Continued competency

Continued competency is the ongoing application and integration of knowledge, critical thinking, interpersonal, and psychomotor skills essential to safely and effectively deliver occupational therapy services within the context of a licensee's role and environment. 1. The board requires a minimum of twenty contact hours within the twenty-four months prior to the completed application for renewal of licensure. One contact hour is equal to one clock-hour. 2. Any licensee initially licensed between July first and December thirty-first of the odd-numbered year is required to complete ten contact hours for that licensing period with twenty contact hours for each subsequent licensing period. 3. Any licensee initially licensed on or after January first of the even-numbered year has no contact hour requirement until the following licensing period when the licensee is required to complete twenty contact hours for that licensing period and each subsequent licensing period. 4. When an applicant for renewal has not been licensed for up to three years, the applicant must submit evidence of a minimum of twenty contact hours of continued competency earned within the twenty-four months prior to the completed application for renewal of license. 5. Board-approved continued competency must meet all the following requirements: a. Be directly related to or supportive of occupational therapy practice. b. Enhance the licensee's professional development and competence. c. Be specific to the licensee's current area of practice or an intended area of practice within the next year. 6. Continued competency includes: a. Workshops, refresher courses, professional conferences, seminars, or education programs presented by organizations such as the American occupational therapy association, the national board for certification in occupational therapy, the North Dakota occupational therapy association, medical associations, or educational and national or state health organizations or approved by the North Dakota board of occupational therapy practice. There is no limit on hours that may be earned under this subdivision. b. Presentations by licensee: (1) Professional presentations, for example, inservices, workshops, or institutes. A presentation may be counted only one time. There is no limit on hours that may be earned under this paragraph. (2) Community or service organization presentations. A presentation may be counted only one time. No more than eight hours may be earned under this paragraph. c. Formal academic coursework. (1) One or two credit hour class is equal to five contact hours. (2) Three or four credit hour class is equal to ten contact hours. d. Authoring professional publications. There is no limit on hours that may be earned under this subdivision. Publications include: (1) Book chapter. Primary or coauthor of chapter in practice area-related professional textbook. One chapter is equal to ten contact hours as evidenced by a copy of published chapter or letter from the editor. (2) Article. Primary or coauthor of practice area-related article in nonpeer-reviewed professional publication. One article is equal to five contact hours as evidenced by a copy of published article. Primary or coauthor of practice area-related article in peer-reviewed professional publication. One article is equal to ten contact hours. Primary or coauthor of practice area-related article in lay publication (e.g., community newspaper or newsletter). One article is equal to two contact hours. (3) Multimedia. Developing instructional materials - training manuals, multimedia, or software programs - that advance the professional skills of others (not for proprietary use; must not be part of one's primary role) as evidenced by program description (materials may be requested by the board). Five contact hours. (4) Research activities. Primary or coprimary investigator in extensive scholarly research activities or outcomes studies. Method of substantiation includes a copy of a research study that indicates certificant as primary or coprimary investigator. Ten contact hours. Externally funding service or training projects associated with grants or postgraduate studies. Method of substantiation includes grant funding number or abstract or executive summary or completed report. Ten contact hours. e. Formal self-study course with a completion certificate. There is no limit on hours that may be earned under this subdivision. f. Direct supervision of occupational therapy students performing level II fieldwork or experiential component in an occupational therapy program accredited by the accreditation council for occupational therapy education. The licensee must be the primary supervisor. The supervision may not be the primary responsibility of the licensee's employment. The licensee must submit to the board a record of the students supervised and the dates and times of supervision and a certification of the supervision from the occupational therapy program. No more than twelve contact hours in a licensing period may be earned under this subdivision. g. Professional leadership. This category encompasses leadership responsibilities or committee involvement in professional organizations, including officer or committee chairperson in an occupational therapy or related practice area of a professional organization or item writing for a professional certification examination. No more than six hours may be earned under this subdivision. h. Employer-based continued competency education program with measurable learning outcomes at least one hour in length. No more than six hours may be earned under this subdivision. i. Distance learning activities. 7. Licensees and continuing education providers may submit continuing education courses to the board for preapproval. 8. A copy of a continuing education certificate must be submitted for board approval. The continuing education certificate must contain the person's name, dates of attendance, title of the course, and contact hours. If the program was not formally granted contact hours, the licensee must submit written verification of attendance signed by a supervisor or program coordinator which includes the name of the participant, dates of attendance, title of the course, and hours of the course, not including breaks and lunch. 9. Failure to meet the continuing competency requirements as outlined in this section will result in denial of an application for renewal and may subject a licensee to disciplinary action. The board may waive or allow exceptions due to extraordinary circumstances. 10. Continued competency hours may only be used once to satisfy the requirements of this section.