§ 39.61. Requirements.

 (a)  A licensee shall complete at least 48 clock hours during the preceding biennial period.

 (b)  Of the 48 hours required, the following apply:

   (1)  At least 24 hours shall be taken in lecture or computer interactive courses approved by NAB or the Board.

   (2)  Up to 24 clock hours may be taken through college or university courses, including distance learning, approved by NAB or the Board.

   (3)  A maximum of 12 clock hours may be taken in the following categories:

     (i)   Individual study using NAB or Board-approved correspondence courses.

     (ii)   Serving as an instructor of a NAB or Board-approved continuing education program or a college or university course. Instructors may earn 1 clock hour for each hour of instruction up to 12 clock hours.

   (4)  Authoring an article on long-term care. Authors whose articles relating to long-term care are published in professional journals may earn 3 clock hours per article, up to a maximum of 12 clock hours per biennium. Additional credit per article, up to 12 of the required clock hours, may be awarded based on the complexity of the subject matter or work. In exceptional circumstances, when the article is published in a refereed journal, and the subject matter or work is complex, a licensee may be awarded up to 24 clock hours. Published articles used for continuing education credit shall be submitted to the Board within 30 days of publication. Upon review of the published article, the Board will determine the appropriate number of clock hours to be awarded based upon the complexity of the subject matter or work.

   (5)  Up to 24 clock hours may be obtained by serving as a supervisor in a Board-approved AIT program, when the AIT successfully completes the AIT program.

   (6)  A maximum of 6 clock hours may be awarded retroactively for attending programs, to include lectures, and college or university courses, which have not been preapproved. The attendee shall submit a written request for approval within 30 days of attending the program and document attendance. The attendee shall demonstrate to the Board’s satisfaction that the programs meet the requirements of § §  39.14(a)(2) and 39.51 (relating to approval of programs of study; and standards for continuing education programs).

 (c)  A licensee who obtains a license after the biennial period begins shall complete a prorated amount of clock hours equal to 2 clock hours per month through the end of the biennial period. For the purpose of calculating the number of clock hours required, partial months shall count as whole months.

 (d)  A licensee suspended for disciplinary reasons is not exempt from the continuing education requirements in subsection (a).

 (e)  A licensee who cannot meet the continuing education requirement due to illness, emergency or hardship may apply to the Board in writing prior to the end of the renewal period for a waiver. The request must explain why compliance is impossible, and include appropriate documentation. Waiver requests will be evaluated by the Board on a case-by-case basis.

 (f)  A licensee will not be credited for repeating a program in the same renewal period unless the subject matter has substantially changed during that period.

   The provisions of this §  39.61 issued under section 506 of The Administrative Code of 1929 (71 P. S. §  186); and sections 4 and 9 of the Nursing Home Administrators License Act (63 P. S. § §  1104(c) and 1109).

   The provisions of this §  39.61 adopted February 25, 1983, effective February 26, 1983, 13 Pa.B. 834; amended March 9, 2001, effective March 10, 2001, 31 Pa.B. 1362; amended July 11, 2008, effective July 12, 2008, 38 Pa.B. 3811. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (274963) to (274964) and (319663).

   This section cited in 49 Pa. Code §  39.11 (relating to biennial renewal); and 49 Pa. Code §  39.52 (relating to program registration).