Tag Archives: OT

Florida OT Laws & Rules 2-Hour Online CE Course

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Florida OT Laws & Rules is a new 2-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course that meets the biennial license renewal requirement of Florida OT/OTAs.

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

This course addresses the Florida OT Laws & 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 #21-46 | 2021 | 42 pages | 15 posttest questions

Click here to learn more.

Florida OT Laws & Rules provides instant access to the course materials (PDF download) and CE test. The course is text-based (reading) and the CE test is open-book (you can print the test to mark your answers on it while reading the course document).

Successful completion of this course involves passing an online test (80% required, 3 chances to take) and we ask that you also complete a brief course evaluation.

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 American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA Provider #3159); the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR Provider #PR001); the Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy; 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 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 (#RCST100501); the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors & MFTs (#193); the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists (#114) and State Board of Social Worker Examiners (#5678); and is CE Broker compliant (all courses are reported within a few days of completion).

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

Earn CE Wherever YOU Love to Be!

The Occupational Therapist in Long-Term Care

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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.

CE Regulations Now in Effect for New York OTs

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In February, the New York State Board of Occupational Therapy within the Department of Education published the following notice on their website:

Effective February 13, 2013, to renew your registration as an Occupational Therapist or Occupational Therapy Assistant, New York State Education Law requires completion of 36 contact hours of approved continuing competency within each three-year renewal period. However, these requirements will be phased in during the first three years, therefore, only requiring one-half hour of continuing competency for each month beginning in March 2013 through February 2016, for those registrants whose three-year renewal period falls within this time frame.

Commencing with March 2016, registrants will be required to complete the full 36 hours of continuing competency. The complete standards for continuing competency for Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapy Assistants can be found in section 76.10 of the Commissioner’s Rules and Regulations. More information regarding this requirement will be available on our website in coming months.

The AOTA State Affairs Group has been monitoring the process of proposed regulations in NY. The proposed regulations included provisions regarding the approval of sponsors, but did not specifically mention AOTA or AOTA Approved Providers. AOTA contacted the Board and filed comments.

Online CEUs for NY OTs

Online CEUs for NY OTs

Although the final regulations did not specifically add AOTA and AOTA Approved Provider to the language regarding approval of sponsors, the Board staff did provide AOTA with written communication saying that AOTA “may consider this response to be the Department’s determination that AOTA has the adequate standards for approving sponsors of continuing education required by our regulations at 8 NYCRR 76.10(i)(2)(i), and we will deem approved those sponsors that AOTA has approved for purposes of that regulation.”

So although not specifically indicated in the regulations, AOTA and AOTA Approved Providers are recognized in NY as approved sponsors of CE activities. This is a very positive outcome for AOTA Approved Providers and the more than 11,000 OT licensees and 4,000 OTA registrants regulated in NY who will have access to a wide variety of CE that is relevant to OT and recognized by the Board for their triennial licensure renewal.

Professional Development Resources is an American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) approved provider of continuing education (#3159) offering over 60 online courses for New York-licensed OTs and OTAs @ https://www.pdresources.org/profession/index/5

Occupational therapists are licensed rehabilitation care professionals who work to restore or improve physical abilities, promote behavioral changes, adapt surroundings, and teach new skills; the goal is to have the individual achieve her or his best physical and/or mental functioning in daily life tasks. Occupational therapists provide these services on the referral or prescription of a physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner.

Occupational therapy assistants provide treatment according to a plan developed by or in collaboration with a licensed occupational therapist. They must work under the supervision of a licensed occupational therapist or a licensed physician.

Occupational therapy practitioners help people adapt to a variety of challenges:

  • developmental disabilities
  • learning disabilities
  • job-related injuries
  • neurological problems
  • orthopedic injuries
  • birth defects
  • stroke
  • psychosocial disorders
  • chemical dependency
  • age-related disorders

 

They help with:

  • impaired physical functioning which hampers the ability to perform daily life tasks
  • psychosocial problems which hamper the ability to function in daily life
  • special needs which require modification of the physical environment and/or use of specialized equipment and technologies (e.g., changes in the home or job site for a person in a wheelchair)

 

New York Board of Occupational Therapy website: http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/ot/

Florida OT/OTA License Renewal Requirements

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Florida-licensed Occupational Therapists (OTs) and Occupational Therapy Assistants (OTAs) have an upcoming license renewal deadline of February 28, 2013 (due odd-numbered years).

Every licensee must complete 26 hours of approved continuing education (CE):

  • Two (2) hours of a course provided by a Board of Occupational Therapy approved provider relating to the Prevention of Medical Errors.
  • Two (2) hours of a course provided by a Board of Occupational Therapy approved provider relating to the laws and rules for occupational therapy.
  • Twelve (12) hours of home study per biennium are allowed. Home study education is independent study and requires a certificate of completion. Home study education does not include a web-based, satellite transmitted or online instruction program that allows or requires the licensee to interact or communicate back and forth with the instructor during the presentation of the program.

 

Florida OT earning CE online

Professional 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 (courses are submitted within one week of completion). Florida-licensed OTs and OTAs can earn up to 12 hours per renewal cycle through online courses available @ https://www.pdresources.org/profession/index/5

The Department of Health, Division of Medical Quality Assurance (MQA), will now review your continuing education records in the electronic tracking system (CE Broker) at the time of renewal. It will happen automatically when you renew your license and it is important that you understand this simple change. Learn more @ http://www.ceatrenewal.com/

For Initial Licensure Renewal

Licensees initially licensed within the second half of the licensure biennium are exempt from the completing the total 26 hours of CE requirements for renewal with the exception of:

If you were licensed on or after 03/01/12, you are exempt from completing the total 26 hours required or the biennium ending 02/28/13. Even though you completed a 2 hour course in prevention of medical errors for initial licensure purposes, you must complete an additional 2 hours of prevention of medical errors for each renewal. You must also complete 1 hour of HIV/AIDS, only if you have not previously completed one. The 1 hour of HIV/AIDS CE requirement is a one-time requirement.

The licensee shall retain the certificates of attendance or other records for 4 years for documentation purposes, in case of audit.

Information obtained from the Florida Board of Occupational Therapy website on 12/7/2012: http://www.doh.state.fl.us/mqa/occupational/

Celebrate Occupational Therapy Month with 25% off CEUs!

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Each year in April, occupational therapists, assistants, and students host a month-long celebration showcasing the importance of Occupational Therapy.

Happy OT Month!Occupational Therapists are part of a vitally important profession that helps people across the lifespan participate in the things they want and need to do through the therapeutic use of everyday activities. Your holistic and customized approach to evaluations, interventions, and outcomes help a child with disabilities participate in school and in social situations, assist a person recovering from injuries to regain skills, aid an older adult to stay as independent as possible, and offer the specialized support and services to people of all ages and in all circumstances that only occupational therapy can provide.

To show our support, we are offering a 25% discount on all of our AOTA CEU courses through April 30, 2012. Just use coupon code OTSROCK during checkout @ www.pdresources.org.

Thanks for all you do!

Professional Development Resources is an 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.

Coupon valid on FUTURE orders only; cannot be applied retroactively. Expires 4/30/12.

Renewal Information for Georgia OTs

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Georgia OTs can earn up to 8 CE hours for renewal online

Click to view approved self-study

Occupational therapy licenses in Georgia expire on March 31, 2012. Each licensee is required to complete a minimum of twenty-four (24) continuing education hours prior to the expiration date of the license. At least sixteen (16) hours must be related to direct “hands on” patient care and up to eight (8) hours may be in related areas. A minimum of two (2) hours of continuing education must be on the ethics of occupational therapy practice.

Direct patient care continuing education includes attendance at live presentations such as workshops, seminars, conferences or formal academic course work. For purposes of these rules direct “hands on” patient care includes occupational therapy assessment, treatment planning, occupational therapy implementation and diagnostic related information. Up to four (4) hours can be obtained by means of in-service educational programs, electronic or web based courses, formal self-study courses or computer learning activities.

General continuing education includes up to four (4) hours for each of the following activities including independent study, mentorship, Level II fieldwork supervision, published professional writing, instructional presentations, research, grants, professional meetings and related activities and up to four (4) hours can be by means of in-service educational programs, electronic or web based courses, formal self-study courses, satellite broadcasts or computer learning activities.

Of the twenty-four (24) hours, no more than eight (8) continuing education hours may be in self-study and no more than four (4) hours in the area of general continuing education.

Prior approval of continuing education courses is not required. Each licensee randomly selected for a CE audit must submit to the Board supporting documentation as specified in this rule. Acceptable professional continuing education activities shall include activities relevant to occupational therapy practice that can be deemed to update or enhance knowledge and skills required for competent performance beyond general entry level occupational therapy and that include a verifiable way to document time spent in the learning activity.

Documentation of continuing education which the Board deems as acceptable proof of completion include the following:

For continuing education courses that include attendance and participation at a presentation such as a workshop, seminar, conference or in-service educational program:

  • A certificate of completion or similar documentation signed by program official and
  • A program description including sponsor, course title, date, program objective/learning outcomes, content description, agenda or schedule. A shortened description may be accepted for programs specifically exempted by the Board such as AOTA and GOTA Conferences; and

Formal self study, viewing of videotapes in a professional setting, satellite broadcasts, or computer learning activities that must include:

  • Verified instructional time by the course sponsor; a certificate of completion or similar documentation signed by program official; and
  • A program description including sponsor, course title, date, program objective/learning outcomes, content description.

For general education under 671-3-.08(3)(b) documentation must include:

  • How activity relates to occupational therapy;
  • Date and clock hours;
  • Other information as may be requested.

Documentation must be maintained by the licensee for no less than three (3) years from the beginning date of the licensure period.

Continuing Education (CE) hours obtained from January 1st until March 31st of an even numbered year will be counted toward the following biennium renewal period rather than the current biennium renewal period if the licensee has obtained all hours required for renewal by December 31st of the prior odd numbered year.

Professional Development Resources is an 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. Georgia OTs may earn up to 8 hours per renewal through coursework offered at http://www.pdresources.org/Courses/Occupational-Therapy/Online/CourseID/1/

Important Notice About NBCOT Professional Development Units

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For NBCOT PDU ID#8, certificants who have successfully completed education (workshops, seminars, lectures, online courses, or conferences) with an assessment component at the end of the program (scored test, project, paper) provided by AOTA, AOTA Approved Providers, IACET authorized providers, or regionally accredited colleges or universities can convert 0.1 CEU to a 1.25 NBCOT PDU. To learn more, go to www.nbcot.org, and click on the “Certification Review” tab at the top and then “PDU Calculator.”

NBCOT PDU Conversion Calculator

20% Off New Year Specials for our 20-Year Anniversary!

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New Year SaleHappy New Year!

We here at PDR are in the midst of planning a new website and celebrating our 20-year anniversary!

Our new website is under development with a tentative launch date of March 1, 2012. We are very excited about the user-friendly features our new website will offer and can’t wait to show you!

We’ll be running specials throughout the year for our anniversary, and are kicking it off with a 20% off New Year Sale on the following courses:

Hurry, sale ends March 31, 2012!

Professional Development Resources is approved as a provider of continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB Provider #1046, ACE Program); by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC Provider #5590); by the American Psychological Association (APA); by the National Association of Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC, Provider #000279); by the Continuing Education Board of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) to provide continuing education activities in speech-language pathology and audiology; by the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA, #3159); and by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR Provider #PR001). View additional accreditations here.

Renewal Information for Maryland OTs

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Maryland OTs can earn all 12 hours for license renewal online!

Click to view AOTA-approved online CEUs!

All active and inactive licenses expire on June 30, 2012. The next renewal period will begin approximately in April 2012. Instructions will be mailed in March, 2012. In order to be eligible for licensure renewal in 2012, you must have earned 12 contact hours between January 1 and December 31, 2011. The 12 contact hours shall consist of a minimum of 8 contact hours related to occupational therapy principles and procedures and a maximum of 4 contact hours through occupational therapy role-related activities. Those individuals who were originally licensed after July 1, 2011 do not need any hours for the 2012 renewal.

All AOTA courses, as well as courses offered by AOTA Approved Providers, are granted pre-approval by the Maryland Board of Occupational Therapy Practice. Participants will need only to retain a copy of the certificate of completion as documentation verifying completion of approved contact hours.

Professional Development Resources is an 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. Over 100 online and home study courses, focusing mainly on the mental health aspects of practice, are available for Maryland-licensed Occupational Therapists.

Maryland Board of Occupational Therapy Practice: http://dhmh.maryland.gov/botp/

The Board was formed in 1979 to regulate the practice of occupational therapy in the State of Maryland. The main goal is to protect the Maryland public through the licensure and regulation of occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants. The Board reviews the credentials of all applicants and strives to ensure that only qualified individuals are permitted to practice occupational therapy in Maryland. The Board is a place where the public can call with inquiries about licensed individuals. Also, consumers can file a complaint against practitioners they feel may be in possible violation of the law. Please contact the board at 410-402-8560 for more information.

Renewal Information for DC Occupational Therapists

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DC-licensed Occupational Therapist License Renewal Deadline & CE Requirements

Click to view CE courses for DC OTs

The Board of Occupational Therapy regulates occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants in DC. Licenses expire on September 30th of odd years.

Occupational therapists shall complete a minimum of twenty-four (24) contact hours and occupational therapy assistants shall complete a minimum of twelve (12) contact hours of continuing education (CE) during each license renewal cycle.

The Board shall approve continuing competence programs and activities that are relevant to the practice or education of occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants that document the following:

  • Current subject matter with course description
  • Content focus
  • Learning outcomes
  • Target audience
  • Satisfactory completion of the course by the course participant

The Board shall approve the following types of activities provided that they are consistent with provisions of the regulations:

  • Activities sponsored by the state or local occupational therapy organizations
  • Activities sponsored by the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)
  • Activities sponsored by AOTA approved providers
  • Activities sponsored by an accredited healthcare facility
  • Activities sponsored by an accredited college or university

Professional Development Resources is an 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.