Hyperbaric Safety CE: What Counts, for Which Credential

Each team member in a hyperbaric facility needs continuing education, and almost nobody needs the same kind of credits. The result is that safety training gets fragmented across credentials — which is an administrative nuisance and, more importantly, becomes a clinical matter.

The four currencies. There are 4 groups within a hyperbaric staff team. Do you know what CE each team group needs and who awards which credits?

• AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ for physicians (MD, DO)
• Category A CEUs for CHT and CHRN (NBDHMT);
• Nursing contact hours (state boards, with reciprocity considerations - the nursing CE we offer in our courses is reciprocial throughout the U.S.)
• Respiratory therapy CE (state boards, with reciprocity considerations - the nursing CE we offer in our courses is reciprocial throughout the U.S.)

These are genuinely different CE credit types, they are not interchangeable.

Why hyperbaric-specific matters more than hours. Two major hyperbaric technician credentials contain a subject-matter clause, not just a volume requirement:

• CHT (NBDHMT): re-certification requires a minimum of 12 Category A credits, and a minimum of nine of those must relate directly to any combination of hyperbaric operations, related technical aspects and chamber safety.
• CHS (ABWH): re-certification requires a minimum of 20 CME credits, and a minimum of five must be directly related to the practice of hyperbaric medicine.

In both cases, the specific requirement is harder to satisfy than the general one. General clinical education accumulates easily; hyperbaric-specific education does not.

Where people go wrong. (But you don't have to.) Assuming all CEUs count equally. Assuming Category A and Category 1 are the same thing under different names. Leaving credit accumulation until the final quarter. Failing to keep documentation in one retrievable place. Not re-reading requirements each cycle, since they can change. 

The reciprocity question for nurses. Wound Care Education Partners is a licensed CE provider through the Florida State Board of Nursing, credits are reciprocal for nurses in all states. Florida credits are uploaded directly to the state database, out-of-state attendees are supplied with the paperwork to file with their own board.

Building a recertification plan. Read the current requirements at the start of your recertification cycle. Write down the specific numbers. Identify which courses carry the designation you actually need in the subject area you actually need. Book at least one early rather than late. File the certificate with your certification board the day it arrives.

Verify, always. Requirements vary and can be updated without warning. The recertification requirements quoted herein are current as of the time this article is being published. This blog is to help point you in the right direction, you must verify your CE requirements directly with your respective licensing board/s. Reference your credentialing body's requirements for yourself before making assumptions. 

ENROLL HERE - ONE CE COURSE FOR ALL TEAM MEMBERS
Introduction to the Role of Hyperbaric Safety Director carries all four approvals for the same sixteen hours: 16 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ designated by the UHMS and jointly provided with WCEP; 16 Category A CEUs approved by the NBDHMT; 16 CNE contact hours approved by the Florida Board of Nursing and reciprocal in all states; and 16 CE hours approved by the Florida Board of Respiratory Therapy.

The curriculum covers hyperbaric codes and standards, chamber systems and sub-systems, hyperbaric acrylic, maintenance and safety checks, risk assessment and emergency procedures.
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Disclaimer: CE requirements vary and can be updated without warning. The recertification requirements quoted herein are current as of the time this article is being published. This blog is to help point you in the right direction, you must verify your CE requirements directly with your respective licensing board/s. Reference your credentialing body's requirements for yourself before making assumptions.