Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0880-14-.09 - CONTINUING EDUCATION

(1) All licensees must comply with the following as a prerequisite to licensure renewal:

(a) Continuing Education - Hours Required

1. A licensee must complete ten (10) hours of continuing education every calendar year (January 1-December 31).

2. Continuing education for new licensees - For new licensees, submitting proof of successful completion of all education and training requirements required for licensure in Tennessee, pursuant to Rule 0880-14-.03, shall be considered proof of sufficient preparatory education to constitute continuing education credit for the calendar year in which such education and training requirements were completed.

3. The Committee may approve a course for only the number of hours contained in the course. The approved hours of any individual course will not be counted more than once in a calendar year toward the required hourly total regardless of the number of times the course is attended or completed by any individual.

4. The Committee may waive or otherwise modify the requirements of this rule in cases where there is retirement, or an illness, disability or other undue hardship that prevents a licensee from obtaining the requisite number of continuing education hours. Requests for waivers or modification must be sent in writing to the Committee Office prior to the expiration of the renewal period in which the continuing education is due.

(b) Continuing Education - Proof of Compliance

1. The due date for completion of the required continuing education is December 31st of every calendar year.

2. Licensees must, on the license renewal form, enter a signature, electronic or otherwise, which indicates completion of the required continuing education hours and that such hours were obtained during the applicable calendar years.

3. All licensees must retain independent documentation of completion of all continuing education hours for a period of five (5) years from the end of the renewal period in which the continuing education was acquired. This documentation must be produced for inspection and verification, if requested in writing by the Division during its verification process. Documentation verifying the licensee's completion of the continuing education program(s) may consist of any one or more of the following:

(i) Certificates from the continuing education program's sponsor, indicating the date, length in minutes awarded (continuing education units must be converted to clock hours), program title, licensee's name, license number and social security number; or

(ii) An original letter on official stationery from the continuing education program's sponsor indicating date, length in minutes awarded (continuing education units must be converted to clock hours), program title, licensee's name, license number and social security number.

(c) Continuing Education -

1. Approved Continuing Education - Continuing education programs that are provided by, or approved for continuing education credit by, one of the following shall be acceptable to the Committee for credit towards the continuing education hour requirements of this rule:

(i) Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologists

(ii) American Association of Sleep Technologists

(iii) Canadian Sleep Society

(iv) Australasian Sleep Technologists Association

(v) American Academy of Sleep Medicine

2. Continuing Education Coursework that may be approved - Continuing education courses provided by, or approved for continuing education credit by, one of the following organizations or associations may potentially, on a case-by-case basis, also be recognized as acceptable continuing education to satisfy the requirements of this rule, provided that the course's primary educational component relates to the practice of polysomnography. In the event that the Committee or Division requests documentation of completion of all continuing education hours during its verification process, the licensee has the duty to provide not only proof of the course completion, but also proof that the course relates to the practice of polysomnography and that it has been provided by or approved by one of the following organizations:

(i) American Association for Respiratory Care and any of its chartered affiliates

(ii) American College of Chest Physicians

(iii) American Heart Association

(iv) American Lung Association

(v) American Medical Association

(vi) American Nurses Association

(vii) American Society of Cardiovascular Professionals

(viii) American Society of Anesthesiologists

(ix) American Thoracic Society

(x) Critical Care Nurse Association

(xi) Tennessee Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation

(xii) Tennessee Medical Association

(xiii) All hospitals or institutions belonging to the Tennessee Hospital Association or which are Joint Commission-accredited.

3. The Committee consultant is vested with the authority to approve continuing education courses submitted in compliance with this rule. All such approvals must be presented to the full Board for ratification.

4. If a person submits documentation for coursework that is not clearly identifiable as acceptable continuing education because its primary educational component does not clearly relate to the practice of polysomnography, the Committee or its consultant will request further written description of the coursework and how it applies to the practice of polysomnography. If the Committee determines that it will not approve the continuing education, the individual may be granted an extension, not to exceed ninety (90) days, to replace the coursework hours that were not approved by the Committee. Those hours will be considered replacement hours and cannot be counted during the next calendar year.

(d) Violations

1. A licensee who fails to obtain the required continuing education hours shall pay a fee of $30.00 per hour deficient, may be subject to disciplinary action pursuant to Rule 0880-14-.07, and shall not be eligible for licensure renewal.

2. A licensee who falsely attests to completion of the required hours of continuing education may be subject to disciplinary action pursuant to rule 0880-14-.07.

3. Education hours obtained as a result of compliance with the terms of Committee and/or Board Orders in any disciplinary action shall not be credited toward the continuing education hours required to be obtained in any calendar year.

Notes

Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0880-14-.09

Original rule filed March 2, 2010; effective May 31, 2010. Amendments filed May 25, 2017; effective 8/23/2017.

Authority: T.C.A. §§ 63-6-101, 63-31-104, and 63-31-109.