(614) FAX (614) FYI

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1 OHIO OPTICAL DISPENSERS BOARD 77 SOUTH HIGH ST. 16 TH FLOOR COLUMBUS, OHIO (614) FAX (614) FYI POLICY Executive Director Acceptable Continuing Education for Licensure Renewal Board President Effective Date 8/11 Reaffirmed Policy: The Optical Dispensers Board (Board) is required by law to approve continuing education to meet the requirements for licensure renewal for licensed Opticians and Ocularists in Ohio. The Board recognizes that entities who approve continuing education for opticians and ocularists other than the Board may meet the standards as established by the Board for approval of continuing education for renewal of licenses. A. Definitions 1. Academic hours means a continuing education program that is forty-eight to sixty minutes in length. 2. Conference means the same as seminar; a meeting of members for discussing matters of common concern; an exchange of views and information for the purpose of exploring a subject. 3. Continuing education means an approved or accredited planned learning activity that builds upon a pre-licensure education program and enables a licensee to acquire or improve knowledge or skills that promote professional or technical development to enhance the licensee s contribution to quality care and pursuit of professional career goals. 4. Nationally recognized accreditation system of continuing education means an entity that reviews and approves continuing education based on, but not limited to, the following criteria: a. A course description with learning objectives; b. A detailed outline showing topics and time references; c. A description of the intended audience and content level; d. A generic course content to be presented in an objective manner; Approval of Continuing Education - 1 -

2 e. An indication of the length and method of presentation; f. Speaker(s) qualified by education or experience to provide the instruction; and, g. Opportunity for each attendee to evaluate the course and the speaker. 5. Program means the presentation of the approved content of individual courses of a seminar/conference. 6. Seminar means a meeting for giving and discussing information; a course of study; a series of individual programs/classes related to the practice of Opticianry and Ocularistry. 7. Sponsor means the planner of the conference, seminar or program. B. Continuing education that meets the continuing education requirements for renewal of licensure. The following activities 1. A continuing education activity that has been approved by the Board; 2. A continuing education activity that has been approved by a nationally recognized accreditation system of continuing education approval such as, but but not limited to: a. American Board of Opticianry; b. National Contact Lens Examiners; c. National Examining Board of Ocularists; or d. Any other nationally recognized accreditation system of continuing education approval that meets the requirements of (A)(4). C. APPLICATION PROCESS FOR NON-APPROVED PROGRAMS SUBMITTED TO THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL 1. Applications for approval of CE by the Board. will be available upon request at the Board offices at (614) ; by request : odb@odb.ohio.gov; Fax (614) ; or, may be obtained from the Board s Web page: 2. The application will include: 1. Instruction sheet; 2. Application for Continuing Education Approval data sheet which includes: a. Sponsor Name and contact information; b. Registration information; c. Program information; d. Speaker credentials; e. Course start and end time; f. Summary of hours requested; and, g. Presentation format. 3. Any other materials designated by the Board 4. Two completed applications shall be submitted not less than 60 days prior to the date of the proposed program. The Board may approve seminars submitted less than sixty days if accompanied by a letter explaining the reason for not meeting the deadline. To ensure appropriate review and timely approval of the submitted application, it is strongly recommend that all proposals be received at the Board office no later than ten days prior to the next regularly scheduled Board Approval of Continuing Education - 2 -

3 meeting. Incomplete applications will be returned to the sponsor with a letter of explanation of the reason for the return of the application and that completed applications may be re-submitted for future consideration by the Board. 5. Upon receipt of the application the executive director, or designee, will review the submitted application for completeness of materials which include, but not limited to: a. Two completed applications; b. Outline; c. Speaker credentials; d. Course/program objectives; e. Requested number of hours; f. Program/course type; g. Identifying contact information; h. Titles, dates, fees, etc.; and, i. Previous approval number, if applicable. Complete applications will be assigned an audit/agenda number by staff and mailed to the appropriate Board member for review. D. REVIEW BY BOARD MEMBER 1. Board members will review the submitted application in accordance with parameters as defined in Rule Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) to determine: a. The Qualifications of speaker/presenter; b. The Program is made available to any Ohio Optician or Ocularist; and,. c. The course content is appropriate for requested hours as outlined below. Course Content Spectacle Courses: courses directly related to the responsibilities of an optical dispenser which may include but not limited to: Lensometry; Lifestyle dispensing; Product knowledge; Manufacturing, adjusting and fitting optical aids; Measuring of multi-focal; Pupillary distance; Optical theory; Contact Lens Courses: courses directly related to the responsibilities of a contact lens dispenser which may include but are not limited to: Dispensing techniques, wearing schedules Types of contacts and lens design; Modifications; Chemical solutions; Radiuscope, keratometer, slit lamp; Product knowledge; Problem solving; Approval of Continuing Education - 3 -

4 Interpreting prescriptions; Ocularist Courses: courses directly related to the responsibilities of an Ocularist which may include but are not limited to: Fitting, fabrication and modification of an ocular prosthesis; Nomenclature of the eye, structure or orbit; Communicable diseases; Management Courses: courses directly related to the management responsibilities of a spectacle, contact lens dispenser, and Ocularist which may include but are not limited to: Business management; Personnel; Record keeping; Decision making; Organization skills; Marketing; Motivational management; Multi-media presentations less than an academic hour must be further supported by other means, such as lecture, to qualify for the approval. The Board may request a copy of the multi-media presentation for review prior to approval. V. APPROVAL BY BOARD MEMBERS Rule Ohio Administrative Code states: (A) No seminar will be approved for continuing education credit unless the Board is provided with an outline of the program content, the names and background information of speaker(s), and the schedule of the seminar. All information shall be submitted not less than sixty days prior to the date of the proposed program. The Board may approve seminars submitted less than sixty days if accompanied by a letter explaining the reason for not meeting the deadline. (B )Speakers, lecturers and others participating in the presentation of the programs shall be recognized as possessing requisite qualifications and being expert and of recognized repute in their area of instruction. (C)Programs shall be available to any Ohio licensed dispensing optician, and/or licensed Ocularist. ( OAC) (D) The Board shall not approve continuing education credit for any of the following: (1) The seminar content includes the promotion of commercial products or services for the practice of Opticianry or Ocularistry; (2) The seminar is open only to employees, associates, or owners of the sponsoring entity, and is not open to all opticians and apprentices. (3) The subject content of the courses is not pertinent to the study of Opticianry, or Ocularistry, as determined by the Board on a case by case basis. (E) Credit will be allowed on the basis of an academic hour, as that term is defined in paragraph(n) of rule of the Administrative Code. To receive an hour credit, one must attend one full academic hour. There will be no fractional hour credits. A. All continuing education program approvals expire December 31 st of the calendar year in which the continuing education course is first approved. Approval of Continuing Education - 4 -

5 B. An approved program may be repeated, without additional approval, throughout the approved calendar year, based upon the following guidelines: 1. The program is repeated exactly as originally submitted; i.e., no changes in content, method of presentation or speaker. The program sponsor shall provide written notification to the Board office only of the additional date(s) of the program no less than one week prior to the presentation; 2. A written summary evaluation of the responses from the program participants is forwarded to the Board office not more than 30 days after the program; and, 3. A copy of the sign-in sheet or similar document listing the names of all program participants accompanies the written summary evaluation no later than 30 days following each program presentation. C. The Board shall approve program content and hours as submitted only. The Board member reviewer may recommend to the full Board: 1. Approve as submitted; or, 2. Recommend full Board approval, pending receipt by Board staff of specific additional information from the sponsor of the continuing education program within 10 days of the notification; or, 3. Deny as submitted NOTIFICATION OF APPROVAL A. A letter of notification of approval of an application for approval of continuing education will be sent to the sponsor of the program within two weeks of approval. The notification of approval will include at least: 1. Date the program was approved; 2. Date of expiration of program approval; 3. Type and number of hours approved; and, 4. Suggestions or comments by the Board reviewer(s), if applicable, for revisions to future applications. Approval of Continuing Education - 5 -