Current through Register Vol. 24-06, March 15, 2024
(1) General provisions. Each licensed
naturopathic physician must complete 60 hours of continuing education related
to the naturopathic scope of practice in Washington state every two years, as
provided in chapter 246-12 WAC.
(2)
(a) A license holder's first 60 hour
continuing education requirement is due on the third renewal date after the
license is issued. After that, it is due every other year on the licensee's
renewal date.
(b) A licensee may
begin to accrue continuing education from the date of initial licensure and
apply it toward the fulfillment of their first continuing education
requirement.
(c) License
reissuance. When applying for reissuance of an expired license, a naturopathic
physician must attest to 60 hours of continuing education for the two years
preceding the reissuance application. Upon reissuance, the licensee's
continuing education sequence will resume based on the last active license
continuing education cycle.
(3)
(a) A
licensee must complete a minimum of 15 continuing education hours over two
years on the subject of pharmacology. Examples of eligible pharmacology course
content include, but are not limited to:
(i)
Legend substances as defined in
RCW
69.41.010;
(ii) Controlled substances in chapter 69.50
RCW;
(iii) Biopharmacology, which
is the study of medicinal or drug products manufactured in, extracted from, or
semi-synthesized from biological sources;
(iv) Pharmacognosy, which is the study of
medicinal drugs derived from plants or other natural sources;
(v) Contraindications or interactions of
drug-to-drug, drug-to-herb, or drug-to-nutrient; or
(vi) Other subjects approved by the
board.
(b) Acceptable
documentation is information included on course completion certificates,
transcripts, course descriptions, course brochures, or course registration
forms.
(c) Pharmacology hours may
be fulfilled through courses meeting the requirements in any category in
subsection (5) of this section.
(4) Required continuing education topics. The
hours spent completing required topics under this subsection count toward
meeting any applicable continuing education requirements. Nothing in this
subsection is intended to expand or limit the naturopathic scope of practice.
(a) Suicide prevention requirements. As part
of continuing education and in accordance with
RCW
43.70.442, a licensed naturopathic physician
must complete a board-approved one-time training that is at least six hours
long in suicide assessment, treatment, and management. This training must be
completed by the end of the first full continuing education reporting period
after initial licensure. Training accepted by the board must be on the
department's model list developed in accordance with rules adopted by the
department that establish minimum standards for training programs.
A board-approved training must be at least six hours in
length and may be provided in one or more sessions.
(b) Health equity requirements. As part of
continuing education and in accordance with
RCW
43.70.613, a licensed naturopathic physician
must complete a minimum of two hours of training in health equity to address
health inequities such as bias, racism, and poverty. A naturopathic physician
fulfills this by complying with the requirements in WAC
246-12-800,
246-12-810,
246-12-820, and
246-12-830. Such training must be
completed once every four years, beginning with the first full continuing
education cycle due on or after January 1, 2024.
(5) Categories of creditable continuing
education.
(a) Category 1. A licensee is
required to obtain a minimum of 20 hours over two years in this category;
however, all 60 hours may be earned in this category. Category 1 credit hours
and activities include:
(i) Live-attended,
both in-person and remote-attendance, education approved or offered by the
following sources:
(A) American Association of
Naturopathic Physicians (AANP);
(B)
Washington Association of Naturopathic Physicians (WANP);
(C) North American Naturopathic Continuing
Education Accreditation Council (NANCEAC) through the Federation of
Naturopathic Medicine Regulatory Authorities (FNMRA); or
(D) Naturopathic medicine academic
institutions and scholarly organizations approved by the board according to WAC
246-836-150.
(ii) Prerecorded education meeting the
requirement in (a)(i) of this subsection. To qualify for credit under this
section the course must require the licensee to pass an examination in order to
complete the course.
(iii)
Completion of a one year residency accredited by the Council on Naturopathic
Medical Education (CNME) meets the full 60 hour continuing education
requirement.
(b)
Category 2. Category 2 credit hours and activities include:
(i) Live-attended, both in-person and
remote-attendance, education relevant to various other health professions,
however licensees may only claim those hours that have content consistent with
naturopathic scope of practice in this state. Hours must be obtained through an
entity that is accredited or nationally recognized, examples of which include,
but are not limited to, courses accredited by:
(A) The accreditation council for continuing
medical education (ACCME);
(B) The
American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC); or
(C) The accreditation council for pharmacy
education (ACPE).
(ii)
Prerecorded education meeting the requirement in (b)(i) of this subsection,
however only content related to naturopathic scope of practice in this state
may be claimed. To qualify for credit under this section the course must
require the licensee to complete an examination in order to complete the
course.
(iii) Teaching, lecturing,
or serving as a residency director, which shall equate 40 hours worked to one
continuing education hour.
(iv)
Publishing in a peer-reviewed, scientific journal or textbook. Ten credit hours
may be claimed for each paper, exhibit, publication, or chapter. Credit shall
be claimed as of the date materials were presented or
published.
(c) Category
3. A licensee may claim up to a maximum of five hours over two years in this
category. Category 3 credit hours and activities include:
(i) Online study not otherwise specified
above;
(ii) Multimedia education
(CD/DVD);
(iii) Certification or
recertification in basic life support (BLS), advanced cardiac life support
(ACLS), neonatal resuscitation (NRP), or pediatric advanced life support
(PALS);
(iv) Self-study including,
but not limited to, board examination preparation or reading papers and
publications where an assessment tool is required upon completion;
and
(v) Courses in nonclinical
practice topics, such as:
(A) Health
promotion;
(B) Health care cost
management;
(C) Coding;
(D) Regulatory affairs; or
(E) Professional ethics, disciplinary
prevention, or jurisprudence. Licensees completing the board's jurisprudence
examination may claim two hours for this activity. This activity can only be
claimed once during a two year continuing education reporting cycle.
(vi) In-person or virtual
attendance at a board of naturopathy business meeting. Each meeting counts for
one hour. Acceptable documentation is the licensee's presence as recorded in
the board's minutes or transcript.
(6) Documentation. A licensee must submit
documentation upon request or audit. Acceptable documentation includes:
(a) Certificates of completion;
(b) Transcripts;
(c) Letters from instructors; or
(d) Other records, which must include
participant's name, course title, course content, dates, provider(s) name(s),
and signature of sponsor or instructor.
(e) For self-study activities that do not
offer documentation, licensees should keep lists with hours spent reading
publications, papers, or articles; or hours spent preparing for specialty board
examinations.
(7) Waiver
or extension. In emergent or unusual situations, such as personal or family
illness, the board may waive all or part of the continuing education
requirement for a particular continuing education reporting period for an
individual licensee if the board determines there is good cause. The board may
also grant the licensee an extension period in order to meet the full
requirement if the board determines there is good cause. Licensees requesting
an extension must include a detailed plan on how they will obtain the deficient
hours. Hours obtained for an extension only apply to the extension and cannot
be used for any other continuing education reporting cycle. The board may
require verification of the emergent or unusual situation as is
necessary.
Statutory Authority:
RCW
18.36A.160, 2011 c 41, and 2011 c 40.
12-13-104, § 246-836-080, filed 6/20/12, effective 7/21/12. Statutory
Authority:
RCW
43.70.280. 98-05-060, § 246-836-080,
filed 2/13/98, effective 3/16/98. Statutory Authority:
RCW
18.36A.060. 92-02-018 (Order 224), §
246-836-080, filed 12/23/91, effective 1/23/92. Statutory Authority:
RCW
43.70.040. 91-02-049 (Order 121), recodified
as § 246-836-080, filed 12/27/90, effective 1/31/91. Statutory Authority:
RCW
18.36A.060. 88-14-009 (Order PM 742), §
308-34-180, filed 6/24/88.