64B14-5.002. Continuing Education Requirement

(1) As a condition of license renewal or recertification, each licensee must complete approved continuing education.

(a) Each licensee must complete the following continuing education within 24 months immediately preceding the date license renewal is due:

1. Orthotists/Prosthetists: 30 hours.

2. Pedorthists: 30 hours.

3. Orthotic Fitters: 20 hours.

4. Orthotic Fitter Assistants: 10 hours.

5. Any licensee holding more than 1 license must complete a minimum of 30 hours of continuing education.

(b) Each licensee’s continuing education must include the mandatory courses as identified in Rule 64B14-5.005, F.A.C.

(2) At least 50% of the continuing education hours used to meet the requirements of these rules consist of one or more of the following:

(a) Orthotics/prosthetics/pedorthics practice areas and special health care problems;

(b) Biological, physical, and behavioral sciences.

(c) A course resulting in current registration or certification demonstrating competency in CPR sponsored by the American Heart Association, the American Safety and Health Institute, the American Red Cross, or board approved provider.

(3) The remaining continuing education requirement of these rules may be satisfied by courses in business and practice management including courses covering the following topics:

(a) Legal aspects of health care;

(b) Management of health care personnel;

(c) Health insurance issues;

(d) Facility management;

(e) Practice and risk management.

(4) Each licensee may receive five hours of continuing education credit in risk management by attending a meeting of the Board at which disciplinary cases are heard.

(5) Credit for continuing education is approved for the following:

(a) Courses offered by a provider approved by the Board.

(b) Courses offered for continuing education by FAOP and those approved by ABC for their respective professions.

(c) Courses intended for use as continuing education provided by a regionally accredited college or university, whose graduates are eligible for licensure under this chapter which meet the requirements of Rule 64B14-5.003, F.A.C.

(d) Graduate level academic courses provided by a regionally accredited college or university, provided such courses are offered by a graduate program in a health care profession.

(6) The licensee shall retain the original continuing education certificates of attendance for a minimum of four years.

(7) The Board will audit at random a number of licensees as necessary to assure that the continuing education requirements are met. Within 21 days of a request from the Board, the licensee must provide evidence of completion of the continuing education requirements by submission of one or more of the following:

(a) Certificates of attendance from approved courses.

(b) An official transcript and copy of course syllabus of any graduate level course taken from a regionally accredited college or university.

(8) A licensee who is the spouse of a member of the Armed Forces of the United States shall be exempt from all licensure renewal provisions for any period of time which the licensee is absent from the State of Florida due to the spouse’s duties with the Armed Forces. The licensee must document the absence and the spouse’s military status to the Board.

(9) For the first renewal period after licensure, except for the hours mandated for the prevention of medical errors, the licensee is exempt from continuing education requirements of subsection (1).

Rulemaking Authority 468.802, 468.806(2), (3) FS. Law Implemented 456.013(9), 456.024, 468.806(2), (3) FS. History–New 7-1-98, Amended 5-18-00, 7-18-02, 11-11-02, 2-15-05, 11-1-05, 3-2-08, 7-13-09, 3-30-10, 12-27-11, 4-30-12, 10-21-21, 10-21-21, 8-3-22.