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

Occupational Therapists:  An OT licensed Iowa must complete a minimum of thirty (30) hours

of continuing education approved by the board every two (2) years. A minimum of twenty (20) hours shall be directly and primarily related to the clinical application of occupational therapy.

New Licensees:  Persons licensed for the first time shall not be required to complete continuing education as a prerequisite for the first renewal of their licenses.

Continuing education hours acquired anytime from the initial licensing until the second license renewal may be used. The new licensee will be required to complete a minimum of thirty (30) hours of continuing education per biennium for occupational therapists and fifteen (15) hours for occupational therapy assistants each subsequent license renewal.

OTAs: An OTA licensed in Iowa must complete a minimum of fifteen (15) hours of continuing education approved by the board every two (2) years. A minimum of ten (10) hours shall be directly and primarily related to the clinical application of occupational therapy.

How is credit hour defined?

“Hour of continuing education” means at least fifty (50) minutes spent by a licensee in actual attendance at and completion of an approved continuing education activity.

How long is the reporting period?

Two (2) years. The biennial continuing education compliance period shall extend for a two-year period that begins on the sixteenth day of the birth month and ends two years later on the fifteenth day of the birth month.

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

No. With the exception of continuing education hours obtained by new licensees, no hours of continuing education shall be carried over into the next biennium. A licensee whose license was reactivated during the current renewal compliance period may use continuing education earned during the compliance period for the first renewal following reactivation.

Are there any specific requirements for continuing education?

N/A

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

Attending workshops, conferences, or symposiums.

Accessing online training, such as viewing interactive conferences, attending webinars, or completing online training courses.

Directly supervising students for clinical education if the student being supervised is from an accredited occupational therapy or occupational therapy assistant program and is participating in a full-time clinical experience (defined as approximately forty (40) hours per week, ranging from 1 to 18 weeks). One hour will be awarded for every 160 contact hours of supervision. A maximum of eight (8) hours for an occupational therapist and four (4) hours for an occupational therapy assistant may be awarded per biennium. The occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant must have documentation from the accredited educational program indicating the number of hours spent supervising a student.

Presenting professional programs that meet the criteria listed in this rule. Two (2) hours of credit will be awarded for each hour of presentation for the first offering of the course. A course schedule or brochure must be maintained for audit.

Completing academic courses that directly relate to the professional competency of the licensee. Official transcripts indicating successful completion of academic courses that apply to the field of occupational therapy will be necessary in order for the licensee to receive the following continuing education credits:

• 1 academic semester hour = 15 continuing education hours of credit
• 1 academic trimester hour = 12 continuing education hours of credit
• 1 academic quarter hour = 10 continuing education hours of credit

Teaching in an approved college, university, or graduate school. The licensee may receive the following continuing education credits on a one-time basis for the first offering of a course:

• 1 academic semester hour = 15 continuing education hours of credit
• 1 academic trimester hour = 12 continuing education hours of credit
• 1 academic quarter hour = 10 continuing education hours of credit

Authoring research or other activities, the results of which are published in a recognized professional publication. The licensee shall receive five (5) hours of credit per page.

Participating in professional organizations related to the practice of occupational therapy, with one (1) credit hour received for each six months of active service as an officer, delegate, or committee member, for a maximum of four (4) hours of credit per biennium. Verification of participation must be provided by the professional organization to document the continuing education credit.

Are there limitations on the types of courses that can be taken?

Continuing education hours of credit in the following topics are not considered to be directly and primarily related to the clinical application of occupational therapy and therefore must not exceed a maximum combined total of eight (8) hours of credit for an occupational therapist licensee and four (4) hours of credit for an occupational therapy assistant licensee:

• Business-related topics, such as marketing, time management, government regulations, and other like topics.
• Personal skills topics, such as career burnout, communication skills, human relations, and other like topics.
• General health topics, such as clinical research, CPR, mandatory reporter training, and other like topics.

What type of approval is needed for the courses?

N/A

What type of courses or activities are not allowed?

NA

What are the reporting requirements?

N/A

How long must continuing education records be retained?

N/A

Waiver

N/A

Audit

N/A

Reference

Iowa Admin. Code R. 645—207