Current through Register Vol. 24-18, September 15, 2024
The goal of continuing education is to encourage the
lifetime development of the licensed acupuncturist or acupuncture and Eastern
medicine practitioner, and enhance the professional skills and judgment needed
to protect the health and safety of all patients.
(1) A licensed acupuncturist or acupuncture
and Eastern medicine practitioner shall complete a minimum of twenty hours of
continuing education every two years.
(a) The
two-year continuing education reporting period for an acupuncturist or
acupuncture and Eastern medicine practitioner licensed in Washington before
April 30, 2021, begins May 1, 2021, and verification of completion of
continuing education hours will be due on the acupuncturist's or acupuncture
and Eastern medicine practitioner's annual license renewal date in 2023, and
every two years thereafter. The two-year continuing education reporting period
for an acupuncturist or acupuncture and Eastern medicine practitioner initially
licensed in Washington on or after May 1, 2021, begins upon date of
licensure.
(b) A licensed
acupuncturist or acupuncture and Eastern medicine practitioner shall attest to
the completion of twenty hours of continuing education every two years as a
part of their license renewal requirement.
(c) The department of health (department) may
randomly audit up to twenty-five percent of licensed acupuncturists or
acupuncture and Eastern medicine practitioners every two years for compliance
after the license is renewed as allowed by chapter 246-12 WAC, Part
7.
(d) A licensed acupuncturist or
acupuncture and Eastern medicine practitioner shall comply with the
requirements of chapter 246-12 WAC, Part 7.
(e) The department will not authorize or
approve specific continuing education courses.
(2) A licensed acupuncturist or acupuncture
and Eastern medicine practitioner may alternatively meet the requirement of
twenty hours of continuing education every two years if they hold a current
diplomate status from the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and
Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). The required documentation is proof of diplomate
status during the two-year period.
(3) A licensed acupuncturist or acupuncture
and Eastern medicine practitioner shall maintain a current cardiopulmonary
resuscitation (CPR) and basic first aid certification. A licensed acupuncturist
or acupuncture and Eastern medicine practitioner may count the actual hours
earned per renewal cycle for this requirement.
(4) Continuing education must contribute to
the professional knowledge and development of the licensed acupuncturist or
acupuncture and Eastern medicine practitioner or enhance services provided to
patients or public health and safety. Continuing education must be completed in
one or more of the following categories:
(a)
Educational courses as listed in
RCW
18.06.050 relating to the practice of health
care, western clinical sciences, acupuncture, or acupuncture and Eastern
medicine;
(b) Emergency management
or disaster preparedness;
(c)
Infection control and federal/state safety standards;
(d) Ethics;
(e) Patient care related education including
patient communication, risk management, methods of health delivery, cultural
diversity, and suicide prevention education;
(f) Washington state acupuncture and Eastern
medicine law;
(g) Patient
communication;
(h) Practice
management and billing practices. A licensed acupuncturist or acupuncture and
Eastern medicine practitioner may not count more than ten hours every two years
in this category.
(5)
Continuing education in subject categories identified in subsection (4) of this
section may be completed using any of the following activities or methods:
(a) Attendance at local, state, national, or
international education courses, live interactive webinars, postdoctoral
education, and study clubs. A study club is defined as two or more
practitioners meeting to discuss topics relative to their health care
practice;
(b) Self-study by various
means, relevant to acupuncture or acupuncture and Eastern medicine, without an
instructor physically present.
(i) Self-study
can be continuing education provided online or through the mail provided by a
continuing education provider.
(A) A licensee
must have documentation of course completion; or
(B) Provide a two-page synopsis of what was
learned written by the licensed acupuncturist or acupuncture and Eastern
medicine practitioner is required. Two hours of continuing education for each
synopsis will be granted. A licensed acupuncturist or acupuncture and Eastern
medicine practitioner may earn up to a maximum of six hours every two years for
this activity.
(ii)
Self-study can be reading a book that contributes to the professional knowledge
and development of the licensed acupuncturist or acupuncture and Eastern
medicine practitioner, or enhance services provided to patients. A two-page
synopsis of what was learned written by the licensed acupuncturist or
acupuncture and Eastern medicine practitioner is required. Two hours of
continuing education for each book and synopsis will be granted. A licensed
acupuncturist or acupuncture and Eastern medicine practitioner may earn up to a
maximum of six hours every two years for this activity.
(c) Teaching, presenting, or lecturing in a
course, only if the presentation or lecture is created or authored by the
acupuncturist or acupuncture and Eastern medicine practitioner claiming the
continuing education hours, may earn up to a maximum of ten hours every two
years;
(d) Panelist at a conference
or seminar for health care providers. Up to a maximum of two hours may be
applied per topic in the two-year period;
(e) Primary author of published multimedia
material including, but not limited to: CD, audio, or video. Up to a maximum of
five hours may be applied per publication in the two-year period;
(f) Participating member of a clinical
research study team. Up to a maximum of ten hours may be applied in the
two-year period;
(g) Direct
clinical supervision of acupuncturist or acupuncture and Eastern medicine
students in a school verified externship, internship, or preceptorship, may
earn up to a maximum of ten hours every two years;
(h) Acupuncturist or acupuncture and Eastern
medicine licensure examinations or serving on an acupuncturist or acupuncture
and Eastern medicine professional board, committee or association may earn up
to a maximum of ten hours every two years;
(i) Publishing a paper in a peer review
journal up to a maximum of five hours the year the paper is published;
and
(j) Provision of clinical
acupuncturist or acupuncture and Eastern medicine patient care services in a
documented volunteer capacity, may earn up to a maximum of ten hours every two
years.
(6) The
department may not accept any claim of credit for a continuing education course
that does not meet the requirements of subsection (4) or (5) of this
section.
(7) Proof of continuing
education is a certificate of completion, letter, or other documentation
verifying or confirming attendance or completion of continuing education hours.
Documentation must be from the organization that provided the activity, except
in subsection (5)(b)(i) and (ii), and (c) of this section, and must contain at
least the following:
(a) Date of attendance or
completion;
(b) Name of licensed
acupuncturist or acupuncture and Eastern medicine practitioner;
(c) Hours earned; and
(d) Course title or subject.
(8) Upon showing good cause by the
licensed acupuncturist or acupuncture and Eastern medicine practitioner in
writing, the department may waive the acupuncturist or acupuncture and Eastern
medicine practitioner from any, all, or part of the continuing education
requirements in this chapter or may grant additional time for the acupuncturist
or acupuncture and Eastern medicine practitioner to complete the requirements.
Good cause includes, but is not limited to:
(a) Illness;
(b) Medical necessity or family
emergency;
(c) Hardship to
practice; or
(d) Other extenuating
circumstances.
