RESPONSIBILITIES OF LICENSEES
TO RECEIVE CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDIT
FOR RESEARCH AND/OR PAPER PRESENTATIONS

A Board approved provider may award continuing education contact hours for the development and oral presentation of a paper before a professional or lay group on a subject that explores new or current areas of nursing theory or practice, authoring or contributing to an article, book, or publication or designing or conducting a research study. This is an optional activity and providers are not required to do this. (Rule 610-X-10-.05 (2) (3) Alabama Administrative Code.)

To seek approval the licensee must:

• Submit a request, to a Board Approved Provider, for continuing education credit for participation in research or paper presentation as described in the Alabama Administrative Code.

• Research Examples:Principal investigator, author, co-investigator, collaborative investigator, data gathering, instrument validator, presenter of the research report, member of a planning committee for project.

• Professional Presentation or Paper Examples: Presentation of a summary of a community health project that is an original work by the presenter, presentation of a paper on a new theory or a clinical concept to enhance practice, presentation of a research paper following the conduct of a major research project, publication of a paper.

• Submit with the letter, an outline with title and author of the abstract of work conducted and other relevant material (copy of an article, brochure of program with name and title of presentation included, letter on letterhead from sponsor stating the degree of participation) to justify the granting of continuing education credit for the presentation of a paper.

1)       Adhere to standards for content as outlined in §610-X-10-.03 (1) Alabama Administrative Code.

1. Must be beyond basic education level of the individual license.
2. Must conform to content categories specified in the Alabama Administrative Code, Chapter 610-X-10-.03 (1)(g).

• Retain records for at least four years.

Alabama Board of Nursing

RESPONSIBILITIES OF PROVIDERS TO AWARD
CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDIT
FOR RESEARCH AND/OR PAPER PRESENTATIONS

Board approved providers may award continuing education contact hours for the development and oral presentation of a paper before a professional or lay group on a subject that explores new or current areas of nursing theory or practice, authoring or contributing to an article, book, or publication, and designing or conducting a research study. (Rule 610-X-10-.05 (2) (3) Alabama Administrative Code.)

The responsibilities of the provider who is granting continuing education credit (contact hours) to licensees for participation in research or professional paper presentation are as follows:

• Seek consistency in awarding credit for individuals who present papers/courses or conduct research. Develop and use policies and check lists of items required for submission of requests.
• Provide notice of the guidelines or policies on the granting of credit for independent study.
• Award credit, one time only for a single presentation/project for/by an individual licensee. If the project is presented again by another person, the degree of participation must be considered.
• Award credit for presentations/research activities that are not part of regular job requirements e.g., if a job requirement includes instructing in ACLS courses, continuing education credit should not be allowed. If, however, an individual presents a segment or entire ACLS course as a professional endeavor outside the job, contact hours may be awarded in accordance with the degree of participation.
• Allow contact hours based on the following guidelines:

a.  Eight (8) contact hours: Original project, principal investigator, co-investigator, collaborative role, independent investigator, author, project director.

b.  Six (6) contact hours: Non-original research project, not pre-packaged.

c  Four (4) to eight (8) contact hours for a non-original project that is not pre-packaged and requires considerable research and investment of time in the development of the project or paper.

d.  Four (4) to eight (8) contact hours for the writing and publication of an article, depending on the complexity of the article.

e.  Two (2) to four(4) contact hours for the planning, preparation and presentation of a new -formal class or program designed by the licensee including the development of objectives, content, resources, methodology and evaluation process.

f.  Two (2) to four (4) contact hours as a contributing author or researcher depending on the degree of contribution. (e.g., Four (4) contact hours for considerable research efforts such as instrument development, instrument validation, developing graphics of data collected and analyzed, writing a section of an article or developing the media presentation for a public presentation. Two (2) contact hours for participation in data collection or the provision of data, the offering of ideas, participation in a committee on planning, or participation as a major presenter of the findings of a project.)

g.  One (1) contact hour for the presentation of a non-original project such as one hour of credit for one hour of instruction in a pre-packaged course such as ACLS.

• Provide a transcript, letter or certificate to the licensee stating the Provider Name and Number, Location, Date, Number of Contact Hours awarded, Name of Recipient/Participant, and Title of Project.
• Providers must electronically submit this information to the Board.