FAQ - CME
List of contents:
- Mandatory Skills
- Mandatory Certifications
- Advanced Life Support (ALS) Skills
- CME Credits
- New Protocols
- CME Report Forms
- Agency CME Programs
- Agency CME Approval Form
Mandatory Skills
Are mandatory skills required every year?
Mandatory Skills must be assessed every two years. They can only be counted for CME credit in the year in which they are assessed.
Do recent graduates have to be assessed on the mandatory skills?
Members who have graduated within the two years prior to the year for which the license is issued, do not have to complete CME credits or mandatory or ALS skills assessments. They do have to provide evidence of mandatory certifications issued within two years of the license year.
Mandatory Skills take up all the room at the EMR level. Red Cross expects 15 hours of CME over 3 years.
Most agencies will undertake more CME than the College is requiring. Mandatory skills are required every other year.
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.
Does that mean practitioners must carry these forms around with them?
They will need to take the form to the course.
Can the ITLS Basic certificate serve as evidence of mandatory skills rather than the instructor sign off of each individual skill?
An ITLS Basic card is not sufficient evidence of mandatory skills because the skills may not have been covered in the course. The instructor will need to sign off the skills on the practitioners’ CME Report Forms.
Will TLR meet the requirements for Biomechanics of Safe Lifting?
Yes. TLR is Transfer, Lifting and Repositioning – a course offered principally for nurses which covers the biomechanics of safe lifting. It should be supplemented by stretcher work, lifting in and out of the ambulance.
Why do EMRs, EMTs and EMT-A’s get credit for mandatory skills EMT-Ps do not?
EMT-P’s are only required to have 15 CME credits. If they receive credit for mandatory skills there would be too little CME required.
Medications Pertinent to Scope of Practice
What evidence is required for the Medications requirement? Is this a competency assessment or a review?
The Medications Pertinent to Scope of Practice requirement for CME 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.
Does a Medical Advisor have to sign off the Medications requirement for EMT-A and EMT-P or could this be treated as part of the CME with 5 credits?
A Medical Advisor is not required to sign off the medications review. The review is more properly considered a mandatory part of CME.
Who can sign off Medications?
A practitioner at the same or higher level.
Mandatory Certifications
Does a member have to provide the College with their mandatory certification cards?
Yes, members need to provide copies of the BLS (HCP), ITLS, ACLS, and PALS/PEPP Advanced certificates/cards. These certifications are mandatory requirements established in the Regulatory Bylaws. The College must exercise due diligence to verify that the member meets the requirements. Consequently, copies of the certificates are required, and, if requested, the member would have to supply the original certificate/card (for example, if the copy was too fuzzy to verify the date of issue).
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.
Does a current ITLS or ACLS card work or does a member need to be recertified every year?
Mandatory certifications must be issued within two years of the year for which a license is issued. For example, an ITLS card issued in 2009 or 2010 meets the requirement for the 2011 license renewal.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
I have completed the mandatory course but the card hasn’t come yet and the renewal deadline is approaching. What should I do?
Send in your renewal package along with evidence that you have attended the course (eg. a course roster, letter from the instructor, receipt for tuition fee). The College will not charge a late fee for an application that is simply missing the mandatory certification card. The College will wait until December 31st for the card to arrive. If it is not provided to the college by December 31, 2009, SCoP will issue a Restricted License at no extra charge to the member providing three months to supply the card.
Advanced Life Support (ALS) Skills
Are the ALS Skills Assessments only required every two years?
ALS assessments are required every two years.
Do recent graduates have to have their ALS skills assessed?
Members who have graduated within the two years prior to the year for which the license is issued, do not have to complete CME credits or mandatory or ALS skills assessments. They do have to provide evidence of mandatory certifications issued within two years of the license year.
Do we have to assess all 3 airways even if we don’t use them in our agency?
Yes. The College licenses the practitioner to work anywhere in the province. We need to know they are competent to work within their scope of practice.
Why is intraosseous transfusion on the list twice?
The intent was to show proficiency in both adult and pediatric IO.
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 Advanced class or the PALS class.
Delegation of Authority to Assess ALS Skills
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?
For an instructor to sign the skills off, there are three requirements that must be met: (1) the instructor must have been delegated authority in writing by a Medical Advisor to a Health Region; (2) that delegation must be filed with the college; and (2) the instructor must assess proficiency and sign off each skill.
The Ambulance Act does not enable delegation by the Medical Advisor, are you sure this delegation will work?
The Ambulance Act does not mention Medical Advisors or prohibit delegation. It is silent. It is the Paramedics Act which governs ALS Skills Assessments. The College is taking the position on the advice of legal counsel that the signature of the Medical Advisor on the Delegation of Authority form meets the intent of Section 7(3) of the Regulatory Bylaws Pursuant to the Paramedics Act to have Medical sign off of the ALS assessments.
The AGM in 2009 decided to do away with Medical Advisor assessments. Why are we delegating authority?
It will be some time before we can implement the AGM decisions. We must consult with Medical Advisors and with the Ministry of Health and persuade the Minister of Health to approve a change in the Regulatory Bylaws. The Delegation of Authority is the College approach to meet the intent of the Bylaws in the current year. This may change next year.
Where can these evaluators work?
Once a qualified instructor has been delegated authority by a Medical Advisor, they can assess ALS skills anywhere in the province for any member of the college.
Can we use the ITLS certification for completion of our mandatory skills?
No, it is not sufficient to simply provide certification. The skills must be assessed and the assessor must sign them off.
Who signs off the Instructor?
The Medical Advisor or another Instructor who has delegated authority to do so.
Does the Medical Advisor to a Health Region apply to the SIAST Medical Advisor?
Yes.
We have already recertified. Does that mean we cannot use the instructors to sign off ALS skills?
You will need to discuss this with your Medical Advisor and the Instructor. In order for the instructor to sign off the ALS skills the instructor must be delegated that authority by a Medical Advisor to a Health Region, the specific ALS skills must be assessed for proficiency in the course, and the instructor must sign off each individual skill.
Will SCoP consider delegation by the Medical Advisor to another physician or to a Nurse instructor?
A Medical Advisor could delegate authority to assess ALS Skills to another physician providing s/he is an Emergency physician or has similar skills and experience. However, delegation to a Nurse instructor is not acceptable as the Nurse scope of practice does not include some of the ALS skills requiring assessment.
CME Credits
How are CME credits determined?
The Education Committee of the College assesses and approves CME activities for credit. The Committee has based its assessment on the scope and depth of the course or activity as outlined in the objectives and the duration of the activity. Consistency has been achieved by using the same assessors for all submissions. In future years a better articulated process and trained proctors should allow decentralization of this process.
Do recent graduates have to complete CME credits?
Members who have graduated within the two years prior to the year for which the license is issued, do not have to complete CME credits or mandatory or ALS skills assessments. Of course, this is a provision related to license renewal. It is not intended as guidance to members or employers who might wish to initiate good professional development practices. Recent graduates do have to provide evidence of mandatory certifications issued within two years of the license year.
Do you have to take an approved Agency CME Program or have a proctor assess your CME credits?
For 2010 CME credits must be assessed by the Education Committee of the College. If your agency has an approved Agency CME Program, the CME credits were established as part of the approval process and a coordinator or proctor can sign for your attendance at those sessions and the CME credits you have earned. If you do not have access to an approved Agency CME Program, send all your documentation of participation and successful completion of CME activities to the Registrar and she will work with the Education Committee to assess and award CME credits.
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.
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. However, each case should be reviewed on its own merits and the Registrar can issue a Restricted License for up to 6 months to enable the practitioner to meet this requirement if there is clear evidence that it was not possible to meet the requirement during the preceding year.
If a member begins employment 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 start working for a particular employer. There will be no pro rating of the requirements. However, an agency could report only those CME credits earned from their Approved Agency CME Program. The member would have to demonstrate s/he had acquired other credits from other sources of CME activity.
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.
Will the College accept print outs from the MY SIAST web site for transcripts for CME purposes?
Yes, but an official transcript must be supplied for Change of Status or Initial Registration.
Can we provide credit for new courses that come up during the year?
Yes, if they have been approved by the College. There is a separate form for that purpose. (CME Course Approval Form)
Can you get 5 CME credits for each type of instructor certification you possess?
Yes, if you develop and teach an approved course.
Can you get 5 CME credits for teaching a CME course?
No, teaching a CME course has not been approved for CME credit.
Can CME credit be awarded for certifications which are not mandatory requirements, such as ITLS for EMRs or PEPP Advanced for EMT-As?
Yes, the college has awarded 25 CME credits for the initial certification program and 10 for the recertification for ITLS taken by EMRs and for ACLS or PEPP Advanced taken by members who are not EMT-P/ACPs.
Is it possible to award CME credits to ALS providers for attending spinal immobilization or mechanical aids to breathing inservices?
No. An ALS taking the mandatory skills related to BLS recertification cannot receive CME credit for those mandatory skills sessions. These skills are covered in the ITLS program which is mandatory and cannot receive CME credit. Furthermore, the CME for ALS providers should be at the ALS level.
Will Telehealth courses qualify for CME credit?
Telehealth courses that are relevant to paramedic practice may qualify. They will need to be approved by the College before they can be used for credit. Telehealth EMS courses by MD Ambulance have been approved for 5 CME credits each.
Is there a list of approved Conferences? What conferences have been approved this year?
Several conferences such as the First Responder Conference in Moose Jaw and the Heart and Stroke Conference in Saskatoon were approved in 2009. The College will make this information available on our web site.
New Protocols
In order to practice new protocols or enhanced scope of practice, members must have completed training approved by SCoP. How does this work?
The training for new protocols or enhanced scope of practice must meet core requirements established by the college, and the training must be approved by the college. Each member who completes the training must provide evidence of completion of the training to the college or a proctor or coordinator could submit that documentation on behalf of the member. Once the college has verified that the member has completed the approved training, the member is able to practice the new skills.
What documentation does the College require as evidence that the member has completed the training?
The specific training should be recorded on the CME Report Form and signed off by the instructor of the course. If this is not possible at this time, the college will accept a course roster with a statement signed by the instructor that all participants demonstrated proficiency (if they did).
We have already trained our staff in the new protocols. Is that training not valid? Will we have to do it all over again?
Because we are in a transition period, the College is prepared to approve training after the fact. However, the agency must demonstrate that it has covered all core requirements in order to have their training approved. If some core requirements were missed, those gaps would have to be addressed.
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.
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?
The King is an ALS procedure. Inclusion in the PCP scope of practice does not make it a BLS procedure. Instruction should be by a Medical Advisor or by an ITLS Advanced or ACLS instructor, full-time SIAST instructor or Respiratory Therapist authorized and supervised by a Medical Advisor. The Medical Advisor’s authorization should be in writing, using the Delegation of Authority Form from the College. The original of this authorization should be filed with the college.
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 an ICP or ACP.
CME Report Forms
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.
Does a member have to use the CME Report Form mailed to him/her with the registration package?
No. The member may print the form off the web site or use a form provided by his or her employer or an instructor or proctor. However, the form used must be the College form. And the form submitted must be the original with the member and proctor/coordinator signatures on it.
Who can sign off a CME Report Form?
The signature at the bottom of the CME Report Form should be that of the Proctor who assessed the member’s CME activity for credit and/or a Coordinator who can attest to the member’s attendance at an approved Agency CME program. Typically it is the person identified by the Agency on the Agency CME Approval Form. If the member does not have access to a proctor, the SCoP Registrar will award CME credit and sign the form on provision of evidence of completion of the required CME activities.
Does the proctor or coordinator sign for the mandatory skills and/or ALS skills on the CME Report Form?
No. The person who assessed the mandatory or ALS skills must sign attesting to the proficiency of the member. This will usually be the instructor. A proctor may be an instructor, and therefore may sign but not because of his/her proctor role.
Does every course or activity for CME credit need to be listed on the form and signed by the coordinator or proctor?
If the course or activity is part of an approved Agency CME Program, it does not have to be listed separately on the form. One signature from the coordinator or proctor is sufficient to indicate attendance of the Agency program and credits awarded therefrom. If the course is not from the agency program, it must be listed separately with either a signature attesting to attendance or evidence submitted that confirms attendance.
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. The proctor need only sign one of the forms.
Agency CME Programs
Our agency has all inhouse activity for CME. Do we need to get each activity approved separately?
No, if you know what you intend to do for the year, the Agency CME Program approval is a simpler way to get approval to use your inhouse program for CME credit.
What if we add courses during the year?
If you want to use them for CME credit, they will have to be approved separately by the College. There is a form for that purpose. They can then be added to your approved Agency CME Program.
Who can get approval for an Agency CME Program? Do you have to be an EMS Agency?
Any agency which employs members of the college can submit a proposal for approval of an Agency CME Program. The agency must have access to a proctor to oversee the program.
Do you have to attend an approved Agency CME Program in order to get credits for CME activity?
No. If you do not have access to an Agency CME Program, you can still get credit for CME activities. Send all your documentation of participation and successful completion of CME activities to the Registrar and she will work with the Education Committee to assess and award CME credits.
If we deliver CME training or assessments, do we need to provide any particular documentation to the practitioner or the college?
If the activity is part of an approved Agency CME Program, no further documentation is required to be submitted to the college although 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 objectives of 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.
Will the College provide a template for course development that will help instructors know what they need to include to ensure CME credit?
We have a Course Approval Form now that would be a beginning.
Agency CME Approval Form
Does the agency have to submit course materials, powerpoint presentations, handouts, etc. along with the Agency CME Program Approval Form?
No documentation is necessary to accompany the Approval Form. However, if the college were to audit the agency, we would expect to find that documentation on file for up to five years.
Can the Agency Program submission include more activities than any one member might attend or does every employee have to attend the whole program?
The agency can choose which approach it wishes to take. If a “smorgasbord” of activities are included the agency must track which ones each member participates in and award CME credits accordingly. The Proctor or Coordinator signature on the CME Report Form is an indication that member participation has been verified. Members should also each maintain a file with evidence of what activities they have completed.
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.
Can several agencies work together to submit just one program for approval?
Yes, the College encourages that sort of collaboration.
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.
How do you add more rows to the form so you can include more classes or activities?
Just use a second form and attach it to the first.
Who can sign the submission? Can there be dual signatures?
A person authorized by your agency to make commitments for the agency should sign the form. If there is a second person involved as a coordinator, indicate their names in the Declaration section as one of the supervisors of instructors.