La. Admin. Code tit. 46 § XLV-2361

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024

Section XLV-2361 - Scope of Subchapter; Continuing Education Requirement

A. The rules of this Subchapter provide standards for the continuing education requisite to renewal of any license or permit issued under this Chapter.

B. To be eligible for renewal of licensure or apprentice permit, a licensed midwife or apprentice midwife shall document, in a manner prescribed by the board, the successful completion of not less than 30 contact hours of continuing education obtained since such license or permit was last issued, reinstated, or renewed. As used in this Subchapter, "contact hour" means 60 minutes of participation in an organized learning experience under responsible sponsorship, capable direction, and qualified instruction, as approved by the board.

C. To be acceptable as qualified continuing education under these rules, an activity or program must have significant intellectual, practical, or clinical content, dealing primarily with matters related to midwifery, and its primary objective must be to maintain or increase the participant's competence as a midwife.

D. The following programs and activities are illustrative of the types of programs and activities which shall be deemed to be qualifying continuing education activities and programs for purposes of this Subchapter:

1. attendance at or participation in meetings, conferences, workshops, seminars, or courses, such as programs conducted, sponsored, or approved for continuing education credit by the American Medical Association, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Nurse Association, the Association of Certified Nurse Midwives, the Midwives Alliance of North America and the North American Registry of Midwives;

2. presentation or conduct of a course, seminar, or workshop sponsored by an organization or entity approved by the board, provided that such presentation is accompanied by thorough written materials or a comprehensive outline relating to the course, seminar, or workshop;

3. teaching of a course in or directly related to midwifery at an accredited educational institution, provided that such teaching is not performed in the ordinary course of the licensed midwife's or apprentice midwife's usual and ordinary employment;

4. publication, in a national, regional, or statewide scientific journal or other publication of a related profession, of an original written work, related to the maintenance or improvement of midwifery knowledge or skills;

5. completion of a course of postsecondary, graduate, or postgraduate study undertaken and completed at an accredited educational institution;

6. assuming responsibility for and discharging supervision of an apprentice for not less than six months.

E. The Louisiana Advisory Committee on Midwifery (the "Advisory Committee") shall have the authority and responsibility to:

1. evaluate organizations and entities providing or offering to provide continuing education programs for licensed midwives and apprentice midwives and provide recommendations to the board with respect to the board's recognition and approval of such organizations and entities as sponsors of qualifying continuing education programs and activities;

2. review documentation of continuing education by licensed midwives and apprentice midwives, verify the accuracy of such information, and evaluate and make recommendations to the board with respect to whether programs and activities evidenced by applicants for renewal of certification comply with and satisfy the standards for such programs and activities prescribed by these rules; and

3. request and obtain from applicants for renewal of licenses and permits such additional information as the Advisory Committee may deem necessary or appropriate to enable it to make the evaluations and provide the recommendations for which the Advisory Committee is responsible.

La. Admin. Code tit. 46, § XLV-2361

Promulgated by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Board of Medical Examiners, LR 12:517 (August 1986), amended LR 17:779 (August 1991), Amended by the Department of Health, Board of Medical Examiners, LR 421288 (8/1/2016).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 37:1270 and 37:3241-3259.