ARKANSAS STATE RESPIRATORY CARE EXAMINING COMMITTEE
of the
ARKANSAS STATE MEDICAL BOARD POLICY STATEMENT
regarding
Continuing Education Requirements for Renewal
of Respiratory Care Licensure in Arkansas

  In submission of continuing education for Respiratory Care licensure renewal, it is preferable that continuing education first be applicable to a practitioner's current area of clinical practice. A practitioner employed in an administrative or educational capacity may submit up to one-half the required amount of continuing education in that area of practice, but the other half must be related to an area of clinical Respiratory Care practice.
If submission of continuing education for renewal is deemed by the committee to be questionable due to insufficient clarification (for example, if a seminar is listed by name only on an attendance certificate), further documentation will be requested in the form of course notes, syllabus or similar material.
The following topic areas will be considered acceptable for licensure renewal under the state conditions:
1. Vendor demonstration of equipment - maximum one (1) hour per year.

2. Highly specialized clinical courses in cardiac life support, initial courses six (6) hours maximum, recertifications three (3) hours maximum.
3. Departmental Inservice Records submitted for proof of CEUs must be on institution letterhead and signed by the Department Director or Education Coordinator.
4. Courses completed in the techniques and application of respiratory therapy care provided through an approved respiratory care educational program.
5. Participation in programs which provide for the awarding of continuing respiratory care education, continuing education units or equivalent credits which may be granted through national or state organizations such as the American Association of Respiratory Care, Arkansas Society for Respiratory Care, American Thoracic Society or the American College of Chest Physicians, or their successor organizations.
6. Instruction in programs as described in the preceding sections (4,5) provided such instruction is not related to one's employment responsibilities.
7. Passage of the National Board for Respiratory Care credentialing or re-credentialing examinations for the entry level practitioner or the written or clinical simulation for advanced practitioners.
8. AARC computer-based programs.
 
The following topic areas are not considered acceptable for licensure renewal:
1. Infection control standards and procedures
2. Universal precautions
3. OSHA regulations
4. Institutional policies on hazardous waste, safety practices, MSDS information
5. Emergency preparedness
6. Utilities management
7. Fire Safety and procedures
8. Basic Cardiopulmonary resuscitation procedures initial or renewal
9. Use of restraints; restraint policies
10. Employee orientation courses
11. Programs intended for the general population of hospital employees, such as JCAHO review information.
12. Time management
13. Employee relations
14. Unsupervised courses of study