FAQ - CME

List of contents:

Mandatory Skills

  1. Are mandatory skills required every year?

    Mandatory Skills must be assessed every two years. Mandatory skills are not eligible for CME Credits.

  2. Do recent graduates have to be assessed on the mandatory skills?

    A recent graduate is granted credits for CME and mandatory skills upon graduation for two years. However, a student may request credits for CME and mandatory skills while enrolled in the progra, in which case credits are prorated.

  3. Who can sign off the mandatory skills?

    The instructor or person who assessed those skills must sign off on the CME Report Form. The assessor must be at the same or higher level than the members being assessed with expertise on the subject matter (ie. ITLS or ACLS Instructor).

  4. Does that mean practitioners must carry these forms around with them?

    It is beneficial to the member when attending ITLS, ACLS or PALS courses to bring their CME reporting form with them to have the instructor sign off on their skills.

  5. Can the ITLS/PHTLS certificate serve as evidence of mandatory skills rather than the instructor sign off of each individual skill?

    An ITLS/PHTLS card is not sufficient evidence of mandatory skills because the skills may or may not have been assessed in the course. The instructor will need to sign off the skills on the practitioners’ CME Report Forms.

  6. What evidence is required for the Medications requirement? Is this a competency assessment or a review?

    The Medications Pertinent to Scope of Practice requirement is a review, not a proficiency assessment. A quiz, case study or other reasonable evidence of completion of a review is all that is required.

Mandatory Certifications

  1. Does a member have to provide the College with their mandatory certification cards?

    Certificates are preferable evidence to prove mandatory certifications. However, in some circumstances, the Registrar may accept alternate evidence to prove a mandatory certification. This evidence may include a roster or a letter from an instructor and is subject to approval by the registrar.

  2. Do you have to provide copies of the certifications every year?

    No. What the College requires is evidence on the member’s file that they have the mandatory certifications issued within two years of the licensure year. If you provided a copy of the certification in the year it was issued, you would not need to provide another copy the next year.

  3. Some certifications are for just one year and others are for three or four years. Why does the College not accept a valid card?

    The Regulatory Bylaws require mandatory certifications to be issued in the two years prior to the licensure year. It is not a question of validity of certifications, it is a question of assuring competence of practitioners. The College is accepting the certification as evidence of competence, providing it is no more than two years between when it was issued and the licensure year.

  4. So if my BLS (HCP) card has expired but was issued within the last two years, does that meet the SCoP requirements for CPR-C?

    Yes. The College accepts the certification as evidence of competence if it was issued within two years of the year for which a license is issued.

  5. What about Instructor certification?

    Although provider cards must be issued within two years of the license year, Instructor cards will be accepted in the year they expire.

  6. Is the BLS HCP (C) only from Heart and Stroke Foundation or will the College accept Red Cross and St. John Ambulance and other agencies?

    The College will accept recognized agencies who deliver CPR at the health care provider level.

  7. Do recent graduates have to provide mandatory certifications each year or are they exempt for the first two years?

    On applying for license renewal recent graduates must meet the requirement to have mandatory certifications issued in the two years prior to the year for which the license is issued.

  8. I have completed the mandatory course but the card hasn’t come yet and the renewal deadline is approaching. What should I do?

    A card or a roster is required as evidence of completion of the course. If neither is provided before the renewal deadline, the member is subject to late fees.

Advanced Life Support (ALS) Skills

  1. Are the ALS Skills Assessments only required every two years?

    ALS assessments are required every two years.

  2. Do recent graduates have to have their ALS skills assessed?

    A recent graduate is granted credit for ALS skills upon graduation for two years. However, a student may request credits for CME while enrolled in the program, in which case the ALS Skills credit date commences on same date the CME was credited.

  3. Do we have to assess all 3 airways even if we don’t use them in our agency?

    No, members need only be assessed on the supraglottic airway device they are using.

  4. Why is intraosseous transfusion on the list twice?

    The intent was to show proficiency in both adult and pediatric IO.

  5. Does there need to be sign off for both Adult and Pediatric IO? Could the pediatric IO be signed off by an ITLS Advanced instructor?

    Both Adult and Pediatric Interosseous Infusion must be assessed. The Pediatric IO could be assessed in an ITLS/PHTLS Advanced class or the PALS/PEPP class.

  1. Can instructors of the mandatory certification programs (ITLS, ACLS and PALS or PEPP Advanced) sign off the ALS Skills Assessments on the CME Report Form?

    Delegation of Authority is no longer required. they must be at the same licence level or higher with expertise on the subject matter (ie. ITLS/ACLS Instructor).

  2. Who signs off the Instructor?

    An instructor must also have their skills assessed by an individual who is at the same licence level or higher with expertise on the subject matter (ie. ITLS/ACLS Instructor).

CME Credits

  1. How are CME credits determined?

    Credits for CME are approved by the CME Approval Committee which is a sub-committee of the Education Committee. In order to qualify for credits, a CME Course Approval from must be completed and submitted using SCoP eApplication.

  2. Do you have to take an approved Agency CME Program or have a proctor assess your CME credits?

    Agency CME Programs and Proctors are no longer applicable as part of assessing CME credits.

    CME Course approvals for individuals and agencies are now completed by submitting course approval requests on SCoP eApplication.

  3. Could two partial years of CME activity be used to meet the CME requirement?

    CME from a previous year cannot be used to meet the current year’s annual requirements. A member must meet the CME requirements on an annual basis.

  4. When a practitioner leaves the service for a period of time for maternity leave or on workers‘ compensation, do they have to have the full year’s worth of CME to renew their license? Could they use the courses they took before they leave and the ones after they return?

    They would need the full year’s requirement, in one year.

  5. If a new member registers mid-way through the year, are the CME requirements pro-rated?

    No. It is a member’s responsibility to meet the annual CME requirements. The practitioner must complete the full year’s requirements regardless of when they become employed. There will be no pro rating of the requirements.

  6. What if the practitioner is taking training at SIAST or another institution – can this be used for CME credit?

    Yes. Have them submit a transcript from the institution as proof of their activity. If it is training relevant to paramedic practice, it can be counted for CME.

  7. Can we provide credit for new courses that come up during the year?

    Yes, as long as the course is submitted through SCoP eApplication and approved by the CME Approval Committee.

  8. Can you get 5 CME credits for each type of instructor certification you possess?

    No.

  9. Can you get 5 CME credits for teaching a CME course?

    No, teaching a CME course has not been approved for CME credit.

  10. Can CME credit be awarded for certifications which are not mandatory requirements, such as ITLS for EMRs or PEPP Advanced for EMT-As?

    PEPP is 30 for full and 20 for recert.

  11. Will Telehealth courses qualify for CME credit?

    Telehealth courses that have been approved by the CME Approval Committee may qualify.

  12. Is there a list of approved Conferences? What conferences have been approved this year?

    The College has approved conferences, and when appropriate will make the information available on our website.

New Protocols

  1. In order to practice new protocols or enhanced scope of practice, members must have completed training approved by SCoP. How does this work?

    Before practicing new protocols members are required to meet the core training requirements established by the College. If training outside of the core training requirements, then courses must be approved by the CME Approval Committee using the CME Course Approval Form on eApplication.

  2. What documentation does the College require as evidence that the member has completed the training?

    Members are required to keep evidence of completion for up to 5 years and must produce the record if requested by the College during an audit or investigation.

    Documents can be scanned and submitted through the CME Reporting Application on SCoP eApplication and is then viewable under submitted applications.

  3. If an EMT takes the approved training, could they then practice the new skills?

    No. Only PCP trained EMTs can practice the new skills. If an EMT completed the PCP Bridge program and then the new protocol training, they would be able to practice the new protocols.

  4. Now that King Airways are in the BLS practice, can they be taught by a member of the same or higher classification or must the instructor be authorized by a Medical Advisor?

    King LT Airways can be assessed by a member at the same level or higher with expertise on the subject matter (ie. ITLS/ACLS Instructor).

  5. Now that entonox is in the PCP scope of practice, can ICPs train PCPs in its use?

    Entonox including the indications, contra-indications, side effects, and adverse effects can be taught by a member at the same level or higher with expertise on the subject matter.

CME Report Forms

  1. Does a recent graduate have to submit a CME Report Form?

    If the member graduated from their initial training program within two years prior to the license year, they do not have to submit a CME Report Form with their license renewal application. Mandatory certification must, however, be kept current, i.e. issued within two years prior to the license year.

  2. Does a member have to use the CME Report Form mailed to him/her with the registration package?

    The College no longer mails CME Reporting Forms or registration packages to members. CME Reporting Forms can be downloaded off of the SCoP website. Registration is now completed through SCoP eApplications.

  3. Who can sign off a CME Report Form?

    Mandatory and ALS skills must be signed by the person assessing the skill, and at the same licensing level or higher with expertise on the subject matter (ie. ITLS/ACLS Instructor).

    Coordinators may sign off for CME. However, if evidence of completion is provided (ie. 24/7 certificate), then a coordinator signature is not required.

    The member is required to sign at the bottom of the CME Reporting Form.

  4. Does every course or activity for CME credit need to be listed on the form and signed by the coordinator?

    No, the CME can be submitted as a lump sum and signed by a coordinator. However, if audited the member is required to produce evidence of the individual courses they have been completed.
    The best approach would be for the member to upload and submit course completion certificates as soon completed throughout the year on SCoP eApplication CME Reporting.

  5. It is difficult to keep one form going all year for each member to collect the necessary signatures. Can the member submit more than one form?

    Yes, more than one CME Report Form may be used. Each of the forms must be signed by the member.

Agency CME Programs

  1. Our agency has all inhouse activity for CME. Do we need to get each activity approved separately?

    Agency Course Approval and Individual Course Approvals are all now merged into one CME Course Approval Form on SCoP eApplications. CME Course must now be approved using this method.

  2. If an agency delivers CME training or assessments, do they need to provide any particular documentation to the practitioner or the college?

    The agency must keep records to be able to verify the CME credits awarded to participants in its program. The agency CME documentation could be subject to audit by the college. A transcript or certificate which specifies the training or the competencies assessed should be provided to the participants for their personal CME files which could be subject to audit by the college. Transcipts and/or certificates can then be uploaded under the CME Reporting area of SCoP eApplication.

  3. Will the College provide a template for course development that will help instructors know what they need to include ensuring CME credit?

    Example of core training requirements can be found under the protocol training section of the SCoP website. This can be used as a template for submitting CME Course Approvals.

CME Approval Form

  1. Do you have to submit course materials, powerpoint presentations, handouts, etc. along with the Agency CME Program Approval Form?

    When using SCoP eApplication to submit CME Course Approvals, there is no ability to upload any of these materials. However, if the college were to audit the agency, we would expect to find that documentation on file for up to five years.

  2. If the activity is individual study, what should be entered for duration?

    Enter the minimum time you think it will take for a person to complete the activity.

  3. Can several agencies work together to submit just one course for approval?

    Yes, the College encourages that sort of collaboration.

  4. If there is a collective submission, how do we fill out the Instructor Qualifications as there will likely be more than one instructor involved?

    Indicate the minimum requirement for the instructor to be qualified.

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