All respiratory therapists and respiratory therapy technicians who are renewing registration of their license, are required by law to complete continuing education coursework. Respiratory therapists must take 30 contact hours of continuing education in each three-year registration period; respiratory therapy technicians must take 24 hours of continuing education in each triennium.
No. You do not need to take continuing education during the first three-year registration period after you graduated from a respiratory therapy program. By law, the first registration cycle is three years in length. The second registration cycle is adjusted, anywhere from 28 months to 40 months so that future registration cycles correspond with your month of birth. For that second registration cycle, respiratory therapists must take .83 hours of approved coursework for each month of the registration cycle; respiratory therapy technicians must take .67 hours for each month of registration. From then on registration cycles are fixed at three-year intervals based on your birth month. Respiratory therapists must take 30 contact hours of continuing education in each three-year registration period; respiratory therapy technicians must take 24 hours of continuing education in each triennium.
Both formal and informal self-study courses. For respiratory therapists, informal self-study courses must constitute not more than half of the total hours (a maximum of 15 contact hours out of 30). For respiratory therapy technicians, informal self- study courses must constitute no more than half of the total hours (a maximum of 12 contact hours out of 24).
Examples of informal self-study courses include courses offered by internet or video format, which are taken by the respiratory therapist or therapy technician without a live instructor or a long distance facilitator's assistance.
Examples of formal self-study courses include college courses and approved classes, conferences, seminars, and lectures with an instructor present to immediately respond to questions and concerns.
No. All the courses can be "live" courses in which you interact with an instructor, if you wish.
No. The State Education Department considers a telecourse or teleconference in which you and other practitioners discuss a taped presentation with the facilitator's assistance is a live course. A course offered by computer in which you interact directly with the instructor is a "live" course. On the other hand, a televised lecture with no means of direct interaction would not be acceptable as a "live" course even if it is a live telecast.
Respiratory Therapists may earn up to a maximum of 10 continuing education credits for experience gained as a clinical instructor where such experience demonstrates that the instructor has met competency standards. Preceptors seeking to claim continuing education credit should download, complete, and keep the Preceptor Evaluation Form with their continuing education records.
No. The law requires that respiratory therapy courses be provided by approved sponsors.
The New York State Education Department recognizes three types of approved sponsors of continuing education for the purpose of re-registering a license to practice as a respiratory therapist or respiratory therapy technician:
A list of sponsors in each category follows:
North Shore University Hospital
300 Community Drive
Manhasset, New York 11030
Phone 516-562-2548
Fax 516-562-2503
Identification Number: 04-28-07-003
Please note: that while the following listing includes all colleges and universities with Department registered respiratory therapy programs, not all of the programs provide continuing education for respiratory therapists and respiratory therapy technicians.
Borough of Manhattan/Community College of the City of NY
199 Chambers Street
Department of Allied Health Sciences - Room N742
New York, NY 10007
Phone 212-346-8000
Erie Community College/North Campus
6205 Main Street
Williamsville, NY 14221-7095
Phone 716-851-1531
Genesee Community College
1 College Road
Batavia, NY 14020
Phone 716-343-0055 Ext. 6860
Hudson Valley Community College
80 Vandenburg Avenue
Troy, NY 12180
Phone 518-629-7454
Long Island University
University Plaza Brooklyn Campus)
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone 718-488-1492
Mandl School
College of Allied Health
254 W. 54th St. New York, NY 10019
Phone: 212-247-3434
Mohawk Valley Community College
1101 Sherman Drive
Utica, NY 13501
Phone 315-792-5367
Molloy College
1000 Hempstead Avenue
Rockville Centre, NY 11570-1199
Phone 516-678-5000
Nassau Community College
Stewart Avenue
Garden City, NY 11530
Phone 516-572-7550
SUNY Sullivan Community College
112 College Road
Loch Sheldrake, NY 11530
Phone: 845-434-5750
SUNY at Stony Brook
School of Health Technology and Management
Level 2, Room 414A
Stony Brook, NY 11794-8203
Phone 631-444-3180
SUNY Upstate Medical University
College of Health Professions
Department of Cardiorespiratory Sciences
750 East Adams Street
Syracuse, NY 13210
Phone 315-464-5580
Westchester Community College
75 Grasslands Road
Valhalla, NY 10595-1698
Phone 914-785-6883
Yes, acceptable subjects include:
The subject matter must be related to professional practice to be acceptable to the State Board. Continuing education courses relevant to respiratory therapy practice, such as courses in the pharmacology of new drugs, or courses in anatomy and physiology, for example, are acceptable; courses not related to respiratory therapy practice, such as courses in foot surgery or English drama, would not be accepted.
You will need to keep the following five items of information on each course for six years from the date you completed it: (1) title of the course or program and any identification number assigned to it by the sponsor, (2) number of contact hours completed, (3) the sponsor's name and any identifying number, (4) verification by the sponsor of your attendance, and (5) the date and location of the program or course. All five elements are likely to be provided on a certificate of completion issued from the sponsor. BE SURE TO KEEP IT! You will need these certificates of completion if your continuing education records are requested by the Department.
No, you are not required to send continuing education records to the Education Department when you renew your registration. You will, however, have to attest to the fact that you have completed the requirement. You are required to make your continuing education records available for inspection by the Education Department upon our request. Department staff will audit random samples of records to ensure licensees are in compliance with the continuing education requirement.
With respect to each continuing education course or program that you completed, you must provide documentation from the course or program sponsor that includes the five items of information described above (question 12). An official list/summary of your courses provided by an approved sponsor may be submitted, as long as it includes all required items of information described above.
Note: Coursework transcripts and letters of good standing that DO NOT include all five items of information described above ARE NOT acceptable for verification of your continuing education coursework.
You may be subject to disciplinary proceedings for professional misconduct. Willfully making or filing a false report is unprofessional conduct, according to Section 29.1(b)(6) of the Rules of the Board of Regents. Penalties may include censure and reprimand, fine, and/or suspension or revocation of your license.
On a case-by-case basis, the Department may issue a conditional registration for up to one year. To be granted such a conditional registration, you would have to (1) agree to complete any remaining hours of required continuing education during the period of conditional registration, (2) complete the regular continuing education requirement at a rate of .83 contact hours per month for respiratory therapists and .67 contact hours per month for respiratory therapy technicians, (3) pay the regular registration fee and a fee for the conditional registration (which is equal to the regular registration fee), and (4) complete and submit the Registration Remittance Addendum (14 KB).
At the end of one year, if you do not comply with the conditions of the conditional license, you will be unable to renew your registration and practice respiratory therapy in New York State. If you practice your profession after the Department has denied renewal of your registration for failure to report completion of the required contact hours of continuing education, you are subject to disciplinary proceedings for professional misconduct.
If you have notified the Department that you are not practicing your profession and your registration is in inactive status, you do not have to complete the continuing education requirement. However, when reactivating your license you must meet all previous continuing education requirements.
Please contact the State Board for Respiratory Therapy, New York State Education Department, 89 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12234-1000, telephone: 518-474-3817 Ext. 120, fax: 518-474-3706, e-mail: rtbd@nysed.gov.
For current information on continuing education and any changes in the continuing education requirements in respiratory therapy, check this Web site periodically.