Current through Register Vol. 24-18, September 15, 2024
(1) To renew a license, a massage therapist
must complete 24 hours of continuing education every two years, as provided in
WAC 246-12-170 through
246-12-240. Continuing education
must be provided by an individual who has at least three years of professional
experience in the subject area being taught. Massage therapists have a duty to
ensure the continuing education they complete meets the requirements in this
section.
(2) The following
categories of continuing education are mandatory:
(a) A minimum of eight hours must be in
person and directly supervised involving the participation of the direct
application of massage therapy as defined in
RCW
18.108.010; and
(b) A minimum of four hours must be in
professional ethics, client or patient communication, professional roles and
boundaries, or Washington state massage laws and rules. Two of the four hours
may be met by attending board of massage meetings in person. A maximum of one
hour is allowed per board meeting; and
(c) A minimum of two hours must be in health
equity continuing education training as described in WAC
246-12-800 through
246-12-830; and
(d) Maintenance of certification in American
Heart Association CPR or equivalent. A maximum of four hours is allowed per
reporting period.
(3)
For the purposes of this chapter, the remaining hours of continuing education
are defined as any of the following activities reasonably related to massage
therapy knowledge, skills, and business practices:
(a) Documented attendance at a local, state,
national, or international continuing education class, program or
conference;
(b) First aid
certification or emergency related courses;
(c) Self-study through the use of multimedia
devices or the study of books, research materials, or other publications.
The required documentation for this activity is a one page,
single spaced, 12 point font synopsis of what was learned written by the
licensee. The time spent writing the synopsis is not reportable. Two hours of
credit is allowed per report, and no more than two separate reports may be
submitted per reporting period;
(d) Teaching a course for the first
time;
(e) Business and management
courses;
(f) Distance learning.
Distance learning includes, but is not limited to, correspondence course,
multimedia or webinar, print, audio or video broadcasting, audio or video
teleconferencing, computer aided instruction, e-learning or on-line-learning,
or computer broadcasting or webcasting; or
(g) Active service on boards or participation
in professional or government organizations specifically related to the
practice of massage.
(4)
A massage therapist must provide acceptable documentation of continuing
education upon request or audit. Acceptable forms of documentation include, but
are not limited to:
(a) Transcripts;
(b) A letter from the course instructor or
the organization providing the continuing education;
(c) Certificate of attendance or completion;
or
(d) Other formal documentation
that includes the following:
(i)
Participant's name;
(ii) Course
title;
(iii) Course
description;
(iv) Date or dates of
course;
(v) Number of
hours;
(vi) Indication of being an
in-person course, self-study as referenced in subsection (3)(c) of this
section, or distance learning as referenced in subsection (3)(f) of this
section;
(vii) Instructor's name or
sponsor organization name or names;
(viii) Instructor or sponsor contact
information; and
(ix) Signature of
the program sponsor or course instructor. The self-study allowed in subsection
(3)(c) of this section is exempt from this requirement.
(5) Massage therapists who
maintain an active status Washington state massage license must meet all
continuing education requirements regardless of whether they reside or practice
in Washington state.
Statutory Authority:
RCW
18.108.025,
18.108.125, and
43.70.250. 09-11-016, §
246-830-475, filed 5/7/09, effective 6/7/09. Statutory Authority:
RCW
18.108.025(1). 95-11-108,
§ 246-830-475, filed 5/23/95, effective 6/23/95; 94-13-181, §
246-830-475, filed 6/21/94, effective
7/22/94.
