CHAPTER 262
CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR RESPIRATORY CARE PRACTITIONERS AND POLYSOMNOGRAPHIC TECHNOLOGISTS
[Prior to 4/17/02, see 645—Chapter 261]
645—262.1(148G,152B,272C) Definitions.
“Active license” means a license that is current and has not expired.
“Approved program/activity” means a continuing education program/activity meeting the standards set forth in these rules.
“Audit” means the selection of licensees for verification of satisfactory completion of continuing education requirements during a specified time period.
“Board” means the board of respiratory care and polysomnography.
“Continuing education” means planned, organized learning acts designed to maintain, improve, or expand a licensee’s knowledge and skills in order for the licensee to develop new knowledge and skills relevant to the enhancement of practice, education, or theory development to improve the safety and welfare of the public.
“Hour of continuing education” means at least 50 minutes spent by a licensee completing an approved continuing education activity through live, virtual, online or prerecorded means where the instructor provides proof of completion by the licensee as set forth in these rules.
“Inactive license” means a license that has expired because it was not renewed by the end of the grace period.
“License” means license to practice.
“Licensee” means any person licensed to practice as a respiratory care practitioner, polysomnographic technologist, or respiratory care and polysomnography practitioner in the state of Iowa.
[ARC 8074C, IAB 6/26/24, effective 7/31/24]
645—262.2(148G,152B,272C) Continuing education requirements.
	262.2(1) The biennial continuing education compliance period will extend for a two-year period beginning on April 1 of each even-numbered year and ending on March 31 of the next even-numbered year. Each biennium, the licensee will be required to complete continuing education that meets the requirements specified in rule 645—262.3(148G,152B,272C).
	a. 	For respiratory care practitioner licensees: complete a minimum of 24 hours of continuing education.
	b. 	For respiratory care and polysomnography practitioner licensees: complete a minimum of 24 hours of continuing education.
	c. 	For polysomnographic technologist licensees: complete a minimum of 24 hours of continuing education.
	262.2(2) Requirements of new licensees. Those persons licensed for the first time will not be required to complete continuing education as a prerequisite for the first renewal of their licenses. Continuing education hours acquired any time from the initial licensing until the second license renewal may be used. For each subsequent license renewal, the new licensee will be required to complete continuing education per biennium.
	262.2(3) Hours of continuing education credit may be obtained by attending and participating in a continuing education activity. These hours must be in accordance with these rules.
	262.2(4) No hours of continuing education shall be carried over into the next biennium except as stated for the second renewal. A licensee whose license was reactivated during the current renewal compliance period may use continuing education earned during the compliance period for the first renewal following reactivation.
	262.2(5) It is the responsibility of each licensee to finance the cost of continuing education.
[ARC 8074C, IAB 6/26/24, effective 7/31/24]
645—262.3(148G,152B,272C) Standards.
	262.3(1) General criteria. A continuing education activity that meets all of the following criteria is appropriate for continuing education credit if the continuing education activity:
	a. 	Constitutes an organized program of learning that contributes directly to the professional competency of the licensee;
	b. 	Pertains to subject matters that integrally relate to the practice of the profession;
	c. 	Is conducted by individuals who have specialized education, training and experience by reason of which said individuals should be considered qualified concerning the subject matter of the program. At the time of audit, the board may request the qualifications of presenters;
	d. 	Fulfills stated program goals, objectives, or both; and
	e. 	Provides proof of attendance to licensees in attendance including:
	(1)	Date(s), location, course title, presenter(s);
	(2)	Number of program contact hours; and
	(3)	Certificate of completion or evidence of successful completion of the course provided by the course sponsor.
	262.3(2) Specific criteria. Continuing education hours of credit may be obtained by:
	a. 	Programs/activities of a clinical nature related to the practice of respiratory care or polysomnography.
	b. 	Program presenters who will receive one hour of credit for each hour of presentation for the first offering of the continuing education program/activity.
	c. 	Completing academic coursework that meets the criteria set forth in the rules and is accompanied by an official transcript indicating successful completion of the course. Continuing education credit equivalents are as follows:
1 academic semester hour = 15 continuing education hours
1 academic quarter hour = 10 continuing education hours
	d. 	The following are approved for continuing education credit on a one-time basis per biennium and require a certificate of attendance or verification:
Certifications:

Advanced Cardiac Life Support	12 hours	
Basic Cardiac Life Support—Instructor	8 hours	
Basic Cardiac Life Support	6 hours	
Neonatal Resuscitation	9 hours	
Pediatric Advanced Life Support	14 hours	
Mandatory Reporting	4 hours	
Certified Pulmonary Function
	Technologist	8 hours	
Registered Pulmonary Function
	Technologist	12 hours	
[ARC 8074C, IAB 6/26/24, effective 7/31/24]
These rules are intended to implement Iowa Code section 272C.2 and chapters 148G and 152B.
[Filed 12/8/00, Notice 10/24/00—published 12/27/00, effective 1/31/01]
[Filed 3/29/02, Notice 1/23/02—published 4/17/02, effective 5/22/02]
[Filed 1/14/04, Notice 10/15/03—published 2/4/04, effective 3/10/04]
[Filed 10/8/04, Notice 7/7/04—published 10/27/04, effective 12/1/04]
[Filed 5/12/05, Notice 3/16/05—published 6/8/05, effective 7/13/05]
[Filed 7/23/07, Notice 5/23/07—published 8/15/07, effective 9/19/07]
[Filed 10/30/08, Notice 8/27/08—published 11/19/08, effective 1/1/09]
[Filed ARC 9931B (Notice ARC 9780B, IAB 10/5/11), IAB 12/28/11, effective 2/1/12]
[Filed ARC 9932B (Notice ARC 9594B, IAB 7/13/11), IAB 12/28/11, effective 2/1/12]
[Filed ARC 0537C (Notice ARC 0221C, IAB 7/25/12), IAB 12/26/12, effective 1/30/13]
[Filed ARC 1453C (Notice ARC 1255C, IAB 12/25/13), IAB 5/14/14, effective 6/18/14]
[Filed ARC 2323C (Notice ARC 2224C, IAB 10/28/15), IAB 12/23/15, effective 1/27/16]
[Filed ARC 3932C (Notice ARC 3617C, IAB 2/14/18), IAB 8/1/18, effective 9/5/18]
[Filed ARC 4515C (Notice ARC 4259C, IAB 1/30/19), IAB 6/19/19, effective 7/24/19]
[Filed ARC 6993C (Notice ARC 6654C, IAB 11/16/22), IAB 4/19/23, effective 5/24/23]
[Filed ARC 8074C (Notice ARC 7504C, IAB 1/24/24), IAB 6/26/24, effective 7/31/24]