Section 1399.350 - Continuing Education Required(a) Each respiratory care practitioner (RCP) is required to complete 30 hours of approved continuing education (CE) every 2 years. At least 25 of the 30 required CE hours shall be completed in the following content areas: (1) A minimum of 10 hours shall be directly related to RCP leadership, including effective communication in healthcare, training for educators who provide instruction in respiratory care practice as defined in Sections 3702 and 3702.7 of the B&P, or training in case management, health-care financial reimbursement, health care cost containment or health care management. Hours earned as part of a licensee's successful completion of the Law and Professional Ethics Course as provided in section 1399.350.5, and credit earned by a licensee for preceptor participation as provided in section 1399.352.6 shall be considered qualifying RCP leadership hours and counted by the Board toward meeting the requirements of this subdivision in accordance with sections 1399.350.5 or 1399.352.6, as applicable.(2) A minimum of 15 hours shall be directly related to the clinical practice of respiratory care, including training on all activities involving the practice of respiratory care as defined in B&P sections 3702 and 3702.7. Hours earned as part of a licensee's successful completion of credentialing or certification examinations shall be considered qualifying CE and shall be counted by the Board toward meeting the requirements of this subdivision in accordance with section 1399.351.(b) An RCP may earn up to 5 hours of CE credit through attendance at open sessions of Respiratory Care Board meetings; attendance at California Society for Respiratory Care (CSRC), or American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) meetings, at the discretion of the AARC or CSRC in compliance with this subdivision; or attendance at courses related to the role of a health care practitioner or indirectly related to respiratory care as defined in section 1399.352. (1) For attendance at meetings, CE shall be calculated on an hour-for-hour basis with one hour of CE credit accepted for each hour spent in attendance at the meeting.(2) An RCP requesting CE credit for attending a Board meeting pursuant to this subdivision shall sign in and out on an attendance sheet at the in-person meeting or by way of a comment through a virtual, internet-based application (Webex or similar on-line meeting or video conferencing computer-based platform) if the Board offers on-line public participation for the meeting, that requires the individual to provide the following: (A) the RCP's first and last name,(C) time of arrival and time of departure from the meeting, and,(D) disclose whether they are requesting CE credit for attendance at the board meeting.(3) An RCP requesting CE credit for attending a CSRC or AARC meeting shall obtain from the CSRC or AARC a written confirmation on the letterhead of the organization confirming the RCP's attendance at the meeting.(c) Subject to the requirements and limitations of this Article, CE credit may be earned in any of the forms of learning experiences set forth in section 1399.349. However, a minimum of 15 hours of CE as outlined in subdivisions (a) and (b) shall be earned from live courses or meetings provided with interaction between the licensee and instructor in real time. The instructor and the licensee need not be in the same place, but they shall be able to communicate either verbally or in writing with each other during the time the learning activity is occurring. For the purposes of this section, live courses or meetings include, in-person lecture educational sessions that are part of conventions, courses, seminars, workshops, lecture series, and online meetings with participatory interaction between the licensee and the instructor via computer networks or the internet such as via web casts, video conferences, and audio conferences in which the licensee can directly interact with the instructor in real time during the instructional period.(d) A licensee may not claim CE hours, and the Board shall not accept CE hours, for the same course or credentialing or certification examination more than once per renewal period.(e) To renew the license, each RCP shall report compliance with the CE requirement. Supporting documentation, showing evidence of compliance with each requirement under this Article, shall be submitted upon request to the board. For the purposes of this article, "supporting documentation" or "documentation supporting compliance" shall include certificates of completion as provided in subdivision (k) of section 1399.352 or, for courses completed through an approved post-secondary institution, an official transcript showing successful completion of the course accompanied by the catalog's course description as provided in subdivision (l) of section 1399.352. For CSRC or AARC meeting attendance as provided in subdivision (b)(3) of section 1399.350, "supporting documentation" or "documentation supporting compliance" includes written confirmation of physical attendance.(f) CE supporting documentation shall be retained by the licensee for a period of four years.Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 16, § 1399.350
1. New article 5 (sections 1399.350-1399.355) filed 5-8-86; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 86, No. 19).
2. Amendment of subsection (b) filed 2-23-89; operative 3-25-89 (Register 89, No. 9).
3. Change without regulatory effect amending subsection (b) filed 10-22-92 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 92, No. 43).
4. Change without regulatory effect amending subsection (b) filed 11-30-95 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 95, No. 48).
5. New subsection (c) filed 6-9-97; operative 7-9-97 (Register 97, No. 24).
6. Amendment of subsections (a) and (b) filed 4-22-2004; operative 5-22-2004 (Register 2004, No. 17).
7. Amendment of subsection (a) filed 4-9-2015; operative 7-1-2015 (Register 2015, No. 15).
8. Amendment filed 8-10-2023; operative 10-1-2023 (Register 2023, No. 32). Note: Authority cited: Sections 3719 and 3722, Business and Professions Code. Reference: Section 3719, Business and Professions Code.
1. New article 5 (sections 1399.350-1399.355) filed 5-8-86; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 86, No. 19).
2. Amendment of subsection (b) filed 2-23-89; operative 3-25-89 (Register 89, No. 9).
3. Change without regulatory effect amending subsection (b) filed 10-22-92 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 92, No. 43).
4. Change without regulatory effect amending subsection (b) filed 11-30-95 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 95, No. 48).
5. New subsection (c) filed 6-9-97; operative 7-9-97 (Register 97, No. 24).
6. Amendment of subsections (a) and (b) filed 4-22-2004; operative 5-22-2004 (Register 2004, No. 17).
7. Amendment of subsection (a) filed 4-9-2015; operative 7/1/2015 (Register 2015, No. 15).
8. Amendment filed 8-10-2023; operative 10/1/2023 (Register 2023, No. 32).