Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0260-05-.12 - CONTINUING EDUCATION

(1) Basic Requirements - The Board of Chiropractic Examiners requires each certificate holder registered with the board to complete six (6) clock hours of continuing education each calendar year.

(2) New Certification Requirements

(a) A two (2) clock hour Board-approved course in risk management, sexual/professional boundaries, and Tennessee statutory and regulatory chiropractic jurisprudence must be taken within twelve (12) months prior to certification or within the first (1st) calendar year that continuing education is required. If taken prior to certification, the course must be an additional course beyond the regular chiropractic therapy assistant program. If taken after certification, the course shall not constitute part of the six (6) clock hour continuing education requirement in paragraph (1) of this rule. Those who are certified as both chiropractic X-ray technologists and chiropractic therapy assistants need only take this course once.

(b) New certification by examination or reciprocity - New certificate holders, whether by examination or reciprocity, shall be exempted from the continuing education requirements of 0260-05-.12(1) for the calendar year in which they are certified, but must take the two (2) hour course as described above in 0260-05-.12(2)(a).

(3) Acceptable Continuing Education

(a) To be acceptable continuing education, the course must be approved by the Board of Chiropractic Examiners. No prior approval is required for continuing education courses conducted by the American Chiropractic Association, the International Chiropractors Association, the Tennessee Chiropractic Association, or CPR training provided by the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross. No more than one (1) hour of credit will be granted for CPR training and courses.

(b) Whenever the Board decides that there is information that is crucial for certificate holders to have it may prepare and send that information to all continuing education providers in a format no larger than two (2) pages. All approved continuing education providers must, as a prerequisite to remaining an approved provider, reproduce and distribute this information from the Board to every certificate holder attending each of its individual continuing education courses or group of courses.

(4) Documentation

(a) A certificate holder must, within thirty (30) days of a request from the board, provide evidence of continuing education activities. Such evidence must be copies of one (1) or more of the following:

1. Original certificates or photocopies of original certificates verifying the certificate holder's attendance at continuing education program(s). The original certificates or photocopies of original certificates must include the following: continuing education program's sponsor, date, clock hours awarded (continuing education units must be converted to clock hours), program title, certificate holder's name, and certification number.

2. Original letters or photocopies of original letters on official stationery from the continuing education program's sponsor indicating date, clock hours awarded (continuing education units must be converted to clock hours), program title, certificate holder's name, and certification number.

3. Original documents or photocopies of original documents verifying successful completion of a written post experience examination to evaluate material retention upon completion of a multi-media course, as provided in paragraph (6). The original documents or photocopies of original documents must include the clock hours awarded (continuing education units must be converted to clock hours), program title, certificate holder's name, and certification number.

(b) Each certificate holder must retain original documents or photocopies of original documents which verify proof of attendance and completion of all continuing education requirements. This documentation must be retained for a period of four (4) years from the end of the calendar year in which the continuing education was acquired. This documentation must be produced for inspection and verification, if requested in writing by the board during its verification process. The board will not maintain continuing education files.

(c) If a person submits documentation for training that is not clearly identifiable as appropriate continuing education, the board will request a written description of the training and how it applies to the practice of chiropractic therapy assistants. If the board determines that the training can not be considered appropriate continuing education, the individual will be given ninety (90) days to replace the hours not allowed. Those hours will be considered replacement hours and cannot be counted during the next renewal period.

(5) No continuing education credit shall be awarded for multi-media hours or courses.

(6) Continuing education credit will not be allowed for the following:

(a) Regular work activities, administrative staff meetings, case staffing/reporting, etc.

(b) Membership in, holding office in, or participation on boards of committees, business meetings of professional organizations, or banquet speeches.

(c) Training specifically related to policies and procedures of an agency. Except Tennessee statutes, rules and policies governing the practice of a chiropractic therapy assistant.

(d) Education content that is for practice building, practice management, patient acquisition or reimbursement related. Education should focus on clinical and/or scientific content, with an emphasis on patient diagnosis, treatment, protection, basic science, research developments, chiropractic therapy procedures, or rehabilitation techniques.

(7) Continuing Education for Reactivation or Reinstatement of Retired, Revoked, or Expired Certificate

(a) Reactivation of Retired Certification

1. An individual whose certificate has been retired for one (1) year or less will be required to fulfill continuing education requirements as outlined in this rule as a prerequisite to reactivation. Those hours will be considered replacement hours and cannot be counted toward meeting the calendar year end requirement.

2. Any individual requesting reactivation of a certificate which has been retired for more than one year must submit, along with the reactivation request, verification which indicates the attendance and completion of six (6) hours of continuing education for each year the certificate was retired. The continuing education hours must have begun and been successfully completed prior to the date of reactivation.

(b) Reactivation of Revoked Certification - No person whose certification has been revoked for failure to comply with continuing education may be reactivated without complying with these requirements. Continuing education requirements will accumulate at the same rate as that for those certificates which are active. The required clock hours of continuing education must have been begun and successfully completed before the date of reactivation.

(c) Reactivation or Reinstatement of Expired Certification - No person whose certificate has expired may be reactivated or reinstated without submitting evidence of continuing education. The continuing education hours documented at the time of reactivation or reinstatement must equal the hours required, had the certificate remained in an active status, and must have been begun and successfully completed before the date of reactivation or reinstatement.

(d) Continuing education hours obtained as a prerequisite for reactivating or reinstating a certificate may not be counted toward the calendar year requirement.

(8) Violations

(a) Any certificate holder who falsely certifies attendance and completion of the required hours of continuing education requirements, or who does not or cannot adequately and timely substantiate completed continuing education hours with the required documentation, may be subject to disciplinary action. Such disciplinary action may include a civil penalty of up to three hundred ($300) dollars and the requirement that deficient hours be made up within the next calendar year or any other lawful discipline.

(b) Continuing education hours obtained as a result of compliance with the terms of a Board Order in any disciplinary action shall not be credited toward the continuing education hours required to be obtained in any renewal period.

(9) Waiver of Continuing Education

(a) The board may grant a waiver of the need to attend and complete the required hours of continuing education if it can be shown to the board that compliance is or was beyond the physical capabilities of the person seeking the waiver.

(b) Waivers will be considered only on an individual basis and may be requested by submitting the following items to the board's administrative office.

1. A written request for a waiver which specifies the requirement which is sought to be waived, and a written and signed explanation of the reason for the request.

2. Any documentation which supports the reason for waiver requested or which is subsequently requested by the board.

(c) A waiver approved by the board is effective only for the calendar year for which the waiver is sought.

Notes

Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0260-05-.12

Original rule filed February 9, 2000; 60-day stay filed February 24, 2000; effective June 23, 2000. Repeal and new rule filed November 15, 2000; effective January 30, 2001. Amendment filed September 13, 2002; effective November 27, 2002. Amendment filed September 27, 2002; effective December 11, 2002. Amendment filed January 31, 2003; effective April 16, 2003. Amendment filed December 4, 2003; effective February 17, 2004. Amendment filed October 10, 2005; effective December 24, 2005. Amendments filed January 5, 2006; effective March 21, 2006. Amendments filed October 27, 2008; effective January 10, 2009. Amendments filed October 14, 2011; effective January 12, 2012. Amendments filed April 12, 2023; effective 7/11/2023.

Authority: T.C.A. §§ 63-1-107, 63-4-103, 63-4-106, 63-4-112, 63-4-114, 63-4-115, and 63-4-123.