Continuing education

1. Effective until June 30, 2018, an individual licensed by the board must complete twenty continuing education contact hours for the two-year licensing period to maintain licensure in North Dakota after the individual's initial continuing education licensure period. During the individual's initial continuing education licensure period, continuing education hours must be earned pursuant to the following schedule: a. Twenty continuing education hours are required if licensed after June thirtieth of the even-numbered year and before July first of the odd-numbered year. b. Ten continuing education hours are required if licensed after June thirtieth and on or before December thirty-first of the odd-numbered year. c. No continuing education hours are required if licensed on or after January first of an even-numbered year. 2. Effective July 1, 2018, an individual licensed by the board must complete twenty-four continuing education contact hours for the two-year licensing period to maintain licensure in North Dakota after the individual's initial continuing education licensure period. During the individual's initial continuing education licensure period, continuing education hours must be earned pursuant to the following schedule: a. Twenty-four continuing education hours are required if licensed after June thirtieth of the even-numbered year and before July first of the odd-numbered year. b. Twelve continuing education hours are required if licensed after June thirtieth and on or before December thirty-first of the odd-numbered year. c. No continuing education hours are required if licensed on or after January first of an even-numbered year. 3. Before being relicensed in North Dakota, an individual who was licensed by the board but whose license has expired must complete all continuing education hours that were outstanding at the time their license expired, plus additional continuing education hours within two years of the date of the application for licensure according to the following schedule: a. No additional continuing education hours are required if the individual's license has been expired less than six months when the application for licensure is submitted. b. Twelve additional continuing education hours are required if the individual's license has been expired six months or more but less than eighteen months when the application for licensure is submitted. c. Twenty-four additional continuing education hours are required if the individual's license has been expired eighteen months or more when the application for licensure is submitted. 4. Board-approved continuing education must be directly related to or supportive of clinical laboratory practice. Continuing education includes: a. Workshops, refresher courses, professional conferences, seminars, and educational programs presented by providers approved by the board. b. Presentations by licensee: (1) Professional presentations, e.g., workshops, institutes. A presentation may be counted only one time and there is no limit on hours that may be earned under this paragraph. (2) Community or service organization presentations. A general public presentation may be counted only one time and no more than three hours may be earned under this paragraph. c. Formal academic coursework. One credit hour class is equal to ten contact hours. d. Formal self-study course with a completion certificate, and there is no limit on hours under this subdivision. e. Research approved by the board. f. Supervised clinical practice approved by the board. g. Facility-based continuing education program. 5. Nonacceptable continuing education topics include courses in general safety not directly related to clinical laboratory practice, annual training required by a medical facility such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation or first aid, breath alcohol instrument training, personal reading of professional journals, committee meetings, computer classes, personal enrichment courses, and programs delivered through the mass media. 6. The board requires verification of continuing education completion, which must be received by the board office on or before the licensure expiration date. Verification must include name of licensee; dates of attendance; title of program, course, or workshop; sponsor's name and address; and number of earned contact hours. Verification documentation must be submitted on a board-approved continuing education record form and include a copy of a continuing education certificate signed by the provider or sponsor. 7. Failure to meet the continuing education requirements by the deadline referenced in section 96-02-02-04 will result in nonrenewal of license. 8. The board may waive continuing education requirements or allow exceptions due to extraordinary circumstances.