Florida OT CEUs & License Renewal Information

Florida-licensed Occupational Therapists (OTs) have an upcoming license renewal deadline of February 28, 2023. PDR offers Florida OT CEUs to help licensees meet state renewal requirements.

The following continuing education (CE) requirements must be met to renew:

CE Required: 26 hours each renewal, including:
2 hours Preventing Medical Errors (required each renewal)
2 hours Florida Occupational Therapy Laws & Rules (required each renewal)
1 hour HIV/AIDS (required first renewal only)
Online CE Allowed: 12 hours (14 hours must be live or interactive)

If you have already met your CE requirements and are ready to renew, click here to renew your license with the Florida Board of Occupational Therapy.

Still need Florida OT CEUs? You can earn up to 12 hours per renewal through online courses @ PDR. We report to CE Broker for you. Order now and Save 25% on courses:

Florida OT CEUs are now 25% off for the upcoming 2/28/2023 license renewal deadline @pdresources.org. We report to CE Broker for you!

Enjoy 25% Florida OT CEUs for your 2/28/2023 license renewal!
Use coupon code PDR483 at checkout to redeem. Expires 6/30/2023.

We report to CE Broker for you – so you don’t have to! All completions are submitted to CEB the following business day.

Over 100 online Florida OT CEUs to choose from! Online courses allow you to earn CE whenever and wherever YOU love to be.

Professional Development Resources is an AOTA Approved Provider of continuing education (#3159). The assignment of AOTA CEU’s does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA. Professional Development Resources is also approved by the Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy; the Arizona Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners; the Florida Board of Occupational Therapy Practice; the Georgia State Board of Occupational Therapy; and is CE Broker compliant (#50-1635 – all courses are reported within two business days of completion). 


Professional Development Resources is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Professional Development Resources maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Professional Development Resources is also approved by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC ACEP #5590); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB Provider #1046, ACE Program); the Continuing Education Board of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA Provider #AAUM); the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA Provider #3159); the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR Provider #PR001); the Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy; the Arizona Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners; the Florida Boards of Social Work, Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy, Psychology and Office of School Psychology, Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, Dietetics and Nutrition, and Occupational Therapy Practice; the Georgia State Board of Occupational Therapy; the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners – Occupational Therapy; the Mississippi MSDoH Bureau of Professional Licensure – Occupational Therapy; the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists (#PSY-0145), State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors (#MHC-0135) and marriage and family therapists (#MFT-0100), and the State Board for Social Workers an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers (#SW-0664); the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and MFT Board (#RCST100501) and Speech and Hearing Professionals Board; the South Carolina Board of Examiners for Licensure of Professional Counselors and Therapists (#193), Examiners in Psychology, Social Worker Examiners, Occupational Therapy, and Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology; the Tennessee Board of Occupational Therapy; the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists (#114) and State Board of Social Worker Examiners (#5678); the West Virginia Board of Social Work; the Wyoming Board of Psychology; and is CE Broker compliant  (#50-1635 – all courses are reported within a few days of completion).

Enjoy 20% off all online continuing education (CE/CEU) courses @pdresources.orgClick here for details.

Earn CE Wherever YOU Love to Be!

Florida OT Renewal FAQs

We let you know last month that your Florida OT license renewal deadline has been extended and is now due by midnight on June 30, 2019. Click here for more info on the extension. Since then, many questions have been asked about how this will work.

Here’s the gist of it: If you have not completed all 26 of your required hours by 2/28, you’ll have until 6/30 to do so. If you have, any courses you take 3/1 forward will count toward your next renewal.

Brent Cheyne, OTD, OTR/L, FOTA President advises: “I recommend that every OT practitioner do their best to complete all the necessary CEs and to renew their license as soon as possible. This licensure renewal extension was intended for those suffering hardship and delays related to the Hurricane, and it was not intended to be taken advantage of by the whole of OT professionals in the state. You can avoid any undue complications, or unforeseen difficulties by renewing before the original date.”

Here’s a quick reminder of your renewal requirements:

CE Required: 26 hours each renewal, including: 
2 hours Preventing Medical Errors (required each renewal) 
2 hours Florida Occupational Therapy Laws & Rules (required each renewal) 
1 hour HIV/AIDS (required first renewal only) 
Online CE Allowed: 12 hours (14 hours must be live) 
License Renewal Deadline: Original 2/28/2019 | Extension 6/30/2019

If you have already met your CE requirements and are ready to renew, click here to renew your license with the Florida Board of Occupational Therapy.

Still need CE? You can earn up to 12 hours per renewal through online courses @ PDR. We report to CE Broker for you. Order now and Save 20% on courses:

Florida OTs Save 20% on CEUs @pdresources.org

Enjoy 20% off ALL Online CE courses for your Florida OT license renewal! Use coupon code PDR420 at checkout to redeem. Valid on all future orders thru 6/30/2019.

You can take the same required courses (medical errors & laws/rules) 
each renewal period. The board considers it a “refresh” of the knowledge.

We report to CE Broker for you – so you don’t have to! 
All courses are reported within a few days of completion.

Professional Development Resources is a nonprofit educational corporation 501(c)(3) organized in 1992. We are approved to sponsor continuing education by the American Psychological Association (APA); the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB); the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA); the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA); the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR); the Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy; the Florida Boards of Social Work, Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy, Psychology & School Psychology, Dietetics & Nutrition, Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, and Occupational Therapy Practice; the Georgia State Board of Occupational Therapy; the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors (#MHC-0135); the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker & MFT Board and Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology; the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors & MFTs; the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists and State Board of Social Worker Examiners; and are CE Broker compliant (all courses are reported within a few days of completion).

Earn CE Wherever YOU Love to Be!

Georgia OTs & CE Broker

CE Broker

Georgia-licensed Occupational Therapists (OTs) have a biennial license renewal deadline of March 31st of even-numbered years. Twenty four (24) hours of continuing education (CE) are required to renew, and effective April 1, 2018, all courses must be reported to CE Broker.

CE Broker is a continuing education tracking and management system used by accrediting organizations to electronically track CE compliance of licensees. The purpose is to ensure 100% compliance without having to perform audits. Licensees are unable to renew their licenses until they have met their CE requirements and posted the credits to CE Broker.

Georgia Board of OT 
CE Required: 24 hours every 2 years
Online CE Allowed: 12 hours (12 must be live)
License Expiration: 3/31, even years
National Accreditation Accepted: AOTA
Notes: 2 hrs in ethics of OT practice req’d each renewal. 14 hrs must relate to “hands on” patient care.
Date of Info: 7/26/2018

If a GA OT has not registered earned CE credits with CE Broker, the licensee must include all CE certificates of completion with the license renewal application or application for reinstatement.

Professional Development Resources is a nonprofit educational corporation approved to sponsor online continuing education (CE) for GA OTs by the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), and reports all course completions to CE Broker.

Georgia OTs can earn up to 12 hours per renewal through online courses offered @pdresources.org. Over 90 online courses to choose from. Click here to view AOTA-approved online CEU courses.

Earn CE Wherever YOU Love to Be!

Contact Hour or CEU?

By Gina Ulery @pdresources

Contact Hour or CEU?

Contact Hour or CEU?The definitions of contact hour and continuing education unit, or CEU – and the difference between the two – are often misunderstood.

Some professions (such as Occupational Therapy and Speech-Language Pathology) prefer the term CEU. Most mental health professions (Psychology, Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, etc.), however, use CE contact hour or credit hour.

Although the terms seem interchangeable, they have different meanings. One CE contact hour is equal to 50-60 minutes of a learning activity, depending on jurisdictional requirements. One CEU is equal to 10 contact hours – meaning that one contact hour is equal to .1 (1/10 or one tenth) of a CEU.

So if your particular licensing board requires that you complete 3 CEUs per renewal cycle, that can be interpreted as 30 contact hours required.

It would be much simpler if all accrediting bodies and licensing boards could agree upon one standard term, but what fun would that be? 🙂

Professional Development Resources is a nonprofit educational corporation 501(c)(3) organized in 1992. Our purpose is to provide high quality online continuing education (CE) courses on topics relevant to members of the healthcare professions we serve. We strive to keep our carbon footprint small by being completely paperless, allowing telecommuting, recycling, using energy-efficient lights and powering off electronics when not in use. We provide online CE courses to allow our colleagues to earn credits from the comfort of their own home or office so we can all be as green as possible (no paper, no shipping or handling, no travel expenses, etc.). Sustainability isn’t part of our work – it’s a guiding influence for all of our work.

We are approved to offer continuing education by the American Psychological Association (APA); the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB); the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA); the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA); the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR); the Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy; the Florida Boards of Social Work, Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy, Psychology & School Psychology, Dietetics & Nutrition, Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, and Occupational Therapy Practice; the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker & MFT Board and Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology; the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors & MFTs; the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists and State Board of Social Worker Examiners; and are CE Broker compliant (all courses are reported within one week of completion).

Earn CE Wherever YOU Love to Be.

 

 

Alabama OT CE Broker Reporting

By Gina Ulery

Automatically Reports to CE BrokerThe Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy (ASBOT) is now using CE Broker to track licensee continuing education records. This will allow the board to have access to licensee documents at the time of renewal for auditing purposes. Proof of required continuing education must be electronically submitted directly to CE Broker (either by the licensee or licensees can take courses through providers that automatically report to CE Broker).

CE Broker is an electronic continuing education tracking system used by licensing boards and other regulating agencies to confirm compliance and reduce audit-related expenses.

Professional Development Resources is an American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) approved provider of continuing education (#3159) and is CE Broker compliant (all courses are reported within 1 week of completion).

Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy
View the Board Website or Email the Board
Phone: 334-353-4466
CE Required: 30 hours (20 for OTAs) every 2 years
Online CE Allowed: No limit
License Expiration: Staggered 4/30 – 10/31 biennially
National Accreditation Accepted: AOTA
Date of Info: 6/5/2015

Alabama OTs may earn all 30 hours required for license renewal through online courses offered on the Occupational Therapy page @ www.pdresources.org. All course completions will be reported to CE Broker within one week of completion.

 

Florida OT License Renewal Due 2/28/15

By Gina Ulery

Florida-licensed Occupational Therapists (OTs) and Occupational Therapy Assistants (OTAs) have an upcoming license renewal deadline of February 28, 2015.

26 hours of continuing education (CE) are required to renew, including:

2 hours Preventing Medical Errors (required each renewal)
2 hours Florida Occupational Therapy Laws & Rules (required each renewal)
1 hour HIV/AIDS (required for the first renewal only)

Automatically Reports to CE BrokerProfessional Development Resources is an American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) approved provider of continuing education (#3159). The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA. Professional Development Resources is also approved by the Florida Board of OT Practice (#34) and is CE Broker compliant (all courses are reported within 1 week of completion).

We report to CE Broker for you (so you don’t have to report any courses you complete with PDR). We report every Thursday, but are also reporting on Mondays through your renewal so you won’t be held up because of us.

Our courses are considered “home study” by the Florida OT Board. You are allowed to earn up to 12 hours per renewal through our courses.

Florida OT Laws & Rules

By Leo Christie, PhD

Florida Occupational Therapy Laws & Rules is a 2-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course that meets the license renewal requirement of Florida Occupational Therapists (OTs) and Occupational Therapy Assistants (OTAs).

Florida OT Laws & RulesThis course addresses the Florida Laws and Rules contained in the Florida Occupational Therapy Practice Act and the Florida Occupational Therapy Rules. The purposes of this course are to (1) provide the opportunity for a comprehensive reading of the two documents listed above, (2) ensure that Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapy Assistants in the State of Florida are fully aware of the laws and rules governing the license under which they are practicing, and (3) fulfill the requirement that Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapy Assistants in Florida complete each biennial renewal period two hours of continuing education relating to the Practice of Occupational Therapy. Course #21-01 | 2015 | 37 pages | 18 posttest questions


This online course provides instant access to the course materials (PDF download) and CE test. Successful completion of the online CE test (80% required to pass, 3 chances to take) and course evaluation are required to earn a certificate of completion. You can print the test (download test from My Courses tab of your account after purchasing) to mark your answers on it while reading the course document. Then submit online when ready to receive credit.

Professional Development Resources is an AOTA Approved Provider of continuing education (#3159). OT Content Focus – Professional Issues: Legal, Legislative, Regulatory, & Reimbursement Issues. This program is offered for 0.2 CEU’s. The assignment of AOTA CEU’s does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA. Professional Development Resources is also approved by the Florida Board of OT Practice (#34) and is CE Broker compliant (all courses are reported within 1 week of completion).

Florida-licensed occupational therapists (OTs) and occupational therapy assistants (OTAs) have an upcoming license renewal deadline of February 28, 2015.

CE Required: 26 hours every 2 years, of which:
2 hours Preventing Medical Errors is required each renewal
2 hours Florida Occupational Therapy Laws & Rules is required each renewal
1 hour HIV/AIDS is required for the first renewal only
Online CE Allowed: 12 hours (home study)
License Expiration: 2/28, odd years
National Accreditation Accepted: AOTA

Related Course:

Caregiver Help: Sex and Dementia

By Elaine K. Sanchez; Alex A. Sanchez, EdD

Caregiver Help: Sex and DementiaCaregiver Help: Sex and Dementia is a 1-hour online video continuing education (CE/CEU) course that explores how Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related diseases impact the brain in ways that can cause some surprising, challenging and inappropriate behaviors. Some people with dementia may develop a heightened interest in sex – even to the point of aggression; experience a waning or complete loss of interest in sex; become addicted to pornography; lose the ability to understand what kind of behavior is acceptable; have a different perception of place and time and a different interpretation of reality from their caregivers; get agitated and upset when their caregivers don’t communicate with them effectively; and behave in ways that are confusing and upsetting to family members and professional healthcare workers. Even so, the patient deserves to be treated with respect and every effort should be made to maintain their dignity. Course #10-86 | 2015 | 55 minutes | 7 posttest questions

This online video streaming course provides instant access to the course video, course handout and CE test. Successful completion of the online CE test (80% required to pass, 3 chances to take) and course evaluation are required to earn a certificate of completion. You can print the test (download test from My Courses tab of your account) and mark your answers on while viewing the video. Then submit online when ready to receive credit.


CE Information:

Professional Development Resources is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists; the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC ACEP #5590); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB Provider #1046, ACE Program); the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA Provider #3159); the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR Provider #PR001); the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (#PCE1625); the Florida Boards of Social Work, Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy (#BAP346), Psychology & School Psychology (#50-1635), Dietetics & Nutrition (#50-1635), and Occupational Therapy Practice (#34); the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker & MFT Board (#RCST100501); the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors & MFTs (#193); and the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists (#114) and State Board of Social Worker Examiners (#5678).

About the Speakers:

Elaine K. Sanchez is an author, speaker and co-founder of CaregiverHelp.com. She co-teaches “Gero 407- Caregiving” at Western Oregon University with her husband Alex, and she writes the daily blog, “Caregiver Help Word of the Day.” She is the author of four books, including Letters from Madelyn, Chronicles of a Caregiver and contributes articles regularly to CaringTimes, Griswold Home Care’s blog.

Alex A. Sanchez, EdD, is the co-founder of CaregiverHelp.com, a video-based caregiver support program, and currently co-teaches “Gero 407- Caregiving” with Elaine at Western Oregon University. He earned his Master’s in Counseling and his Doctorate in Educational Psychology at New Mexico State University. He retired from Oregon State University in 2012, after teaching a doctoral program in Community College Leadership for 15 years. Previously he served as President of Central New Mexico Community College in Albuquerque, NM, President of Rio Hondo College in Whittier, CA, Vice President for Community and International Programs at the University of New Mexico, Academic Dean at New Mexico Military Institute, and Founding Director of Dona Ana Community College in Las Cruces, NM.

Communication with Elders – New Online CE Course for OTs

By Laura More, MSW, LCSW and Edie Deane-Watson, MS, CCC, CCM

Communication with EldersCommunication with Elders is a 2-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course for Occupational Therapists (OTs) that provides an overview of aging changes that affect communication, dysfunctional communication habits to avoid, and strategies for appropriate communication with elders. Course #20-96 | 2015 | 26 pages | 15 posttest questions

The Administration on Aging (2011) projects that the number of people over the age of 65 will double by the year 2030, when elders will represent almost 20% of the population in the United States. The aging of America is due to a shift in mortality from acute diseases to chronic, degenerative illnesses. An elder today is more likely to die of a chronic cardiac condition, for example, than acute pneumonia. Two-thirds of elders have multiple chronic medical conditions (CDC, 2013). Many elders have complex communication needs as a result of cognitive, motor, or sensory barriers. These barriers must be understood in order to facilitate communication, especially in medical settings where communication is vital for treatment (Downey & Happ, 2013).

Effective, appropriate communication with elders is important for many reasons. For occupational therapists, communication is the foundation of service delivery. Communication is required for assessment of the person prior to treatment. Symptoms are, after all, subjective and must be reported by the person to the clinician. Effective communication also contributes to health literacy; the person’s understanding of her condition, treatment options, and the treatment plan to be followed. A person cannot comply with a treatment program unless the program is communicated clearly enough for the person to understand it. The more effective the communication, the more effective treatment will be – and the more cost effective. Communication also helps the clinician understand the whole person: the emotional, social, and financial realities that affect response to treatment and ability to comply. This is the basis for a therapeutic partnership that supports the person and his family (Lubinski, 2010).

Research shows that effective interpersonal communication has a significant impact on patient satisfaction in healthcare (Power, 2012). Wilner and Feinstein-Whittaker (2013) strongly state, “All medical professionals must speak with clarity, effectiveness, credibility, confidence, and compassion.” However, communication with elders includes not just the identified patient, but also often a caregiver. This may be a spouse or an adult child. Since elders are living longer, the adult child accompanying the elder may be an elder herself. A review of caregiver “companion” studies revealed that companions regularly attended medical appointments. Companions could be helpful by providing informational support but could also be challenging when dominating the appointment (Laidsaar-Powerll, 2013). It is important to be aware of the communication dynamic during three-way communication in order to assure the elder is heard and important issues are addressed.

This online course provides instant access to the course materials (PDF download) and CE test. Successful completion of the online CE test (80% required to pass, 3 chances to take) and course evaluation are required to earn a certificate of completion. You can print the test (download test from My Courses tab of your account after purchasing) and mark your answers on while reading the course document. Then submit online when ready to receive credit. Enroll now.

CE INFORMATION

AOTA_Logo_Web

Professional Development Resources is an AOTA Approved Provider of continuing education (#3159). OT Content Focus – Domain of OT: Client Factors and Mental Function; OT Process: Intervention. This program is offered for 0.2 CEU’s. The assignment of AOTA CEU’s does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA. Professional Development Resources is also approved by the Florida Board of OT Practice (#34). Participant successfully completed the required assessment component for this activity.

The Occupational Therapist in Long-Term Care

By Laura More, MSW, LCSW and Edie Deane-Watson, MS, CCC, CCM

The Occupational Therapist in Long-Term CareOccupational therapists work in a variety of settings. The most common workplace is schools, followed by private practice and hospitals. A growing number of occupational therapists, however, are working full or part-time in skilled nursing facilities as the population of the United States ages. Every practice setting has unique characteristics that affect clinical practice. Skilled nursing facilities have a multitude of regulations, complicated billing practices, and a culture of care that must be learned and integrated into the clinician’s treatment habits. This can make it difficult for the OT working part-time or PRN in a skilled nursing facility.

The Occupational Therapist in Long-Term Care is a new 2-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course that will provide a framework for providing care in a skilled nursing facility. It is intended to give the OT an overview of the important aspects of long-term care that affect treatment, including the structure, organization and reimbursement system of skilled nursing facilities. The average resident and common treatment areas will also be discussed. Course #20-87 | 2014 | 28 pages | 14 posttest questions

This online course provides instant access to the course materials (PDF download) and CE test. Successful completion of the online CE test (80% required to pass, 3 chances to take) and course evaluation are required to earn a certificate of completion. You can print the test (download test from My Courses tab of your account after purchasing) and mark your answers on while reading the course document. Then submit online when ready to receive credit.

Learning Objectives:

1. List three rights of residents in long-term care
2. Describe the average skilled nursing facility resident
3. Name the top two persons in the skilled nursing facility administration structure
4. Distinguish between rehabilitation and restorative nursing
5. Describe three safety issues in long-term care

About the Authors:
 

Laura More, MSW, LCSW, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and healthcare author. She earned her Masters of Social Work from Florida State University and has over twenty years of healthcare experience, with a focus on geriatric and head injury rehabilitation. Laura has directed case management, social service, and rehabilitation in skilled nursing, outpatient and inpatient hospital settings. She has managed long-term care rehabilitation from facility, area, and regional positions, with a strong emphasis on training and education of staff and client caregivers in the provision of care for geriatric patients in skilled nursing facilities. Laura was one of the founding partners of Care2Learn, a provider of online continuing education courses for the post-acute healthcare industry. She has authored or edited over 120 online continuing education titles, co-authored evidence-based care assessment area resources and a book, The Licensed Practical Nurse in Long-term Care Field Guide. She is the recipient of the 2010 Education Award from the American College of Health Care Administrators.

Edie Deane-Watson, MS, CCC, CCM, has served in the post-acute care industry in various capacities for 25 years. She developed and managed SNF based rehabilitation programs at the facility and regional level and was one of the founding partners of Care2Learn, a provider of online continuing education courses for the post-acute healthcare industry. In addition, she has worked in acute care, head injury, life care planning, and e-learning. She is currently the Director of Education and Training at American Health Tech, a leading provider of post-acute care integrated software.AOTA-Approved Provider

Professional Development Resources is an AOTA Approved Provider of continuing education (#3159). OT Content Focus – Domain of OT: Client Factors and Mental Function; OT Process: Intervention. This program is offered for 0.2 CEU’s. The assignment of AOTA CEU’s does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA. Professional Development Resources is also approved by the Florida Board of OT Practice (#34) and is CE Broker complaint.