Continuing education requirement and other changes included in law.
On July 4, 2008, Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell signed legislation that incorporates several changes to the law governing Respiratory Therapists in the state. Scroll down this page for more information including a "Frequently Asked Question" section at the bottom of the page!
Licensure At Last!
The new law (HB1804) changes the name state of the credential issued to a Respiratory Therapists from a "certificate" to a license! Although the majority of therapists in the state believed they already were licensed when they received their credential to practice from either the PA State Board of Medicine or the State Board of Osteopathic Medicine, this was actually not the case. The wording of the original credentialing law stated that therapists were "certified" by the state....not "licensed". This lead to many instances of confusion over the years since successful completion of the entry level national credentialing exam allows the therapist to use the "Certified Respiratory Therapist" credential.
It's important to note that although Respiratory Therapists will now be licensed, their license will continue to be issued by the PA State Board of Medicine or State Board of Osteopathic Medicine. These two Boards are responsible for issuing licenses to Physicians, Physician Assistants, Respiratory Therapists, Athletic Trainers, Acupuncturists, and Nursing Midwives.
Change In Continuing Education Requirement
As part of his "Prescription for Pennsylvania", Governor Rendell has asked that all Allied Health professionals in the Commonwealth be required to complete a minimum of 30 hours of continuing education every two years. Physicians, Pharmacists, Nurses (& Nurse Midwives), and Athletic Trainers all require 30 hours or more.
Therefore, the continuing education requirement for Respiratory Therapists has been changed to 30 hours every two years. The rules and regulations regarding this change have not yet been determined including the implementation date. However, the continuing education requirement for the current credentialing period (ending December 31, 2008) will NOT be changed and remains at 20 hours. Keep an eye on the PSRC website for updates on the regulations regarding the new requirement as soon as they are known.
Other Changes..
There are several other minor wording changes including the re-wording of exemption rule for therapists obtaining a license in the state for the first time (i.e. new graduates and RTs moving here from out of state). The old wording was difficult to interpret in regards to the actual requirement. The new rule states "An individual applying for the first time for licensure in this Commonwealth shall be exempted from the continuing education requirement for the biennial renewal period in which licensure is obtained." This means that whenever a therapist obtains their license, they are not required to complete continuing education hours until that license expires.
Other changes include the addition of a "good moral character" clause in meeting the requirements for licensure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Will the cost of our license go up significantly like in other “licensed” states?
A: One of the benefits of being licensed by the State Board of Medicine (or Osteopathic State Board of Medicine) is that the costs of maintaining the board is shared by all of the professions licensed by it. This reduces the cost of the licenses tremendously and is the reason our license is only $25 every 2 years. If we were licensed by a Board of Respiratory Care, all of the costs associated with that Board would be passed along and collected via a higher licensing fee.
The bottom line is that our licensing and renewal fees should not be affected by the new law. However, this doesn’t mean that there won’t be a small increase in fees at some point as it seems EVERYTHING is costing more these days!
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Q2: How many of the new 30 hour requirement will be required to be completed at traditional "LIVE" events vs non-traditional methods (i.e. internet, journals, etc..)?
A: It is not yet known the number of hours that will be required at “live” events vs non-traditional (internet, journal, etc..) methods. It IS known that the requirement for one hour in medical ethics and one hour in patient safety will continue to be required.
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Q3: Does this new law mean that I need to have 30 hours of continuing education completed by the end of 2008?
A: No. The new law will not go into effect until sometime after the end of the current renewal period which ends December 31, 2008. This means that all therapists must complete the current 20 hour requirement (including 10 hours at LIVE events and at least 1 hour each in courses related to ethics and patient safety) by 12/31/08.
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Q4: I am currently a CRT. Does this new law mean I need to obtain my RRT credential?
A: This law has no effect on the minimum entry level requirement to obtain a license in the state. The requirement remains obtaining the NBRC's CRT credential.
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Do you have a question that doesn't appear in our "FAQ" section above? Send it via email to Officeman@psrc.net
Keep an eye on the PSRC website for more information and updates on these changes and for the rules and regulations regarding them when they are determined!
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