REQUIREMENTS OF CONTINUING EDUCATION

• Continuing education hours must be obtained within the biennial renewal period and may not be carried over from one (1) certification period to another.
• The respiratory care practitioner shall maintain his or her continuing education records of a given biennium for a period of three (3) years following the end of the biennium.
• It is the responsibility of the respiratory care practitioner to verify that courses attended have been approved.
• The committee shall accept continuing education courses in the following areas toward fulfillment of the requirements:
  1. Management of the practice of respiratory care.
  2. Courses concerning the practice of respiratory care that do the following:
     1. Enable individuals to teach continuing education courses for respiratory care practitioner.
     2. Enable respiratory care practitioner to teach topics related to patient/family education.
  3. The practice of respiratory care.

CRITERIA FOR PROGRAM APPROVAL BY THE COMMITTEE
If the program does not fall under IC 25-1-4-0.2 as an Approved Organization, the following criteria shall be used for approval of continuing education programs for respiratory care practitioners: (1) The continuing education program shall have a statement of objectives, which the program should achieve for its participants relating to and enhancing the study of respiratory care.
(2) The sponsor of continuing education programs shall provide adequate administration, including a responsible person to coordinate and administer the program, and shall provide for the maintenance of proper records.
(3) Sponsors of continuing education programs shall provide adequate funding for the educational programs undertaken.
(4) The curriculum of a continuing education program shall be thoughtfully planned and designed to explore in considerable depth one (1) subject or a closely related group of subjects related to the practice of respiratory care.
(5) The continuing education program shall have qualified faculty members who have demonstrated competence in the subject areas.
(6) The continuing education program shall be held in adequate facilities that allow for an effective program.
(7) Continuing education programs shall employ a variety of educational methods and teaching aids that enhance the learning opportunities.
(8) Appropriate methods of evaluation shall be devised and used to measure the continuing education program's effectiveness.
(9) The sponsor of the continuing education program shall provide to the participants a meaningful record of attendance stating the continuing education hours involved.

Programs for continuing education may be approved by the Committee provided the sponsoring organization has submitted the proper form at least thirty (30) days prior to presentation of the program.

The sponsor of the program is responsible for monitoring attendance in such a manner that verification of attendance throughout the entire program can be reliably assured.

If the program does not fall under IC 25-1-4-0.2 as an Approved Organization, the Sponsoring Organization or Attendee are required to submit an application for continuing education approval.

NONCOMPLIANCE OF CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENT
A licensee is not required to submit copies of their continuing education certificates at the time of renewal. The licensee must verify at the time of renewal all continuing education requirements have been met. After the renewal, a percentage of practitioners will be chosen in a random audit to present copies of their continuing education certificates. If the licensee fails to submit the requested information or if the information is insufficient to establish that you have complied with the continuing education requirements, the Committee will proceed with the terms of IC 25-1-4-5 and IC 25-1-4-6 as stated below:

IC 25-1-4-5

1. Notwithstanding any other law, if the board determines that a practitioner has not complied with this chapter at the time that the practitioner applies for license renewal or after an audit conducted under section 3 of this chapter, the board shall do the following:
   1. Send the practitioner notice of noncompliance by certified mail.
   2. As a condition of license renewal, require the practitioner to comply with subsection (b).
   3. Issue a conditional license to the practitioner that is effective until the practitioner complies with subsection (b).
2. Upon receipt of a notice of noncompliance under subsection (a), a practitioner shall do either of the following:
   1. If the practitioner believes that the practitioner has complied with this chapter, within twenty-one (21) days of receipt of the notice, send written notice to the board requesting a review so that the practitioner may submit proof of compliance.
   2. If the practitioner does not disagree with the board's determination of noncompliance, do the following:
      1. Except as provided in subsection (d), pay to the board a civil penalty not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000) within twenty-one (21) days of receipt of the notice.
      2. Acquire, within six (6) months after receiving the notice, the number of credit hours needed to achieve full compliance.
      3. Comply with all other provisions of this chapter.
3. If a practitioner fails to comply with subsection (b), the board shall immediately suspend the license of the practitioner and send notice of the suspension to the practitioner by certified mail.
4. If the board determines that a practitioner has knowingly or intentionally made a false or misleading statement to the board concerning compliance with the continuing education requirements, in addition to the requirements under this section the board may impose a civil penalty of not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000) under subsection (b)(2)(A).
5. The board shall:
   1. reinstate a practitioner suspended under subsection (c); or
   2. renew the practitioner's license in place of the conditional license issued under subsection (a)(3);
   if the practitioner supplies proof of compliance with this chapter under subsection (b)(1).

IC 25-1-4-6

1. Notwithstanding any other law, if at the time a practitioner applies for license renewal or after an audit conducted under section 3 of this chapter, the board determines that the practitioner has failed to comply with this chapter and the practitioner has previously received a notice of noncompliance under section 5(a) of this chapter during the preceding license period, the board shall do the following:
   1. (1) Provide the practitioner notice of noncompliance by certified mail.
   2. (2) Deny the practitioner's application for license renewal.
2. (b) The board shall reinstate a license not renewed under subsection (a) upon occurrence of the following:
   1. Payment by a practitioner to the board of a civil penalty determined by the board, but not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000).
   2. Acquisition by the practitioner of the number of credit hours required to be obtained by the practitioner during the relevant license period.
   3. The practitioner otherwise complies with this chapter.

QUESTIONS AND APPLICATION REQUESTS
If you have any questions regarding continuing education, please contact the Respiratory Care Committee.