Continuing Education

(1) Basic Requirements - Each certificate holder certified by the board must complete three (3) clock hours of continuing education each calendar year. (2) New Certification Requirements (a) A two (2) clock hour Board-approved course in risk management, sexual/professional boundaries, and Tennessee statutory and regulatory chiropractic jurisprudence must be taken within the twelve (12) months prior to certification or within the first (1st) calendar year that continuing education is required. If taken prior to certification, the course must be an additional course beyond the regular x-ray technologist program. If taken after certification, the course shall not constitute part of the three (3) clock hour continuing education requirement in paragraph (1) of this rule. Those who are certified as both chiropractic X-ray technologists and chiropractic therapy assistant need only take this course once. (b) New certification by examination or reciprocity - New certificate holders, whether by examination or reciprocity, shall be exempted from the continuing education requirements of 0260-03-.12(1) for the calendar year in which they are certified, but must take the two (2) hour course as described above in 0260-03-.12(2)(a). (c) New certification by Reciprocity/Endorsement - Proof of successful completion of all requirements necessary for certification in Tennessee, pursuant to paragraph 0260-03- .04(3), shall be considered sufficient preparatory education and training to constitute continuing education credit for the calendar year in which they become certified by the Tennessee Board of Chiropractic Examiners. (3) Acceptable Continuing Education (a) To be acceptable continuing education, the course shall be approved by the Board of Chiropractic Examiners. No prior approval is required for continuing education courses conducted by the American Chiropractic Association, the International Chiropractors Association, or the Tennessee Chiropractic Association. (b) Education content may include radiation protection, radiation physics, radiation techniques, patient care and positioning, equipment maintenance, radiographic anatomy and physiology, x-ray quality control, and instruction on the Tennessee statutes and rules pertaining to chiropractic x-ray technologists. (c) Whenever the Board decides that there is information that is crucial for certificate holders to have it, the Board may prepare and send that information to all continuing GENERAL RULES GOVERNING CHIROPRACTIC X-RAY TECHNOLOGISTS CHAPTER 0260-03 education providers in a format no larger than two (2) pages. All approved continuing education providers must, as a prerequisite to remaining an approved provider, reproduce and distribute this information from the Board to every certificate holder attending each of its individual continuing education courses or group of courses. (4) Documentation (a) The certificate holder must, within thirty (30) days of a request from the board, provide evidence of continuing education activities. Such evidence must be copies of one (1) or more of the following: 1. Original certificates or photocopies of original certificates verifying the certificate holder's attendance at continuing education program(s). The original certificates or photocopies of original certificates must include the following: continuing education program's sponsor, date, clock hours awarded (continuing education units must be converted to clock hours), program title, certificate holder's name, and certification number. 2. Original letters or photocopies of original letters on official stationery from the continuing education program's sponsor indicating date, clock hours awarded (continuing education units must be converted to clock hours), program title, certificate holder's name, and certification number. 3. Original documents or photocopies of original documents verifying successful completion of a written post experience examination to evaluate material retention upon completion of a multi-media course, as provided in paragraph (6). The original documents or photocopies of original documents must include the clock hours awarded (continuing education units must be converted to clock hours), program title, certificate holder's name, and certification number. (b) Each certificate holder must retain original documents or photocopies of original documents which verify proof of attendance and completion of all continuing education requirements. This documentation must be retained for a period of four (4) years from the end of the calendar year in which the continuing education was acquired. This documentation must be produced for inspection and verification, if requested in writing by the board during its verification process. The board will not maintain continuing education files. (c) If a person submits documentation for training that is not clearly identifiable as appropriate continuing education, the board will request a written description of the training and how it applies to the practice of chiropractic x-ray technologists. If the board determines that the training cannot be considered appropriate continuing education, the individual will be given ninety (90) days to replace the hours not allowed. Those hours will be considered replacement hours and cannot be counted during the next renewal period. (5) Continuing education credit shall be awarded for distance learning hours or courses attended in person as outlined in this rule. (6) Continuing education credit will not be allowed for the following: (a) Regular work activities, administrative staff meetings, case staffing/reporting, etc. (b) Membership in, holding office in, or participation on boards or committees, business meetings of professional organizations, or banquet speeches. GENERAL RULES GOVERNING CHIROPRACTIC X-RAY TECHNOLOGISTS CHAPTER 0260-03 (c) Education content that is for practice building, practice management, patient acquisition or reimbursement. Education should focus on clinical and/or scientific content, with an emphasis related to the role of a chiropractic x-ray technician. (d) Training specifically related to policies and procedures of an agency, except state statutes and rules and policies governing the practice of a chiropractic x-ray technologist. (7) Continuing Education for Reactivation or Reinstatement of Retired, Revoked, or Expired Certificate (a) Reactivation of Retired Certificate 1. An individual whose certificate has been retired for one year or less will be required to fulfill continuing education requirements as outlined in this rule as a prerequisite to reinstatement. Those hours will be considered replacement hours and cannot be counted toward meeting the calendar year end requirement. 2. Any individual requesting reactivation of a certificate which has been retired for one or more years must submit, along with the reactivation request, verification which indicates the attendance and completion of three (3) hours of continuing education for each year the certificate was retired. The continuing education hours must have begun and been successfully completed prior to the date of reactivation. (b) Reactivation of Revoked Certification - No person whose certification has been revoked for failure to comply with continuing education may be reactivated without complying with these requirements. Continuing education requirements will accumulate at the same rate as that for those certificates which are active. The required clock hours of continuing education must have been begun and successfully completed before the date of reactivation. (c) Reactivation or Reinstatement of Expired Certification - No person whose certificate has expired may be reactivated or reinstated without submitting evidence of continuing education. The continuing education hours documented at the time of reactivation or reinstatement must equal the hours required, had the certificate remained in an active status, and must have been begun and successfully completed before the date of reactivation or reinstatement. (d) Continuing education hours obtained as a prerequisite for reactivating or reinstating a certificate may not be counted toward the calendar year requirement. (8) Violations (a) Any certificate holder who falsely certifies attendance and completion of the required hours of continuing education, or who does not or cannot adequately and timely substantiate completed continuing education hours with the required documentation, may be subject to disciplinary action. Such disciplinary action may include a civil penalty of up to three hundred ($300) dollars and the requirement that deficient hours be made up within the next calendar year or any other lawful discipline. (b) Continuing education hours obtained as a result of compliance with the terms of a Board Order in any disciplinary action shall not be credited toward the continuing education hours required to be obtained in any renewal period. (9) Wavier of Continuing Education GENERAL RULES GOVERNING CHIROPRACTIC X-RAY TECHNOLOGISTS CHAPTER 0260-03 (a) The board may grant a waiver of the need to attend and complete the required hours of continuing education if it can be shown to the board that compliance is or was beyond the physical capabilities of the person seeking the waiver. (b) Waivers will be considered only on an individual basis and may be requested by submitting the following items to the board’s administrative office. 1. A written request for a waiver which specifies what requirement is sought to be waived and written and signed explanation of the reason for the request. 2. Any documentation which supports the reason for waiver requested or which is subsequently requested by the board. (c) A waiver approved by the board is effective only for the calendar year for which the waiver is sought.