SCSRC SITE AUTHORIZATION CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAM & APPLICATION
I. SITE AUTHORIZATION PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The SCSRC Continuing Respiratory Care Education Site Authorization Program establishes a system for the approval and administration of Continuing Education (CE) hours and CE programs on an “individual or on-site” basis. Approved agencies earn authorization to award CE’s according to the program guidelines outlined in section (IV) and in accordance with the policies adopted by the South Carolina Society for Respiratory Care.
II. SITE AUTHORIZATION PROGRAM RATIONALE
To create a standardized Respiratory Care Continuing Education administration program within South Carolina that is cost effective and accessible for health care agencies and practitioners. The purpose of the SCSRC CE program is to create a pathway for health care agencies to provide respiratory care practitioners employed in their facility a variety of learning experiences meant to enhance the knowledge of respiratory therapists, enabling them to provide safe, and effective respiratory care to patients. Continuing education is necessary to define learning experiences related to the education and management of respiratory therapists and respiratory therapy services, health promotion and disease management, patient safety, health care cost containment, healthcare law and ethics and emergency preparedness.
III. SITE AUTHORIZATION PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS
1. Approved Agencies: Approved agencies are agencies that have completed the application process and have remitted the yearly site authorization fee. Approved agencies must identify a CE Site Coordinator responsible for documentation and recording of approved CE hours. Approved agencies are defined as hospitals, health care organizations, educational facilities, or other ancillary health care organizations that employ or provide educational opportunities for respiratory care practitioners. Approved agencies with more than one affiliation or partnership may be required to pay an additional fee or name additional site coordinators to cover the entire system, if the system is very large.
2. CE Site Coordinator: The CE Site Coordinator is a designated individual authorized to approve and issue CE hours provided on-site. The CE Site Coordinator is required to maintain records relating to CE programs and CE hours issued. Completion of an annual report form indicating CE activity for the site is to be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to the CE Program Chair of the SCSRC, so that the CE Program Chair can report to the Board the total number of CE’s issued per year.
3. On-Site and Virtual Programs: The CE Site Coordinator can only approve educational programs conducted physically on-site at the approved facility or provided in an acceptable virtual format (see guidelines for traditional versus non-traditional activities). “On-site” is defined as taking place within the respective organization designated on the application form and refers to a facility located on the physical address assigned on this application form or provided in a virtual format. SCSRC approved CE sites found in violation of this standard will be subject to penalties including revocation of site authorization and voided CE programs or hours.
Approved Types of Activities/Programs
On-site Traditional (Provider-Directed)
A traditional or provider directed educational activity requires the learner and provider interact in real time on-site or in a virtual format. They need not be in the same place, but they must be able to communicate either verbally or in writing with each other during the time the learning activity is occurring. The provider, with assistance from the site coordinator(s), determines the pace of the program and schedules the activity. Examples of provider directed activities include, but are not limited to, live lecture educational sessions that are part of conventions, courses, seminars, workshops, lecture series, and distance learning activities such as webcasts, videoconferences, and audio conferences in which the learner can directly interact with the provider in real time.
- Contact hour designation: Contact hour credit awarded is based on the time allocated for the exchange of information between the presenter and the learner.
- Content designation: In traditional courses, each session may have a specific content designation.
- Post-tests: The achievement of a passing test score on a comprehensive examination is not required for provider-directed learning activities.
- Approval period: These courses are approved for the period of the site authorization coverage period. They may be repeated any time during this accreditation period.
Non-traditional (Learner-Directed/Assigned by CE Site Coordinator)
A non-traditional learning activity (learner-directed, independent study) is one that is conducted by the learner at his or her own pace. However, for CE credit through the SCRC Site Authorization Continuing Education Program, this activity must be directly assigned by CE Site Coordinator(s). Individuals can elect to participate in AARC offered non-traditional assignments without the authorizations of SCSRC CE Site Coordinator(s). In the non-traditional format, the instructor/provider does not interact with the learner in real time. The formats for non-traditional activities include but are not limited to studies of web-based courses, archived webcasts, podcasts, videotapes, audiotapes, monographs or the content of journals listed in Index Medicus.
- Contact hour designation: The number of contact hours awarded is determined by the CE Site Coordinator(s) and is based on the estimated average time required to complete the learning materials, tests and evaluations.
- Content designation: In contrast to traditional courses, only one content designation may be assigned to a nontraditional course.
- Post-tests: Satisfactory completion of a post-test is required to meet the requirements of all learner-directed courses.
4. SCSRC CE Chair(s): Designated individual(s) responsible for the coordination and correspondence of the CE site authorization program. All questions relating to program policy and operation can be directed to the education chair(s). The continuing education chair(s) report(s) directly to the Board of Directors of the SCSRC.
IV. SITE AUTHORIZATION PROGRAM GUIDELINES
1. CE Program Approval Process: Approved programs for CE’s are live or virtual education programs that meet or adhere to the following criteria set forth by the South Carolina Society for Respiratory Care and the licensure Board for South Carolina. The CE site coordinator approves programs directly according to the following guidelines:
Basic Guidelines:
- One hour (60 minutes) of direct educational instruction equates to 1 CE. CE can be administered in increments of 0.5 hours.
- Educational content must be directly related to the practice of respiratory care or cardiopulmonary medicine. Because of the wide diversity of programs and topics, the CE Site Coordinator must use their discretion in approving programs in accordance with the guidelines. The following are examples of acceptable topics (but not limited to):
- General respiratory care practice
- Cardiopulmonary intensive care topics
- Emergency medicine topics that are relevant to cardiopulmonary medicine
- Other topics related to cardiopulmonary medicine and practice
CE Site Coordinators can only provide CE hours for education events that meet the guidelines outlined in this agreement and are held physically on site at the approved facility or in a virtual format hosted by the approved CE site. The CE Site Coordinator(s) may only provide CE hours and certificates to RCPs whose attendance can be verified by physical attendance or by the use of an auditory or visual attendance roll call before, during or at the end of the meeting. CE Site Coordinators can only provide CE hours to RCP who are employed by the approved site authorization facility. Note: The student and the instructor need not be in the same place during the activity, but they must be able to communicate either verbally or in writing with each other during the time the learning activity is occurring. We recommend that an evaluation process for the instructor/provider be included as part of the learning activity. We suggest that educational event in a virtual format provide a registration process or a password to approved learners.
2. CE Certificates: The site coordinator will issue a “standardized CE certificate” that is included in the site administration packet. Copies of the certificate can be made. The following information must be completed on each certificate awarded:
- Program #
- Program Name
- Date of Program
- Location of Program
- Site CE Coordinator Signature
- Participant Name
- Number of CE’s awarded
3. Roster Sheets: Roster sheets including the participant’s names must be kept on file by the CE Site Coordinator. The CE Site Coordinator can alternatively, choose to use electronic format or other means of documentation to maintain accurate roster sheets. Roster sheets must be available, at any time upon request, to the SCSRC CE committee or the SC LLR if necessary for purposes including, but not limited to RCP licensure audits.
4. Annual Report: A short annual report form will be submitted either by mail or e-mail including summarizing the total number of CE’s awarded, total number of programs conducted, and roster sheets for licensing verification purposes. The report can be e-mailed directly to the SCSRC Continuing Education Chair: ce@scsrc.org. Completion of an annual report form indicating CE activity for the site is to be e-mailed to the CE Program Chair of the SCSRC, as requested. The CE Program Chair may request reports from the site coordinator(s) concerning the number of CE issued to employees so the chair can report this information to the Board during the annual business meeting.
5. Site Authorization Fee/Renewal Fee: The yearly fee for site authorization is $250 for sites with <50 RTs on staff; $500 for sites with 50-100 RTs on staff; $750 for sites with >100 RTs on staff. Organizations with multiple sites: $100 per additional affiliated site will be an additional cost. Please utilize the correct pricing structure to include all RTs across each facility. The South Carolina Society for Respiratory Care Board of Directors believes this is a cost effective mechanism for department Directors to supply entire departments with the necessary CE’s, which are required by law.
6. CE Program Issuing Numbers: Agencies participating in the CE Site Authorization Program will be given a block of sequential numbers, one hundred at a time, for program designation. For example, Site A will be given program numbers XX0001 – XX0100, Site B, XX0101 –XX0200, etc. When an agency has consumed all of their numbers, additional numbers will be authorized by contacting the CE Chair.
7. Repeated Programs: If the same program is offered more than once at the same facility, a single program number may be assigned for the approved calendar year. However, each calendar year, a new program number must be used if the same course is offered again. It will be the responsibility of the CE Site Coordinator to track and document each date the program was given and maintain rosters for each event. This information should all be included in the annual report due in December to the CE Chair.
8. Retroactive CE Approval: CE hours can only be granted during the calendar year for which the facility is approved. CE Site Coordinators can retroactively approve programs that have occurred prior to the institution of this program so long as the program occurred during the approved calendar year and all records are maintained including rosters, etc. Programs that are yearly and ongoing can be pre-approved for a certain number of CE’s and hours may be awarded at any point during an authorized calendar year and only after the participant and roster sheets verify attendance.
9. SCSRC CE Committee Assistance: The SCSRC CE Chair and Committee are available to answer questions and provide assistance when needed. Additional information and FAQ’s are available on our website at www.scsrc.org.
If you prefer to fill out a printed form and mail it with a check, use this PDF form:
SCSRC CE Site Program & Application