To make the rule consistent with new national standards from the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) for radiologic technology continuing education courses; update language addressing current radiologic technology practice areas and ...

 

 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

Division of Environmental Health

RULE NO.:RULE TITLE:

64E-3.009Standards for Continuing Education Courses.

PURPOSE AND EFFECT: To make the rule consistent with new national standards from the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) for radiologic technology continuing education courses; update language addressing current radiologic technology practice areas and Forms DH 406, “Continuing Education Roster” and DH 374, “CE Provider Information Sheet.”

SUMMARY:  Revise rule and Forms DH 406, “Continuing Education Roster” and DH 374, “CE Provider Information Sheet,” for greater clarity and for consistency with recently-revised national CE standards and other changes in radiologic technology equipment and practice.

SUMMARY OF STATEMENT OF ESTIMATED REGULATORY COSTS AND LEGISLATIVE RATIFICATION:  The Agency has determined that this will not have an adverse impact on small business or likely increase directly or indirectly regulatory costs in excess of $200,000 in the aggregate within one year after the implementation of the rule. A SERC has not been prepared by the Agency.

The Agency has determined that the proposed rule is not expected to require legislative ratification based on the statement of estimated regulatory costs or if no SERC is required, the information expressly relied upon and described herein:  Based on the analysis the Department performed in preparing the SERC checklist, this rulemaking will not have an adverse impact or regulatory costs in excess of $1 million within five years as established in s. 120.541(2)(a), F.S.  Therefore, this rulemaking will not have an adverse impact or regulatory costs in excess of $1 million within five years as established in §120.541(2)(a), F.S.

Any person who wishes to provide information regarding a statement of estimated regulatory costs, or provide a proposal for a lower cost regulatory alternative must do so in writing within 21 days of this notice.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY: 468.303, 468.309(1) FS.

LAW IMPLEMENTED: 468.303, 468.309(1) FS.

IF REQUESTED WITHIN 21 DAYS OF THE DATE OF THIS NOTICE, A HEARING WILL BE SCHEDULED AND ANNOUNCED IN THE FAR.

THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Brenda Andrews, 4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin C21, Tallahassee, FL  32399-1741; [phone]; [e-mail].

FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE:

64E-3.009 Standards for Continuing Education Courses.

(1) Each continuing education program provider shall have a stated, long-term, coordinated plan for providing continuing education courses based on data related to specific characteristics of the learner population, including the needs of course attendees and methods of assessing these needs. The provider shall also:

(a) Analyze course evaluation data and use the conclusions in program planning, design and continuity;

(b) Implement a tangible plan for maintaining the security of the course post-test questions; controlling and verifying course attendance; and ongoing evaluation of the program content, instructors, learning process and evaluation tools;

(c) Document that the course is current and accurate by references or bibliography; and

(d) Establish and maintain written policies and procedures consistent with this rule, to implement the continuing education program.

(2)(1) The learning oObjectives of each continuing education course shall describe expected attendee learner outcomes in behavioral terms; be able to be evaluated; be attainable; and be relevant to current radiologic technology practice.

(3) The learning experiences and teaching methods must be appropriate to achieve the learning objectives.

(4) The time allotted for each activity must be sufficient for the course attendees to meet the learning objectives.

(5) The principles of adult education must be used in determining teaching strategies and learning activities.

(6) The course attendees must be given an opportunity to evaluate learning experiences, instructional methods, facilities and resources used for the continuing education course.

(7)(2) The content of each continuing education course shall be planned in logical order and reflect input from qualified persons in the subject matter. A target audience for each continuing education course shall be identified.  The criteria for successful course completion shall be determined by the program provider and made available to attendees prior to the course.  The Appropriate subject matter for each continuing education courses shall reflect the professional educational needs of for the technologist learner to meet the health care needs of the patient consumer, and shall consist of content from one or more of the following:

(a) Radiologic technology practice areas, such as:

1. Digital rRadiography;,

2. Operation of diagnostic and therapeutic equipment;,

3. Radiographic positioning;,

4. Image Film processing;,

5. Shielding and collimation;,

6. Computed tomography (CT);,

7. Radiation therapy, including but not limited to, lLinear accelerators, high-dose rate afterloaders and gamma knife units;

8. Radiographic screens;,

9. Bone densitometry Phototiming;,

10. Portable or mobile radiography;,

11. Contrast media studies;,

12. Implant therapy;,

13. Ultrasound;,

14. Magnetic resonance imaging;,

15. Angiography;,

16. No change.

17. Nuclear medicine, including but not limited to, Positron Emmission Tomography/Computed Tomography (PET/CT), and Single Photon Emmission Computed Tomography (SPECT);

18. Radiation oncology;

19. Mammography;

20. Radiologic technology education;

21. Chapter 468, Part IV, F.S.;

22. Chapter 64E-3, F.A.C.;

23. Chapter 404, F.S.;

24. Chapter 64E-5, F.A.C.;

(b) through (d) No change.

(3) Learning experiences and teaching methods must be appropriate to achieve the objectives.

(4) Time allotted for each activity must be sufficient for the learner to meet the objectives.

(5) Principles of adult education must be used in determining teaching strategies and learning activities.

(6) Participants must be given an opportunity to evaluate learning experiences, instructional methods, facilities and resources used for the course.

(8)(7) All continuing education courses shall be at least 30 50 minutes in length. A 30-50 minute course approved by the Ddepartment will be awarded one-half (.5) contact hour of continuing education credit. An additional one-quarter half (.25) contact hour of continuing education credit will be awarded for each additional 15 25 minutes of course length. Time utilized to complete the course post-test shall not be considered part of the learning activity and shall not be awarded credit.

(9) All self-study courses must include a post-test to assess the attendee’s understanding of the course material and attainment of course objectives. The provider must grade the post-test, and a course participant must receive a score of at least 75% on the post-test to successfully complete a course. A minimum of 4 post-test questions is required for a course awarded one-half (.5) hour of continuing education credit.  An additional 2 post-test questions are required for each additional one-quarter (.25) hour of continuing education credit. Time utilized to complete the course post-test shall not be considered part of the learning activity and shall not be awarded credit.

(10) The provider must designate a person to be a moderator at each live lecture course.  The moderator will secure and control the distribution of the mechanisms (sign-in sheets, rosters, etc.) used to verify the identify of each course attendee, so that the mechanisms contain the names of only those persons who fully attended and successfully completed the course.

(8) Programs shall have a stated, long term, coordinated plan for providing continuing education courses based on data related to specific characteristics of its learner population, including learner needs and methods of assessing these needs. There shall be a tangible plan for ongoing evaluation of the program content, faculty, learning process and evaluation tools. Evaluation data will be analyzed and the conclusions used in program planning, design, and continuity.

(11)(9) A program provider seeking approval of a continuing education course shall:

(a) At least 30 days prior to the date the course begins, mMake application on Form DH 374, (02/16) 10/07, “CE Provider Information Sheet,” which is provided by the department and incorporated herein by reference and available from the Department at www.http//flhealth.gov/radiation and at http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-####, at least 30 days prior to the date the course begins and provide a detailed course outline and a description of course objectives. The provider will identify the format of the course as either live lecture or some type of self-study. If the course is self-study, the provider will also submit a copy of the self-study course material and post-test for review. This form shall identify the format of the course as either live lecture or some type of self-study.

1. If the course is a live lecture, the provider shall submit course objectives and an outline for review to the Department as an attachment to Form DH 374 (02/16).

2. If the course is self-study, the provider shall submit a copy of the self-study course material and post-test for review to the Department.

(b) Notify the department of any changes of the contact persons.

(c) Determine criteria for successful completion of the course and make this information available to participants before the course.

(b)(d) No change.

(e) Designate a person responsible for continuing education courses for radiologic technologists.

(f) Identify a target audience for each course.

(g) Document the course is current and accurate by references or bibliography.

(h) Establish written policies and procedures to implement the continuing education program.

(i) Maintain records of individual course information for 3 years.

(j) Send to the department a roster of participants no later than 30 days following each course on Form DH 406, 07/06 “Continuing Education Roster”, provided by the department and incorporated herein by reference. Providers shall maintain security of attendance records.

(12) The Department shall approve a course meeting the requirements of this rule for a period of up to 36 months.

(13)(k) The provider shall fFurnish each successful course attendee participant with a written certificate of course completion, to which shall include the following, all but the last of which must be printed on the certificate and not handwritten:

(a)1. No change.

2. Signature and name of provider;

(b)3. Approved Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Radiation Control (FLDOH-BRC) provider number and provider name;

(c) Approved FLDOH-BRC course number in the format “FLDOH-BRC XXXXXXXX,” where “XXXXXXXX” is the 8-digit course number assigned by the Department;

(d)4. No change.

(e)5. No change.

(f) Approved category of the continung education course ,which is either “00-Technical” or “05-Personal Development”;

(g) Expiration date of the continuing education course;

(h)6. Name of course attendee participant; and

(i)7. Signature of the instructor or provider. Approved Florida course number.

(10) Approval of a course can be granted for up to 36 months.

(11) All self study courses must include a post-test to assess the participant’s understanding of the course material and attainment of course objectives. The course provider must grade the post-test and a participant must receive a score of at least 75 percent on the post-test to successfully complete a course. A minimum of 20 post-test questions is required for a course awarded one contact hour of continuing education credit. An additional five post-test questions are required for each additional half contact hour of continuing education credit.

(14) No later than 30 days after each course presentation date, the provider shall submit to the Department a copy of the Department-approved Form DH 374 (02/16) for the course, as well as a completed Form DH 406 (02/16), “Continuing Education Roster,” incorporated by reference, a proof of which is available at http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-#### (PROOF IS NOT TO BE SUBMITTED AS AN OFFICIAL DOCUMENT as it is not machine-readable and, therefore, is for reference and viewing only); blank, machine-readable versions of this form must be obtained from the Department of Health as follows:

(a) By written request to the Department of Health, Bureau of Radiation Control, Attention: CE Coordinator, 4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin C-21, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1741;

(b) By facsimile transmission to “CE Coordinator” at 850-487-0435; or

(c) By pickup from the Department of Health, Bureau of Radiation Control, Attention: CE Coordinator, 4042 Bald Cypress Way, 2nd Floor – Room 220C, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1741.

(15) The provider must notify the Department in writing within 60 days of any changes in information submitted to the Department on Form DH 374 (02/16) or Form DH 406 (02/16) or any attachments thereto.

(16) For 3 years after the course presentation date, the provider shall maintain copies of approved Form DH 374 (02/16), the submitted Form DH 406 (02/16), and records of attendance verification.

Rulemaking Specific Authority 468.303, 468.309(1) FS. Law Implemented 468.303, 468.309(1) FS. History–New 4-10-85, Formerly 10D-74.52, Amended 9-17-92, 5-7-96, 12-12-96, Formerly 10D-74.052, Amended 3-4-08,            .

NAME OF PERSON ORIGINATING PROPOSED RULE: Cynthia Becker, Bureau Chief, Bureau of Radiation Control

NAME OF AGENCY HEAD WHO APPROVED THE PROPOSED RULE: Celeste Philip, MD, MPH, Interim State Surgeon General

DATE PROPOSED RULE APPROVED BY AGENCY HEAD:  April 30, 2016

DATE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT PUBLISHED IN FAR: January 14, 2016