Florida Continuing Medical Education Credit Requirements

 
Florida required number of CME credits per year(s) 40 credits / 2 years
Florida State-Mandated CME Content/Additional Notes First time license renewal: one hour HIV/AIDS, two hours in prevention of medical errors. Second and subsequent renewals: forty hours, including two hours in prevention of medical errors. Every third renewal: forty hours, including two hours in prevention of medical errors and two hours in domestic violence CME. Note: End-of-life care and palliative care can no longer be completed in lieu of HIV/AIDS or domestic violence courses. All CME must be AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™, except for domestic violence and prevention of medical errors. Domestic violence and prevention of medical errors courses offered by any state or federal government agency or professional association, including any provider of AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™, are acceptable.
Florida RN required number of CE credits per year(s) RNs are required to complete 24 hours of appropriate continuing education (CE) during each renewal period, including two (2) hours relating to prevention of medical errors. In addition to these 24 hours of general CE, each RN must complete two (2) hours of domestic violence CE every third renewal for a total of 26 hours. For initial licensure, RNs must complete one (1) hour of HIV/AIDS (one time requirement) and a two (2) hour course relating to prevention of medical errors. New Requirement Beginning with the biennium ending in 2015, each licensee shall complete a two-hour course on the laws and rules that govern the practice of nursing in Florida. This will be part of the total 24 hours that are required each biennium. Effective 8/1/2014, courses cannot be offered in tenth hour increments over one hour (example: 1.6 contact hours). Course contact hours will be rounded down to the nearest half hour (example 1.6 contact hours becomes 1.5 contact hours).
LPN Required number of CME credits per year(s) Florida LPNs are required to complete 24 hours of appropriate continuing education (CE) during each renewal period, including two (2) hours relating to prevention of medical errors. In addition to these 24 hours of general CE, each LPN must complete two (2) hours of domestic violence CE every third renewal for a total of 26 hours. HIV/AIDS is now a one-time, 1-hour CE requirement to be completed prior to the first renewal. New Requirement Beginning with the biennium ending in 2015, each licensee shall complete a two-hour course on the laws and rules that govern the practice of nursing in Florida. This will be part of the total 24 hours that are required each biennium. Florida Board of Nursing Rule Change Effective 8/1/2014, courses cannot be offered in tenth hour increments over one hour (example: 1.6 contact hours). Course contact hours will be rounded down to the nearest half hour. (example 1.6 contact hours becomes 1.5 contact hours)
APRN Required number of CME credits per year(s) N/A
ANCC accreditation accepted? Yes
CE for Specialty: Athletic Training For Initial Licensure Florida Athletic Trainers are required to submit proof of completion of the following continuing education (CE) upon initial licensure: 2 hours relating to prevention of medical errors Current certification in cardiovascular pulmonary resuscitation with an automated external defibrillator from the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, American Safety and Health Institute, the National Safety Council, or an entity approved by the Board as equivalent. For Initial Licensure Renewal Florida Athletic Trainers initially licensed within the second half of the biennium must complete 12 hours of approved CE to include the following: 2 hours of prevention of medical errors Current certification in cardiovascular pulmonary resuscitation with an automated external defibrillator from the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, American Safety and Health Institute, the National Safety Council, or an entity approved by the Board as equivalent. Florida Athletic trainers who receive an initial license during the 90 days preceding a renewal period shall not be required to complete any CE for that renewal period. Licensees initially licensed within the first half of the biennium must complete the 24 hours of approved CE outlined below For Licensure Renewal Following Initial Renewal Every licensee must complete 24 hours of approved CE within the biennium for which they are claimed. The requirements are: 2 hour course relating to prevention of medical errors Current certification in cardiovascular pulmonary resuscitation with an automated external defibrillator from the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, American Safety and Health Institute, the National Safety Council, or an entity approved by the Board as equivalent. Home study courses approved by the BOC will be acceptable for no more than 10 of the required continuing education hours.
CE for Specialty: Audiology/SLP CE: 30 Contact Hours (0.3 CEUs) must be completed by the end of the two-year renewal period. The expiration for all licenses is at the end of the calendar year during years ending in an odd number. (e.g., December 31st, 2015). CE by license type: Audiologist and Speech-Language Pathologist 18 hours clinically related; 10 hours non-clinical although all 28 hours may be clinically related. 2 hours medical errors Audiology Assistant and Speech-Language Pathologist Assistant 18 hours clinically related 2 hours medical errors
CE for Specialty: Dietetics/Nutrition 30 hours of continuing education is due May 31st of each odd year. Each applicant for initial licensure shall confirm completion of a two-hour course on the prevention of medical errors, including a study of root-cause analysis, error reduction and prevention, and patient safety. Renewal: Two (2) hour course relating to prevention of medical errors Three (3) hours HIV/AIDS (one-time req. for first renewal) No more than 20 hours of home-study courses allowed You may not obtain more than 10 hours of education in management, risk management, personal growth, and educational techniques
CE for Specialty: Emergency Medical Services All EMTs and Paramedics must complete: CE: 30 hours of refresher courses every two years to include adult and pediatric education and include: Two (2) hours in pediatric emergencies For EMTs ONLY, a current CPR card For Paramedics ONLY, a current ACLS card Current certificates expire at midnight, Eastern Time, on December 01, 2016.
CE for Specialty: Laboratory Technology CE: 24 Contact hours must be completed biannually and include: One contact hour for each of the categories in which the individual is licensed. One contact hour of continuing education on HIV/AIDS. Two contact hours of a Board-approved course relating to the prevention of medical errors. One contact hour course on Florida laws and rules governing clinical laboratory personnel or attend a public meeting of the full Board at which disciplinary actions are addressed. Directors and supervisors are required to obtain one contact hour of continuing education in administration and supervision.
CE for Specialty: Massage Therapy CE: 24 Contact Hours must be completed over a two-year renewal period. For Initial Licensure: 10 hours of Florida Laws & Rules for Massage Therapy Two hours relating to prevention of medical errors Three hours of HIV/AIDS For First Renewal: Two-hour course relating to prevention of medical errors The remaining required hours may include courses on communications, insurance, psychological dynamics of the client-therapist relationship and risk management and up to four hours credit for adult cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). For Renewal of License Following Your First Renewal: Two-hour course relating to prevention of medical errors Two hours of Florida Laws and Rules governing the Massage Therapy Act Two hours of Professional Ethics 12 of the hours must be relevant to and focus on massage therapy techniques, which may include the history of massage, human anatomy & physiology, kinesiology and/or pathology The remaining required hours may include courses on communications, insurance, psychological dynamics of the client-therapist relationship and risk management and up to four hours credit for adult cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
CE for Specialty: Medicine and Surgery CE: 40 Hours of continuing medical education courses approved by the Board in the 24 months preceding each biennial renewal period as established by the Department. (64B8-13 License Renewal and Reactivation; Continuing Education) Specific course requirements: First renewal, one (1) hour of Category 1 AMA CME in HIV/AIDS Every third biennial renewal, two (2) hours of Category 1 or II AMA CME in domestic violence Initial application and every biennial renewal, two (2) hours of Category 1 or II AMA CME in medical errors. The course must include information relating to the five most misdiagnosed conditions during the previous biennium, as determined by the Board. While wrong site/wrong procedure surgery continues to be the most common basis for quality of care violations, the following areas have been determined as the five most misdiagnosed conditions: cancer related issues; neurological related issues; cardiac related issues; timely responding to complications during surgery and post-operatively; urological related issues. (rule updated 5/14/2014) Licenses must be renewed every two years.
CE for Specialty: Occupational Therapy CE Requirements: Initial Licensure for Occupational Therapists (OT) and Occupational Therapy Assistants (OTA): Two (2) hour course relating to prevention of medical errors and one (1) hour course in HIV/ AIDS. Renewal Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapy Assistants: 26 CE hours; 2 hours of Florida OT Laws & Rules and 2 hours of Prevention of Medical Errors every 2 years. Must be completed by February 28th, 2017. At least fourteen (14) of the required hours per biennium must be in person or from interactive, real-time courses.
CE for Specialty: Pharmacy 30 hours of approved CE within the 24-month period prior to the expiration date of the license. 1 hour board approved HIV/AIDS (first renewal ONLY). 2 hours must relate to prevention of medical errors, including a study of root-cause analysis, error reduction and prevention, and patient safety. 10 live hours required. For Florida pharmacists who are certified to immunize a 3-hour course offered by a statewide association of physicians in this state on the safe and effective administration of vaccines and epinephrine auto injection is required beginning this biennium which ends September 30, 2013. Consultant Pharmacist Renewal: 24 hours continuing education must be completed every 2 years from the expiration date of the license. Nuclear Pharmacist Renewal: 24 hours continuing education must be completed every 2 years from the expiration date of the license. Home study permitted. Courses approved by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education for pharmacists are deemed approved for general continuing education hours. ACPE-approved courses for Pharmacy Technicians end in the letter “T”. ACPE-approved courses pharmacists (only) end in the letter “P”.  Courses ending in the letter “P” cannot be used to meet pharmacy technician CE requirements.
CE for Specialty: Pharmacy Technician Registered Pharmacy Technician Renewal: twenty (20) hours continuing education must be completed by December 31 of even numbered years. One (1) hour board approved HIV/AIDS (first renewal ONLY). Two (2) hours must relate to prevention of medical errors, including a study of root-cause analysis, error reduction and prevention, and patient safety. Four (4) live hours required. Courses approved by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education for pharmacy technicians are deemed approved for general continuing education hours.
CE for Specialty: Physical Therapy CE Requirements: PTs and PTAs renew biennially on November 30th of odd years. CE: 24 contact hours within two-year license period for PTs and PTAs. A one-hour HIV/AIDS course is required for first license renewal.  Two hours on prevention of medical errors must be taken every renewal period. No more than 12 hours can be from home-study.
CE for Specialty: Psychology For Initial Licensure Psychologists are exempt from the CE requirements for renewal with the first biennium the exception of: 2 hour course relating to prevention of medical errors For Renewal of License Following Your First Biennium Psychologists must complete 40 hours of approved continuing psychological education (CE) within the two-year license period (biennium). The requirements are: 2 hours of continuing psychological education on domestic violence must be completed every third biennial licensure renewal period. These 2 hours shall be part of the 40 hours. 3 of the 40 hours must be on professional ethics and Florida Statutes and rules affecting the practice of psychology. Of those 3 hours, at least 1 hour shall be on professional ethics, and at least 1 hour shall be on Florida laws and rules relevant to the practice of psychology. 2 of the forty 40 hours must relate to prevention of medical errors, including a study of root-cause analysis, error reduction and prevention, and patient safety. Passage of the laws and rules examination of the Board constitutes 40 hours of continuing education credit, including credit for professional ethics and Florida Statutes and rules affecting the practice of psychology. Passage of the laws and rules examination, however, does not satisfy the requirement for the 2 credit hours of continuing education on domestic violence required every third biennial licensure renewal period, or the requirement for 2 hours relating to prevention of medical errors.
CE for Specialty: Radiology Technology All Radiologic Technology professions must complete 12 contact hours of CE. Radiologic Technology professions initially licensed are required to complete four (4) CE hours of HIV/AIDS education. CE for renewal: No more than three of the 12 CEs may be classified as personal development, which are courses not directly related to your field of practice, such as CPR.  The balance of hours must be classified as technical radiation protection, equipment operation, etc.  All continuing education used to renew a certificate must have been earned in the current renewal cycle and the same course cannot be repeated in the same cycle. Renewal happens every two years.
CE for Specialty: Respiratory Therapy CE: 24 hours of continuing education are due May 31st of each odd year. Content specific requirements: Two (2) credit hours on Florida laws and rules, beginning with the biennium ending May 31, 2015 (counts towards the 16-hour requirement) 16 hours must be obtained in approved offerings related to the direct delivery of respiratory care services, pursuant to subsection 64B32-6.004(3), F.A.C. Two (2)-hour board-approved course relating to prevention of medical errors (counts towards the 16-hour requirement), pursuant to Rule 64B32-6.006, F.A.C Three (3) hours of HIV/AIDS for initial renewal; optional for subsequent renewals. No more than five (5) hours. (counts towards the 16-hour requirement) Four (4) credit hours may be non-direct. Non-direct hours are optional. First Biennium Renewal: Respiratory Therapists initially licensed in the second half of the biennium and are renewing a license for the first time renewing are only required to complete 2 hours of medical errors and 3 hours of HIV/AIDS. No more than 12 hours of home study courses are allowed. Emergency Preparedness is no longer a requirement for license renewal, effective August 6th, 2014. If licensees have already completed Emergency Preparedness, it will remain on their records and it will just fall under the General subject area.
CE for Specialty: Social Work CE: 30 hours of social work continuing education during the two-year period ending on the last day of the biennial renewal cycle, including: 2 hours on the prevention of medical errors 3 hours relating to professional ethics and boundary issues A 2-hour course on domestic violence must be completed within six months of initial licensure and every third biennium renewal thereafter (included in the 25 general hours) 3 hours on laws and rules must be completed every third biennium after initial licensure (included in the 25 general hours) First Biennium Renewal:  Practitioners initially licensed and renewing a license for the first time are exempt from completing  continuing education.
  Florida CE and CME Education

Note: All information should be verified with licensing board

Resources: http://www.acep.org/| http://ce.nurse.com/ | http://about.continuingeducation.com/