Code of Massachusetts Regulations
244 CMR - BOARD OF REGISTRATION IN NURSING
Title 244 CMR 5.00 - Continuing Education
Section 5.04 - Criteria for Qualification of Continuing Education Programs/Offerings
Universal Citation: 244 MA Code of Regs 244.5
Current through Register 1537, December 20, 2024
The following guidelines are to assist the licensed nurse to select an appropriate continuing education program or offering and the continuing education provider to plan and implement continuing education program or offering. The overriding consideration in determining whether a specific program or offering qualifies as acceptable continuing education is that it be a planned program of learning which contributes directly to the professional competence of the licensed nurse.
(1) Amount.
(a) 60 consecutive minutes of an organized
learning activity is equivalent to one contact hour.
(b) One continuing education unit (C.E.U.)
equals ten contact hours.
(c) One
semester hour equals 15 contact hours.
(d) Two clinical hours (100 minutes) is the
equivalent of one contact hour.
(2) Standards.
(a)
Learner
Objectives.
1. Objectives shall
be written and be the basis for determining content, learning experience,
teaching methodologies, and evaluation.
2. Objectives shall be specific, attainable,
measurable, and describe expected outcomes for the learner.
(b)
Subject
Matter.
1. Appropriate subject
matter shall include one or more of the following:
a. nursing science and practice;
b. nursing education;
c. research in nursing and health
care;
d. management, administration
and supervision in health care delivery;
e. social, economic, political, legal aspects
of health care;
f. teaching health
care and consumer health education;
g. requirements for a formal nursing program
or a related field beyond that completed for original licensure; and
h. that which improves competency and is not
specified on the foregoing list.
2. Employee orientation, subject matter,
standard operating procedure of the employing agency shall not qualify for
continuing education purposes under
244 CMR
5.00.
3.
Subject matter shall be described in outline form and shall include learner
objectives, content, time allotment, teaching methods, faculty and evaluation
format.
4. Types of continuing
education should be included (see 244 CMR 10.01:
Type).
(c) The following guidelines are applicable
to the selection of a continuing education program or offering or planning
implementation of a program or offering.
1.
When the type is an academic course, the following applies: The course must be
within the framework of curriculum that leads to an academic degree in nursing
or relevant to nursing, or any course within that curriculum that is necessary
to an individual's professional growth and development.
2. When the type of continuing education
program or offering is designated as a self-study offering or a correspondence
course, the course should:
a. Be developed by
a professional group such as an educational corporation or professional
association;
b. Follow a logical
sequence;
c. Involve the learner by
requiring active response to module materials and provide feedback;
d. Contain a test to indicate progress and
verify completion of module; and
e.
Supply a bibliography for continued study.
3. When the type of continuing education
program or offering is designated as a planned and supervised clinical
experience, the course:
a. Should be beyond
the basic level of preparation of the individual who is licensed and be based
on a planned program of study;
b.
The instructor-supervisor should possess the appropriate credentials related to
the discipline being taught; and
c.
The experience should take place in a clinical setting.
(d)
Education
Methods.
1. Learning experiences
and teaching methods should be appropriate to achieve the objectives of the
continuing education program or offering.
2. Principles of adult education should be
used in the design of the continuing education program or offering.
3. Time allotted for each activity should be
sufficient for the learner to meet the objectives of the offering.
4. Facilities and educational resources
should be adequate to implement the continuing education programs or
offerings.
(e)
Faculty Qualifications.
1. The faculty should present documentation
to the continuing education provider and learner illustrating competency in the
content of the planned learning experience and possess knowledge of the
principles of adult education.
2.
If the offering includes a clinical nursing component, a licensed nurse in
Massachusetts shall provide supervision.
3. If the offering includes a clinical
component other than nursing, a qualified instructor possessing the appropriate
credentials of the discipline shall provide instruction.
(f)
Evaluation.
1. Provision must be made for evaluating the
participant's attainment of the stated learner objectives or
outcomes.
2. Participants must be
given the opportunity to evaluate faculty, learning experiences, instructional
methods, facilities and educational resources used for the programs or
offerings.
(g)
Records.
1. Records
of continuing education programs or offerings should be kept by the continuing
education provider for a period of four years.
2. Records should include content,
objectives, outline of offering, faculty qualifications, teaching methods and
materials, evaluation tools and data and a list of participants.
3. The continuing education provider shall
furnish to each participant an authenticated record of attendance specifying
continuing education provider, title of offering, date of offering, number of
contact hours and successful completion of program or offering.
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