Section 1150-01-.12 - CONTINUING COMPETENCEContinuing Competence. On January 1, 2003, the Board shall begin to notify applicants for renewal of continuing competence requirements as provided in T.C.A. § 63-13-304(6). The Board shall require each licensed physical therapist and physical therapist assistant to participate in a minimum number of experiences to promote continuing competence for the twenty - four (24) months that precede the licensure renewal month. Beginning January 1, 2005, all applicants for licensure, renewal of license, reactivation of license, or reinstatement of license must demonstrate competency.
(1) The requirements for continuing competence are defined as planned learning experiences which occur beyond the entry level educational requirements for physical therapists and physical therapist assistants. Content of the experience must relate to physical therapy whether the subject is intervention, examination, research, documentation, education, management, or some other content area. The purpose of this requirement is to assist in assuring safe and effective practices in the provision of physical therapy services to the citizens of Tennessee.(2) For applicants approved for initial licensure by examination, successfully completing the requirements of Rules 1150-01-.04, .05, and .08, as applicable, shall be considered proof of sufficient competence to constitute compliance with this rule for the initial period of licensure except for the ethics and jurisprudence education requirements of paragraph (4). Applicants approved for initial licensure by examination must successfully complete four (4) hours of ethics and jurisprudence education during their initial period of licensure(3) Twenty-four (24) Month Requirement - Continuing competence credit is awarded for the clock hours spent in an activity as provided in paragraphs (5) and (6). Except as provided in paragraph (4), all required hours may be met through Class I activities. Except as provided in paragraph (4), any Class I activity without a stated maximum number of hours may be used to accrue all required hours. (a) Physical Therapist - Thirty (30) hours are required for the twenty-four (24) months that precede the licensure renewal month.1. At least twenty (20) hours of the thirty (30) hour requirement must be from Class I activities as provided in paragraph (5).2. Up to ten (10) of the thirty (30) hour requirement may be from Class II activities as provided in paragraph (6).(b) Physical Therapist Assistant - Twenty (20) hours are required for the twenty-four (24) months that precede the licensure renewal month. 1. At least ten (10) hours of the twenty (20) hour requirement must be from Class I activities as provided in paragraph (5).2. Up to ten (10) hours of the twenty (20) hour requirement may be from Class II activities as provided in paragraph (6).(4) Four (4) of the hours required in parts (3) (a) 1. and (3) (b) 1. consist of ethics and jurisprudence education courses. These four (4) hours are required every other twenty-four (24) month period.(a) Ethics and Jurisprudence - The Tennessee Physical Therapy Association (TPTA) is the sole approval entity for ethics and jurisprudence courses. All ethics and jurisprudence courses approved by the TPTA shall be deemed approved by the Board. Any ethics and jurisprudence course not approved by the TPTA will fail to meet the requirements of this rule. The TPTA shall only approve courses that are a minimum of two (2) hours each in duration. They shall be Class I continuing competence as provided in paragraph (5), and shall as a minimum include education in: 1. Ethics: (ii) APTA Guide for Professional Conduct;(iii) APTA Standards for Ethical Conduct for the Physical Therapist Assistant; (iv) APTA Guide for Conduct of the Physical Therapist Assistant; (v) Model for ethical decision making; and 2. Jurisprudence:(i) The Occupational and Physical Therapy Practice Act (Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 63, Chapter 13, Parts 1 and 3);(ii) General Rules Governing the Practice of Physical Therapy (Official Compilation, Rules and Regulations, Chapter 1150-01);(iii) Board of Physical Therapy Policy Statements;(vii) Disclosures to patients;(viii) Offenses that may lead to disciplinary action;(ix) Supervision of Physical Therapist Assistants;(x) Supervision of Physical Therapy assistive personnel; and(xi) Supervision of others (students, volunteers).(b) Course approval - Aside from ethics and jurisprudence courses approved under subparagraph (a) above, the Board does not pre-approve Class I and Class II continuing competence courses, programs, and activities required by paragraphs (3), (5) and (6) of this rule. It is the licensee's responsibility, using his/her professional judgment, to determine if the courses being taken are applicable, appropriate, and meet the requirements of this rule. However, TPTA must seek the Board's approval for offering ethics and jurisprudence courses by submitting the following information to the Board's office at least thirty (30) days prior to a regularly scheduled meeting of the Board that precedes the course:1. Course description or outline;2. Names of all lecturers;3. Brief resume of all lecturers; and4. How certification of attendance is to be documented. Each course approved by TPTA must be approved every twelve (12) months.(5) Class I acceptable continuing competence evidence shall be any of the following:(a) External peer review of practice with verification of acceptable practice by a recognized entity, e.g., American Physical Therapy Association. Continuing competence credit is twenty (20) hours per review with a maximum of one (1) review each twenty-four (24) month period.(b) Internal peer review of practice with verification of acceptable practice. Continuing competence credit is two (2) hours per review with a maximum of two (2) reviews during each twenty-four (24) month period.(c) Courses, seminars, workshops, and symposia attended by the licensee which have been approved for continuing education units (CEUs) by appropriate CEU granting agencies.(d) Courses, seminars, workshops, and symposia attended by the licensee and approved by recognized health-related organizations (e.g., American Physical Therapy Association, Tennessee Physical Therapy Association, Arthritis Foundation, etc.) or accredited physical therapy educational institutions (e.g., Chattanooga State Technical Community College, East Tennessee State University, etc.).(e) Home study courses or courses offered through electronic media approved by recognized health-related organizations (e.g., American Physical Therapy Association, Tennessee Physical Therapy Association, Arthritis Foundation, etc.) or accredited physical therapy educational institutions (e.g., U.T. Center for the Health Sciences, Volunteer State Community College), and that include objectives and verification of satisfactory completion.(f) University credit courses - Continuing competence credit is twelve (12) hours per semester credit hour.(g) Participation as a presenter in continuing education courses, workshops, seminars or symposia which have been approved by recognized health-related organizations. Continuing competence credit is based on contact hours and may not exceed twenty (20) hours per topic.
(h) Authorship of a presented scientific poster, scientific platform presentation or published article undergoing peer review. Continuing competence credit is ten (10) hours per event with a maximum of two (2) events each twenty-four (24) month period.(i) Teaching a physical therapy or physical therapist assistant credit course when that teaching is an adjunct responsibility and not the primary employment. Continuing competence credit is based on contact hours not to exceed twenty (20) hours. If the same course is taught more than once, contact hours may only be counted once.(j) Certification of clinical specialization by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS). Continuing competence credit is twenty-six (26) hours and is recognized only in the twenty-four (24) month period in which certification or recertification is awarded.(k) Certification of clinical specialization by organizations other than the ABPTS (e.g. the McKenzie Institute, the Neuro Developmental Treatment Association, the Ola Grimsby Institute, etc.) may be recognized as continuing competence credit for up to twenty-six (26) hours, in the twenty-four (24) month period in which certification or recertification is awarded. The number of continuing competence credit hours awarded is determined by the Board.(l) Awarding of an advanced degree from an accredited University. Continuing competence credit is twenty-six (26) hours and is recognized only in the twenty-four (24) month period in which the advanced degree is awarded.(m) Participating in a clinical residency program. Continuing competence credit is five (5) hours credit for each week of residency with a maximum of twenty-six (26) hours per program.(6) Class II acceptable continuing competence evidence shall be any of the following(a) Self-instruction from reading professional literature. Continuing competence credit is limited to a maximum of one (1) hour each twenty-four (24) month period.(b) Attendance at a scientific poster session, lecture, panel or symposium that does not meet the criteria for Class I. Continuing competence credit is one (1) hour per hour of activity with a maximum of two (2) hours credit each twenty-four (24) month period.(c) Serving as a clinical instructor for an accredited physical therapist or physical therapist assistant educational program. Continuing competence credit is one (1) hour per sixteen (16) contact hours with the student(s).(d) Acting as a clinical instructor for physical therapist participating in a residency program or as a mentor for a learner for a formal, nonacademic mentorship. Continuing competence credit is one (1) hour per sixteen (16) contact hours.(e) Participating in a physical therapy study group consisting of two (2) or more physical therapists or physical therapist assistants. Continuing competence credit is limited to a maximum of one (1) hour credit each twenty-four (24) month period.(f) Attending and/or presenting in-service programs. Continuing competence credit is one (1) hour per eight (8) contact hours with a maximum of four (4) hours credit each twenty-four (24) month period.(g) Serving the physical therapy profession as a delegate to the APTA House of Delegates, on a professional board, committee, or task force. Continuing competence credit is limited to a maximum of one (1) hour credit each twenty-four (24) month period.(7) Unacceptable activities for continuing competence include, but are not limited to: (a) Attending courses regarding: 1. Regulations of the United States Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA);2. Regulations of the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development's Division of Occupational Safety and Health (TOSHA);3. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR); and(b) Meetings for purposes of policy decisions;(c) Non-educational meetings at annual association, chapter or organization meetings;(d) Entertainment or recreational meetings or activities; and(8) Documentation of compliance(a) Each licensee must retain documentation of completion of all continuing competence requirements of this rule for a period of five (5) years from when the requirements were completed. This documentation must be produced for inspection and verification, if requested in writing by the Board during its verification process.(b) The licensee must, within thirty (30) days of a request from the Board, provide evidence of continuing competence activities.(c) Any licensee who fails to complete the continuing competence activities or who falsely certifies completion of continuing competence activities may be subject to disciplinary action pursuant to T.C.A. §§ 63-13-304, 63-13-312, 63-13-313, and 63-13-315.(d) Examples of documentation 1. A signed peer review report or an official program or outline of the course attended or taught or copy of the publication which clearly shows that the objectives and content were related to physical therapy and shows the number of contact hours, as appropriate. The information also should clearly identify the licensee's responsibility in teaching or authorship.2. A CEU certificate or verification of completion of home study which identifies the sponsoring entity, or a copy of the final grade report in the case of a University credit course(s), or specialization certificate, or proof of attendance with a copy of the program for the other acceptable Class I or II activities, or documentation of self-instruction from reading professional literature.(9) Reinstatement/Reactivation of an Expired or Retired License(a) Expired or retired for three (3) years or less - An individual whose license has expired or has been retired for three (3) years or less shall submit the appropriate application for reinstatement or reactivation, along with documentation of continuing competence (see examples in paragraph (8)), which must have been initiated and completed within two (2) years prior to submission of the application for reinstatement or reactivation.(b) Expired or retired more than three (3) years1. An individual whose license has expired or has been retired for more than three (3) years shall submit the appropriate application for reinstatement or reactivation, along with documentation of continuing competence (see examples in paragraph (8)), which must have been initiated and completed within two (2) years prior to submission of the application for reinstatement or reactivation.2. The Board may, at its discretion, require additional education, supervised clinical practice, successful passage of examinations, or issue a provisional license.(10) The Board, in cases of documented illness, disability, or other undue hardship, may waive the continuing competence requirements and/or extend the deadline to complete continuing competence requirements. To be considered for a waiver of continuing competence requirements, or for an extension of the deadline to complete the continuing competence requirements, a licensee must request such in writing with supporting documentation before the end of the twenty-four (24) month period in which the continuing competence requirements were not met.Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1150-01-.12
Original rule filed February 21, 1996; effective May 6, 1996. Repeal and new rule filed March 16, 2000; effective May 30, 2000. Amendment filed January 16, 2003; effective April 1, 2003. Amendment filed September 22, 2005; effective December 6, 2005. Amendment filed March 14, 2006; effective May 28, 2006. Amendment filed August 18, 2006; effective November 1, 2006. References to Board of occupational and Physical Therapy Examiners has been changed by The Secretary of State to the Applicable entity; Board of Occupational Therapy and/or Board of Physical Therapy pursuant to Public Chapter 115 of the 2007 session of the Tennessee General Assembly. Amendment filed May 18, 2007; effective August 1, 2007. Amendment filed September 24, 2009; effective December 23, 2009. Amendments filed August 19, 2010; effective November 17, 2010. Amendment filed December 2, 2014; effective 3/2/2015.Authority: T.C.A. §§ 4-5-202, 4-5-204, 63-13-108, 63-13-304, 63-13-308, 63-13-309, and 63-13-311.