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Ohio Administrative Code (Last Updated: January 12, 2021) |
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4765 State Board of Emergency Medical Services |
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Chapter4765-19. Emergency Medical Services Continuing Education |
4765-19-01. Continuing education for EMS providers
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(A) Unless the holder of a certificate to practice elects to take an examination approved or administered by the board in accordance with rule 4765-19-02 of the Administrative Code, or is granted an exemption under rule 4765-19-04 of the Administrative Code, the holder shall complete emergency medical services continuing education of such length and in such subject areas as set forth in Chapters 4765-12, 4765-15, 4765-16, and 4765-17 of the Administrative Code.
(B) In order to count for continuing education credit, an EMS continuing education course shall meet all of the following criteria:
(1) Each course shall be related to EMS operations or patient care;
(2) Written documentation of successful completion of the course shall be issued to the student by the sponsoring agency upon successful completion of the course;
(3) A single session of continuing education shall be at least one-half contact hour;
(4) Each EMS continuing education course shall be provided or approved by one of the following entities:
(a) An EMS accredited institution or EMS approved institution;
(b) An EMS licensing agency in another state;
(c) A branch of the armed forces of the United States or a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States, including the Ohio national guard, the Ohio military reserve, the Ohio naval militia, or the national guard of any other state;
(d) A medical or nursing board of this state or another state;
(e) Federal, national, or state entities, as follows:
(i) Emergency management agency;
(ii) Homeland security;
(iii) American red cross;
(iv) American heart association;
(v) American safety and health institute;
(vi) Any other agency or organization as approved by the board.
(f) CAPCE- or CECBEMS-approved courses.
(5) The provision of patient care shall not be considered as continuing education except as set forth in section 4745.04 of the Revised Code and paragraph (G) of this rule.
(C) Each EMS continuing education course shall be provided in one of the following formats:
(1) Instruction in a traditional classroom environment or a seminar setting;
(2) Online education, as defined in rule 4765-1-01 of the Administrative Code, which shall include a testing process;
(3) Distance learning, as defined in rule 4765-1-01 of the Administrative Code, which shall include a testing process;
(4) Journals, publications or electronic media formats including compact discs, digital video discs, or other technological media as approved by the board, which shall include a testing process;
(5) A skills practicum course which shall include an evaluation of skills performance;
(6) Independent study, as set forth in rule 4765-7-11 of the Administrative Code, shall only be conducted through an EMS accredited or EMS approved institution;
(7) Other formats as approved by the board.
(D) Portions of an initial certification or licensing course that meet the requirements set forth in paragraphs (B) and (C) of this rule, may be counted towards continuing education credit when the sponsoring entity issues written documentation of the continuing education credit.
(E) Continuing education credit for EMS providers may be obtained from teaching EMS continuing education through an EMS accredited or EMS approved institution provided that:
(1) The continuing education course has received prior approval from the program director;
(2) An EMS provider counts a presentation for continuing education credit only once during a twelve month period;
(3) The number of contact hours awarded to the holder of a certificate to teach or guest lecturer for a presentation shall not exceed the total number of contact hours established for the course.
(a) Contact hours can only be awarded for that portion of the course presented by the holder of a certificate to teach or guest lecturer.
(b) Continuing education contact hours may be awarded for additional portions of the activity the holder of a certificate to teach or guest lecturer attends.
(c) Contact hours shall not be awarded for time spent in the development or preparation of a course or presentation.
(F) Notwithstanding the requirements set forth in paragraph (B) of this rule, the division shall consider relevant education, training, or service completed by the holder of a certificate to practice as a member of the armed forces of the United States or reserve components thereof, the Ohio national guard, the Ohio military reserve, the Ohio naval militia, or the national guard of any other state in determining whether the holder of a certificate to practice has fulfilled required continuing education.
(G) As set forth in section 4745.04 of the Revised Code and this rule:
(1) A holder of a certificate to practice as an EMT, AEMT, or paramedic may satisfy up to one third of continuing education requirements, excluding hours in the areas of pediatrics, geriatrics, trauma, and cardiac, if the certificate holder:
(a) Provides health care services to an indigent and uninsured person;
(b) Provides the health care services as a volunteer;
(c) Satisfies the requirements of section 2305.234 of the Revised Code to qualify for the immunity from liability granted under that section;
(d) Provides health care services within the scope of practice of the certificate held and authorized by a physician who meets qualifications for a medical director established by the board as set forth in rule 4765-3-05 of the Ohio Administrative Code; and
(e) Provides required documentation with attestation by the certificate holder and medical director overseeing the patient care.
(2) A certificate holder at the request of the division shall report continuing education claimed under this paragraph on a form approved by the division to include at minimum:
(a) Medical direction/authorization from a physician who meets the qualifications established by the board as set forth in rule 4765-3-05 of the Ohio Administrative Code;
(b) The time spent as a volunteer in provision of patient care;
(c) The name, location, and telephone number of the facility where care was provided;
(d) The description of the care provided; and
(e) The patient contact times for which continuing education is claimed, expressed as date and beginning and ending time, in minutes, for each hour of credit claimed.
(3) Credit hours of continuing education earned by providing health care services to an indigent and uninsured person shall meet all of the following criteria:
(a) One credit hour of continuing education is equal to sixty minutes spent providing health care services to an indigent and uninsured person.
(b) Credit for continuing education for specialty hours, including but not limited to pediatrics, geriatrics, trauma, and cardiac, is excluded.
(c) Credit is earned based in the time spent providing actual patient care and not for time scheduled.