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Florida Occupational Therapy Continuing Education 

How many continuing education hours are required during a reporting period?

Occupational therapists licensed in Florida must complete twenty-six (26) hours of approved continuing education every two (2) years.

Occupational therapy assistants licensed in Florida must complete twenty-six (26) hours of approved continuing education every two (2) years.

New Licensees

Those persons certified for licensure in the second half of the two (2) year period are exempt from the continuing education requirements, except for the two (2) hour prevention of medical errors course requirement referenced and one (1) hour of HIV/AIDS education required no later than upon first renewal.

How is contact hour defined?

The course or program must be presented in a time block of at least one contact hour. “One (1) contact hour” equals a minimum of fifty (50) minutes. One half (1/2 or .5) contact hours equals a minimum of twenty-five (25) minutes.

How long is the reporting period?

Two (2) years.

Can CE credits be carried over into the next reporting period?

Not specified.

Are there any specific requirements for continuing education?

At least fourteen (14) of the required hours must be in person or from interactive, real-time courses. An interactive, real-time course may be a web-based, satellite transmitted, telephone or video conference, or online instruction program that allows or requires the licensee to interact in real time, including live chat, with the instructor during the presentation of the program.

HIV/AIDS – Licensees must complete one (1) hour of HIV/AIDS education during the first renewal period. HIV/AIDS courses approved by any Board within the Division of Medical Quality Assurance of the Department of Health are approved by this Board. A licensee is not required to complete an HIV/AIDS course for each subsequent renewal biennium.

Medical Errors – Each licensee shall attend and certify attending a Board-approved two (2) hour continuing education course relating to the prevention of medical errors. The two (2) hour course shall count toward the total number of continuing education hours required for licensure renewal. The course must include a study of root-cause analysis, error reduction and prevention, and patient safety, and must also include contraindications and indications specific to occupational therapy management including medication and side effects.

Laws and Rules – During each renewal period, licensees must complete a two (2) hour Board approved course on laws and rules covering Chapters 456 and 468, Part III, F.S., and Chapter 64B11, F.A.C.

What types of activities can be used for the continuing education requirements?

Activity

Documentation

Hours

Continuing Education Courses

Continuing education includes attendance and participation as required at approved live or interactive presentations such as workshop, seminar, conference, webinar, or in-service educational programs.

Certificate of completion.

One (1) contact hour equals a minimum of fifty (50) minutes.

No maximum.

Home Study

Home study education is a self-paced, non-interactive independent study that requires a certificate of completion. Taking a computerized exam at the end of the study or being able to email the instructor with a question, does not qualify home study as a live or interactive course.

At the time of course presentation, rental, or sale, the course vendor, in lieu of the certificate of completion, shall provide the licensee with a signed course validation form. The licensee shall sign this form on the date that the course is actually taken or viewed indicating full attendance and successful completion.

One (1) contact hour equals a minimum of fifty (50) minutes.

Maximum: Twelve (12) hours of home study education per biennium.

Five (5) credits per subject.

Course Presentation

The presentation of a continuing education course or program, academic course, peer-reviewed or non peer-reviewed workshop, seminar, in-service, electronic or web-based course that is directly related to the practice of occupational therapy as either the lecturer of the course or program or as the author of the course materials. Each licensee who is participating as either a lecturer or author of a continuing education course or program may receive credit for the portion of the offering he/she presented or authored up to the total hours awarded for the offering.

Documentation shall include a copy of the official program/schedule/syllabus including presentation title, date, hours of presentation, and type of audience or verification of such signed by the sponsor.

The number of contact hours to be awarded to each licensee who participates in a continuing education course or program as either a lecturer or author is based on the fifty (50) minute contact hour.

Continuing education credit for the development and teaching of postsecondary academic courses shall be one (1) continuing education credit per academic course credit.

Maximum: Eight (8) credits per period.

Continuing education credit for presentations of either medical errors or laws and rules courses is limited to four (4) credits per biennium.

Attendance at Florida Board of Occupational Therapy Practice Meetings

Each licensee who attends a Florida Board of Occupational Therapy Practice meeting where disciplinary cases are being heard, if the licensee is not on the agenda or appearing for another purpose.

Not Specified

One (1) contact hour equals a minimum of fifty (50) minutes.

Maximum: Eight (8) hours per renewal period.



Fieldwork Experience

Supervision of a Level II Occupational Therapy or Occupational Therapy Assistant fieldwork or entry level doctoral capstone student.

To be eligible for the credit, the licensee must participate as the primary clinical fieldwork educator for the student.

Documentation shall include verification provided by the school to the fieldwork educator with the name of the student, school, and dates of fieldwork or the signature page of the completed student evaluation form. Evaluation scores and comments shall be deleted or blocked out.

A licensee may earn up to six (6) continuing education hours per renewal period for supervision of a Level II OT or OTA fieldwork student at the rate of no more than three (3) hours per student.

Publications

A licensee may earn the following continuing education credit for publication of a peer-reviewed or non peer-reviewed book, chapter, or article directly related to the practice of occupational therapy.

Documentation shall consist of a full reference for the publication including title, author, editor, and date of publication.

Ten (10) hours as the author of a book;

Five (5) hours as author of a chapter;

Three (3) hours as author of a peer-reviewed article;

One (1) hour as author of a non peer-reviewed article; and,

Five (5) hours as an editor of a book.

Maximum: Ten (10) per renewal period.

Research

Development of or participation in a research project specific to and directly related to the practice of occupational therapy.

Documentation shall include verification from the primary investigator indicating the name of the research project, dates of participation, major hypotheses or objectives of the project, and the licensee’s role in the project.

One (1) hour of continuing education credit for each ten (10) hours spent in development of or participation in a research project specific to and directly related to the practice of occupational therapy.

Maximum: Five (5) hours of credit per renewal period.

Volunteer Expert Witness

Any volunteer expert witness who is providing expert witness opinions for cases being reviewed pursuant to Chapter 468, Part III, F.S., the Occupational Therapy Practice Act.

Not specified.

Three (3) hours of credit for each case reviewed.

Maximum: Six (6) credit hours per renewal period.

Performance of Pro Bono Services

Performance of pro bono services to the indigent as provided in Section 456.013(9), F.S., or to underserved populations, or in areas of critical need within the state where the licensee practices.

In order to receive credit, licensees must make a written request to the Board and receive approval prior to performing pro bono services in advance. In the written request, licensees shall disclose the type, nature and extent of services to be rendered, the facility where the services will be rendered, the number of patients expected to be serviced, and a statement indicating that the patients to be served are indigent. If the licensee intends to provide services in underserved or critical need areas, the written request shall provide a brief explanation as to those facts.

One (1) hour credit shall be given for each two (2) hours worked.

Maximum: Six (6) credit hours per renewal period.

What type of approval is needed for the courses?

Courses approved by the:

  • Florida Board of Occupational Therapy,
  • Florida Occupational Therapy Association (FOTA),
  • The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA),
  • Providers sanctioned by the FOTA or approved by the AOTA, and
  • Occupational therapy courses provided by an education program approved by an accrediting body for occupational therapy.

How long must continuing education records be retained?

The licensee must retain such receipts, vouchers, certificates, or other papers to document completion of the required continuing education for a period of not less than four (4) years from the date the course was taken.

Exemption of Spouse of Member of Armed Forces

A licensee who is the spouse of a member of the Armed Forces of the United States shall be exempt from all licensure renewal provisions for any period of time which the licensee is absent from the State of Florida due to the spouse’s duties with the Armed Forces. The licensee must document the absence and the spouse’s military status to the Board. If the change of status occurs within the second half of the biennium, the licensee is exempt from the continuing education requirement for that biennium.

Reference

Fla. Reg § 64B11-5.001

Fla. Reg § 64B11-6.001

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