Current through Rules and Regulations filed through September 23, 2024
(1) The Georgia State Board of Physical Therapy requires each licensed physical therapist and physical therapist assistant to participate in thirty (30) clock hours of experience per licensure period which is not to exceed ten (10) credit hours per calendar day. The purpose of this requirement is to assist in assuring safe and effective practices in the provision of physical therapy services to the citizens of Georgia.
(a) The Board recommends the requirements for competence as planned learning experiences which have content beyond the licensee's present level of knowledge and competence which may be subject to audit by the board.
(b) Content of the experience must relate to patient care in physical therapy whether the subject is research, treatment, documentation, education, management, or some other content area.
(c) In the event that a licensee does not meet the continuing competence requirement, the license will not be renewed.
(2) Effective July 1, 2018, (30) hours of continuing competence per biennium shall include a minimum of four (4) contact hours specifically in Georgia Ethics and Jurisprudence as defined in the Georgia Physical Therapy Act or by passage of the Georgia Ethics and Jurisprudence Examination.
(a) A Georgia Ethics and Jurisprudence course must be obtained from a Georgia college or university with an accredited physical therapy education program or a provider which holds a current Physical Therapy Association of Georgia (PTAG) Approval Certificate for the course.
(b) Passage of the Georgia Ethics and Jurisprudence Examination is equivalent to the four (4) hour continuing competence requirement for Georgia Ethics and Jurisprudence provided that the same test result has not been previously submitted to the Board as part of an application for licensure or to satisfy the requirements of an order of the Board.
(3) The following programs and activities may be considered for approval, but are not limited to:
(a) Programs approved by the American Physical Therapy Association and its affiliate components; or
(b) Programs approved by the Physical Therapy Association of Georgia or any other state chapters; or
(c) Programs approved by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (Procert); or
(d) Programs provided at CAPTE-Accredited colleges and universities with programs in physical therapy when the continuing competency course is held under the auspices of the school of physical therapy; or
(e) Programs offered by similar professional organizations offering experiences that meet the guidelines set forth in paragraph one.
(f) Fifteen (15) hours for undergoing a peer review; or
(g) Ten (10) hours for conducting a peer review when that activity is an adjunct responsibility and not the primary employment; or
(h) Participation as a presenter for continuing education courses, workshops, seminars or symposia which have been approved by the approved list above; Continuing competence credit is based on contact hours and may not exceed 10 hours per topic;
(i) Authorship of a presented scientific poster, scientific platform presentation or published article; Continuing competence credit is 10 hours per even and may not exceed 20 hours;
(j) Teaching a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant credit course when that teaching is an adjunct responsibility and not the primary employment; Continuing competence credit is based on contact hours not to exceed 20 hours;
(k) Certification of clinical specialization by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties. Continuing competence credit is 30 hours and is recognized only in the biennium in which certification or recertification is awarded.
(l) Self - instruction from reading professional literature; Continuing competence credit is limited to a maximum of three (3) hours; or
(m) Attendance at a scientific poster session, lecture, panel, symposium or university course Continuing competence credit is one hour per contact hour of activity; or
(n) Acting as a clinical education instructor for an accredited physical therapist or physical therapist assistant educational program; Continuing competence credit is one (1) hour per eight (8) contact hours with a maximum credit of 10 hours; or
(o) Acting as a clinical instructor or an intern for a formal, nonacademic, advanced clinical internship or as a mentor or a learner for a formal, nonacademic mentorship with a maximum credit of 10 hours.
(p) Donating time in the role of a Physical Therapist or Physical Therapist Assistant, within the scope of practice, to a charity event; Continuing competence credit is one (1) hour per eight (8) contact hours, limited to a maximum of five (5) hours;
(q) Reference Policy 13
(r) Post professional physical therapist educational programs that award academic credit are counted as one (1) university credit hour equaling ten (10) continuing competence hours. For example, a two (2) credit hour course in which a passing grade is achieved would equal twenty (20) continuing competence hours.
(4) Unacceptable activities for continuing competence include, but are not limited to:
(a) Orientation and in-service programs;
(b) Meetings for purposes of policy decisions;
(c) Non-educational meeting at annual association, chapter or organization meetings;
(d) Entertainment or recreational meeting or activities;
(e) Committee meetings, holdings of offices, serving as an organization delegate;
(f) Visiting exhibits;
(g) CPR.
(5) Continuing competence requirements shall apply within the first biennium that a physical therapist/physical therapist assistant is licensed in Georgia. However, licensees who have graduated during the current renewal biennium and who have passed the National Physical Therapy Examination are exempt from the continuing competence requirement during the biennium in which they have graduated and successfully passed the exam.
(6) Beginning the January 1, 2014 through December 31, 2016 biennium and thereafter, persons licensed to practice as a physical therapist or a physical therapy assistant or who shall file an application to practice as such in this state are to maintain a record of completed continuing education courses and experiences by registering with an online recording and reporting system approved by the Board.
(a) For the purposes of this requirement, the Georgia State Board of Physical Therapy adopts the utilization of CE Broker.
(b) Licensees and applicants shall incur no additional costs from CE Broker for this service.
(c) Every licensee or applicant subject to the rules of the Georgia State Board of Physical Therapy shall be deemed to have given such person's consent to the Board and it's representatives to access their continuing competence record retained within the online database for the purposes of auditing and verifying completion of the Board's continuing competency requirements. Such person waives all objections to the admissibility of the record in any proceedings or hearings before the board.
(7) Individuals licensed during the last six (6) months of a biennium renewal period will not be required to meet continuing competence requirements for that biennium.
(8) Individuals who have been reinstated within the last six (6) months of a biennium renewal period may use the continuing competence coursework used for reinstatement, thereby making them exempt from the requirement for that biennium renewal period.
(9) Those licensees selected for audit shall submit documentation of compliance upon receipt of notice. Acceptable documentation shall include:
(a) An official program or outline of the course attended or taught or a copy of the publication which clearly shows that the objectives and content were related to patient care in physical therapy and shows the number of contact hours, as appropriate. The information also should clearly identify the licensee's responsibility in teaching or authorship; and
(b) A certificate or verification of completion of home study which identifies the sponsoring entity or maintain a copy of the final grade report in the case of a University credit course(s), or specialization certificate, or proof of attendance with a copy of the program for the other acceptable activities, or documentation of self-instruction or reading professional literature; or
(c) Verification of a peer review of practice with verification of acceptable practice by a recognized entity. An example of a recognized entity is the American Physical Therapy Association Board Policy (See APTA Policy G03-05-15-40).
(10) Responsibilities of the Licensee:
(a) To maintain the original continuing competence documents no less than five (5) years from the date the Continuing Education credit was obtained. These records should be maintained in the licensee's personal files for no less than five (5) years.
(b) To complete all steps necessary to meet the re-licensure requirements on or before December 31st of the odd numbered years.
(c) To provide the Board with information requested during an audit.
(d) To keep a current mailing address and email address on file with the Licensing Board Office at all times.
O.C.G.A. §§
43-1-24; 43-1-25; 43-33-10(11); 43-33-16.
