§ 1003.29. Continuing education requirements.

 (a)  First responders. A first responder who elects to qualify for recertification by fulfilling continuing education requirements shall, prior to the expiration of the 3-year certification period, successfully complete the following:

   (1)  Sixteen hours of instruction in subjects related to the scope of practice of a first responder as set forth in §  1003.22(a) and (e) (relating to first responder) and which have been approved by the Department for continuing education credit. At least eight of those credits shall be in medical and trauma education, commencing with the first full certification period the first responder begins following October 14, 2000:

   (2)  A CPR course completed or taught biennially.

 (b)  EMTs. An EMT who elects to qualify for recertification by fulfilling continuing education requirements shall, prior to the expiration of the 3-year certification period, successfully complete the following:

   (1)  Twenty-four hours of instruction in subjects related to the scope of practice of an EMT as set forth in §  1003.23(a) and (e) (relating to EMT) and which have been approved by the Department for continuing education credit. At least 12 of those credits shall be in medical and trauma education, commencing with the first full certification period the EMT begins following October 14, 2000.

   (2)  A CPR course completed or taught biennially.

 (c)  EMT-paramedics. To be eligible to receive and retain medical command authorization, an EMT-paramedic shall successfully complete in each calendar year, 18 hours of instruction in subjects related to the scope of practice of an EMT-paramedic as set forth in §  1003.24(a) and (d) (relating to EMT-paramedic) and which have been approved by the Department for continuing education credit, and shall biennially attend or teach a CPR course. Beginning in 2002, at least 9 of the 18 hours of instruction shall be in medical and trauma education. In the initial year of certification, the EMT-paramedic’s continuing education requirements, to secure renewal of medical command authorization for the following year, shall be prorated based upon the month the certification was secured.

 (d)  Prehospital registered nurses. To be eligible to receive and retain medical command authorization, a prehospital registered nurse shall successfully complete in each calendar year, 18 hours of instruction in subjects related to the scope of practice of a prehospital registered nurse as set forth in §  1003.25b(a) and (c) (relating to prehospital registered nurse) and which have been approved by the Department for continuing education credit, and shall attend or teach biennially a CPR course. Beginning in 2002, at least 9 of the 18 hours of instruction shall be in medical and trauma education. In the initial year of recognition, the prehospital registered nurse’s continuing education requirements, to secure renewal of medical command authorization for the following year, shall be prorated based upon the month the recognition was secured.

 (e)  This section does not prohibit an ambulance service from requiring prehospital personnel to satisfy continuing education requirements it may choose to impose as a condition of employment, provided that the ambulance service may not do the following:

   (1)  Excuse a prehospital practitioner from meeting continuing education requirements imposed by this section.

   (2)  Establish individual continuing education requirements for the EMT-paramedics or prehospital registered nurses staffing the ambulance service, except as authorized by §  1003.28(c)(2) (relating to medical command authorization).

   The provisions of this §  1003.29 adopted September 1, 1995, effective September 2, 1995, 25 Pa.B. 3685; amended October 13, 2000, effective October 14, 2000, 30 Pa.B. 5363. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (256633) to (256634).

   This section cited in 28 Pa. Code §  1003.22 (relating to first responder); 28 Pa. Code §  1003.23 (relating to EMT); and 28 Pa. Code §  1003.28 (relating to medical command authorization).