Continuing Education Insight
Kansas Continuing Education Update
By: Lindsey Tatum, Milestone Continuing Education
Does looking at the Kansas Occupational Therapy Statute make you feel like you're being carried away in a whirlwind? Don't worry, this post will explain the rules and regulations surrounding your occupational therapy continuing education courses, how they are defined, and how to report them in a way that even a scarecrow could understand!
Proof of completion of no less than forty (40) hours of continuing education is due by March 31st of every odd year. The time frame during which they must obtain these hours is a two year period, but proof of OT continuing education activities is not required during even-numbered years. OTs and OTAs must complete the process for renewal between February 15th and April 30th in order to continue practicing for the next two years.
According to the Statute (K.A.R. 100-54-7. Continuing education; license renewal), continuing education options are organized into six (6) classes, each having its own contact hour restriction. This is to ensure that the practitioner has a well-rounded experience with their OT continuing education. The classes are essentially defined as:
Class 1: "Participation in Presentations"
This area includes a variety of options, including home study (1G under Class - I), lectures, symposiums, seminars, panels, and college/university courses (each college course being worth 10 contact hours). Each of these avenues is defined in the AOTA's Continuing Competence Requirements document, which you can find by clicking the link provided.
Class 2: "In-service Training"
The statute allows four (4) contact hours to be the maximum attainable amount for providing or receiving in-service training.
Class 3: "Professional Reading"
In addition to professional educational literature, this category also includes electronic media, audiotapes, and videotapes. A maximum of two (2) hours is allowed for this area of study.
Class 4: Professional Publication
The maximum number of contact hours awarded for this area of OT continuing education depends on the nature of the publication itself. If you publish an "original paper" or a book inside the two year renewal period, the maximum number of contact hours that can be expected is thirty (30). If you publish reviews, abstracts or case reports, the maximum allotted is fifteen (15).
Class 5: Instructor Credit
If the practitioner instructs any of the options within the class 1 category, continuing education credit will be awarded. However, it is only a maximum of three (3) contact hours per topic. If the practitioner wishes to receive more than three contact hours from this class, they must instruct multiple courses on different areas of focus (see the statute for details: KS Stat §65-5412).
Class 6: Supervision of Level 2 Students (Fieldwork)
The specifications of this category require the practitioner to supervise level 2 students during full-time fieldwork for a period of at least six weeks in order to obtain the maximum of five (5) contact hours. Ten (10) contact hours are awarded for this class if the supervision takes place over twelve weeks.
Some of the classes have special reporting methods that are important to note in advance. For example, classes one and two require documented proof of attendance. Personal verification is required for participation in class three. The OT practitioner must provide copies of all published materials (class four), and employer verification is necessary to receive credit for participation in class six.
Now this is where OTs and OTAs need to stick to the golden brick road to avoid confusion surrounding the classes. In order to obtain the full forty hour requirement, they must obtain a certain number of hours from a combination of the classes. A minimum of thirty (30) hours of OT continuing education may come from categories 1, 4 and 5 combined. Class 1 alone is limited to a maximum of twenty (20) hours. A maximum of eight (8) hours may come from category 2, and a maximum of two (2) hours may come from category three. A maximum of thirty (30) hours may come from category five, and finally a maximum of ten (10) hours may come from category six. Are you still with me, or did you fall asleep in the poppy field?
Milestone Continuing Education is an AOTA Approved Provider (7487) for Occupational Therapy and Occupational Therapy Assistant online continuing competency. Look for our discount on the homepage of RehabEdge.com.
Disclaimer: It is ultimately the responsibility of the practitioner to be aware of changes to their continuing education requirements. Check your state board’s website to make sure you are up to date on your requirements, as they frequently change.
