Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 18, September 16, 2024
(a) Commencing
with the 2007 renewal, upon biennial license renewal, a licensee shall attest
that he or she has completed courses of continuing education of the types and
number of credits specified in (c) below. Falsification of any information
submitted on the renewal application may require an appearance before the Board
and may result in penalties and/or suspension or revocation of the license
pursuant to
45:1-21 through
45:1-25.
(b) Licensees applying for their first
biennial renewal are exempt from this continuing education
requirement.
(c) Applicants for
biennial license renewal shall complete the following continuing education
credits during the preceding biennial period:
1. For prosthetist-orthotists, a minimum of
40 credits in topics related to prosthetics and orthotics;
2. For orthotists, a minimum of 30 credits in
topics related to orthotics;
3. For
prosthetists, a minimum of 30 credits in topics related to
prosthetics;
4. For
prosthetist-orthotist assistants, a minimum of 16 credits in topics related to
prosthetics and orthotics;
5. For
orthotist assistants, a minimum of 12 credits in topics related to orthotics;
and
6. For prosthetist assistants,
a minimum of 12 credits in topics related to prosthetics.
(d) A licensee who completes more than the
minimum continuing education credits set forth in (c) above in any biennial
registration period may carry a portion of those additional credits into the
succeeding biennial period. Licensees may carry:
1. For prosthetist-orthotist, a maximum of 20
credits;
2. For orthotists and
prosthetists, a maximum of 15 credits;
3. For prosthetist-orthotist assistants, a
maximum of eight credits; and
4.
For orthotist assistants and prosthetist assistants, a maximum of six
credits.
(e) A licensee
may obtain continuing education credits from the following:
1. Successful completion of continuing
education courses or programs approved by the American Board for Certification
in Orthotics and Prosthetics: one credit for each hour of attendance;
2. Successful completion of a course related
to orthotics or prosthetics given by a school accredited by the New Jersey
Department of Education, a college or university accredited by the Commission
on Higher Education or an agency of another state with requirements
substantially similar to the requirements of the New Jersey Department of
Education or the Commission on Higher Education: one credit for each course
credit successfully completed;
3.
Successful completion of continuing education courses or programs related to
the practice of orthotics or prosthetics that are pre-approved by the Board
pursuant to (f) below, prior to the presentation of the course: one credit for
each hour of attendance;
4.
Successful completion of an American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists
Online Learning Center course: one credit for each course credit;
5. Teaching or developing the curriculum for
a new continuing education program related to orthotics or prosthetics that is
approved pursuant to (e)1 or 3 above. "New" means that the licensee has never
taught or developed curriculum for that course or program in any educational
setting: one credit for each hour taught;
6. Teaching or developing the curriculum for
a new course related to orthotics or prosthetics in a school accredited by the
New Jersey Department of Education, a college or university accredited by the
Commission on Higher Education or an agency of another state with requirements
substantially similar to the requirements of the New Jersey Department of
Education or Commission on Higher Education. "New" means that the licensee has
never taught or developed curriculum for that course in any educational
setting: one credit for each course credit taught;
7. Authorship of a published article related
to orthotics or prosthetics which has been refereed through peer review, in a
professional refereed journal: 15 credits for an article, up to 15 credits per
biennial period;
8. Presenting a
new seminar or lecture related to orthotics or prosthetics to professional
peers or other health professional provided the seminar or lecture is at least
one hour long. "New" means that the licensee has never taught or developed
curriculum for that seminar or lecture in any educational setting: one credit
for each 50 minutes of presentation; and
9. Completion of a research project which has
been approved by the Board pursuant to (g) below: five credits.
(f) Sponsors of continuing
education programs or courses seeking Board approval shall obtain Board
approval every biennial period prior to representing that any course, program
or seminar fulfills the requirements of (e) above and shall:
1. At least 90 days prior to the date of the
course, submit the following for each course, program or seminar offered for
evaluation by the Board:
i. A detailed
descriptive outline of course content and estimated hours of instruction;
and
ii. The curriculum vitae of
each lecturer, including specific background which qualifies the individual as
a lecturer in the area of instruction;
2. Monitor the attendance at each approved
course, program or seminar and furnish to each enrollee a written verification
of attendance, which shall include at least the following information:
i. The title, date and location of the
course, program or seminar offering;
ii. The name and license number of the
attendee;
iii. The number of
credits awarded; and
iv. The name
and signature of the sponsor and the seal of the organization;
3. Evaluate course offerings.
Evaluations shall be solicited from both the attendees and the instructors;
and
4. Submit a fee pursuant to
13:44H-10.1(a)13
for each submission of new courses, programs or seminars reviewed by the Board
during the biennial licensing period.
(g) A licensee who wishes to have a research
project approved by the Board shall submit a written abstract on the project
that includes:
1. The parameters of the
research project;
2. The results of
the research project, if any;
3. An
indication of possible future publication, if any;
4. An indication of whether the research
project will lead to the production of a product after research; and
5. The methodology used to evaluate the
research.
(h) The Board
shall perform audits on randomly selected licensees to determine compliance
with continuing education requirements. A licensee shall maintain the following
documentation for a period of four years after completion of the credits and
shall submit the documentation to the Board upon request:
1. For attendance at programs or courses: a
certificate of completion from the provider;
2. For publication of an article: the
published item, including the date of publication;
3. For developing curriculum or teaching a
course or program: a copy of the curriculum: location, date and time of course;
duration of course by hour; and letter from provider confirming that the
licensee developed or taught the course or program;
4. For presenting a lecture or seminar: the
location, date and duration of the lecture or seminar; and
5. For a research project: evidence of Board
approval.
(i) The Board
may waive the continuing education requirements of this section on an
individual basis for reasons of hardship, such as severe illness, disability,
or military service.
1. A licensee seeking a
waiver of the continuing education requirements shall apply to the Board in
writing at least 90 days prior to license renewal and set forth in specific
detail the reasons for requesting the waiver. The licensee shall provide the
Board with such supplemental materials as will support the request for
waiver.
2. A waiver of continuing
education requirements granted pursuant to this subsection shall be effective
only for the biennial period in which such waiver is granted. If the
condition(s) which necessitated the waiver continue into the next biennial
period, a licensee shall apply to the Board for the renewal of such waiver for
the new biennial period.
(j) The Board may direct or order a licensee
to successfully complete continuing education credits:
1. As part of a disciplinary or remedial
measure in addition to the required credits of continuing education;
or
2. To correct a deficiency in
the licensee's continuing education requirements.
(k) Any continuing education credits
completed by the licensee in compliance with an order or directive from the
Board as set forth in (j) above shall not be used to satisfy the minimum
continuing education requirements as set forth in this section.
