64B12-15.003. Standards for Continuing Professional Education

(1) Each credit hour of continuing professional education submitted to fulfill biennial requirements shall consist of at least 50 minutes of classroom instruction.

(2) Credit for continuing education courses shall be limited to 8 hours taken in a 24-hour period.

(3) Continuing professional education courses must contribute to the advancement, extension or enhancement of professional skills and knowledge in the practice of opticianry or the management of a practice. For biennial renewal, twenty hours of continuing education shall be required as follows:

(a) Eleven (11) hours must be directly related to the technical practice of opticianry. If the licensee is a Board Certified Optician, four (4) of those eleven (11) hours shall consist of technical courses related to contact lens theory and practice;

(b) Two (2) hours must include the subject of Federal or Florida laws and administrative rules governing the profession;

(c) For the first renewal in which a licensee is required to take continuing education, one (1) hour of continuing education instruction must be on Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS);

(d) Two (2) hours must relate to the prevention of medical errors. The course must be approved by the Board and shall include a study of root-cause analysis, error reduction and prevention, and patient safety; and

(e) Two hours of continuing education in risk management per biennium shall be granted for attendance at a regularly scheduled board meeting where disciplinary action is being taken except that licensees appearing before the board on any disciplinary proceeding shall not be entitled to claim two hours of continuing education for that particular board meeting. Any licensee claiming two hours of continuing education under this section shall prepare a written statement detailing the date and location of said board meeting and the hours attended at said board meeting. Said written statement shall be used to report continuing education pursuant to Rule 64B12-5.001, F.A.C.

(f) Five (5) hours shall be electives consisting of courses in one (1) or more of the subjects of categories (a), (b), (c), or (e) above or subjects relating to management of a practice from a business perspective including sales and marketing, business and finance, personnel management, stress management, risk management, fire prevention or disaster planning, or for attending a board meeting as provided herein.

(4) Upon application, a continuing education program which meets the following minimum criteria shall be approved by the Board. The program provider must document and submit at least the following:

(a) A showing that the program provides training in one of the subjects specified in subsection 64B12-15.003(3), F.A.C.;

(b) An explanation of the objective of each program so that it is clearly demonstrated to the Board how an Optician Practitioner’s skills, knowledge or needs will be enhanced;

(c) A written detailed outline of the course instruction and complete copies of all written materials to be used;

(d) The name and a current detailed curriculum vitae of any instructor or lecturer reflecting competency, qualifications, education, and experience in the subject matter;

(e) A statement of the manner in which the program will ensure that the teacher-student ratio is appropriate for the program’s objective and context, thereby allowing appropriate teacher-student interaction;

(f) A statement of the date, time and place of presentation of the program(s);

(g) For courses involving classroom instruction, a copy of rules designed to minimize classroom distractions to include those against disruptive behavior not conducive to learning, and the use of personal communication devices;

(h) A statement of the number of Board approved credit hours requested for each program; and

(i) For courses involving classroom instruction, the name(s) and current mailing address of the person(s) who will be responsible for each presentation of the program. Said person(s) shall be responsible for completion and submission of all reporting and documentation requirements and shall be the contact person between the Board and the provider and between the students and the provider. Courses on HIV/AIDS shall include the following subject areas:

1. Modes of transmission;

2. Infection control procedures;

3. Clinical management;

4. Prevention;

5. Florida law on AIDS and the impact on testing, confidentiality, and treatment. A home study course shall be permitted to fulfill this aspect of the HIV/AIDS education. Courses on HIV/AIDS approved by any Board within the Division of Medical Quality Assurance of the Department of Health pursuant to Section 456.033, F.S., are approved by this Board.

(5) The teacher for a particular continuing professional education course shall be competent in the subject matter taught and qualified by education or experience. Licensure in the subject matter taught may be substituted as proof of appropriate education or experience.

(6) Upon completion of the program, the program provider must distribute and the participants must complete an evaluation form. The program provider must maintain the completed evaluation forms for at least 120 days from the date the program was offered. The program provider shall review and compile a summary of evaluation responses. The program provider shall retain the summary of evaluation responses for at least three years, and submit to the Board upon the Board’s request.

(7) Proof of attendance, signed by the program provider, indicating the program title, date of course, and number of credit hours earned, and the provider number if an approved provider, shall be furnished to each participant. The program provider shall retain his attendance records for at least three years, and submit them to the Board upon the Board’s request.

Specific Authority 456.013(7), (9), 484.005, 484.008(3) FS. Law Implemented 456.013(7), (9), 484.008(3) FS. History–New 10-12-80, Formerly 21P-15.03, Amended 3-5-87, 8-10-87, 10-29-87, 1-6-88, 6-11-92, Formerly 21P-15.003, Amended 4-17-94, Formerly 61G13-15.003, Amended 3-14-95, Formerly 59U-15.003, Amended 4-20-99, 12-31-00, 10-29-02, 4-23-03, 4-11-06, 9-13-07, 7-27-08.