The Continuing Competence (CC) program can be an area of confusion for many members. It is always beneficial to cover some common areas of confusion for members. Over the coming months leading up to renewal, we will be addressing areas of the CC program to help members better understand how it works and what is required. Last month, we covered the basics of the CC program, which can be found here. Today, we are going over the differences between the two types of activities: Continuing Education (CE) and Self-Directed (SD).
As mentioned in the last article, each regulated member required to participate in the CC program must complete 60 credits, 30 of which must be from the CE category.
So, what is a CE activity and where do you find them?
CE activities are courses or professional development activities that meet the College’s Continuing Education Requirements and have been previously reviewed and approved. Activities are regularly added to this list and currently there are over a thousand options available to members. CE activities are granted three credits for each hour of activity and the full Approved CE list can be found in the member portal.
To be eligible to be approved for CE credits, the activity must meet four conditions:
Inclusivity: The activity must be available and accessible to all members in the province, regardless of employer.
Content Applicability: Applicable to the ongoing professional development of regulated members
Anticipated Outcome: A learning objective of the activity is clearly defined.
Proof of Completion: The training provider must provide the learner with proof of completion documentation.
In addition to these four requirements, all CE activities must offer skills and/or education for the purpose of expanding or refreshing the knowledge and/or skills of the paramedic practitioner who has already achieved entry to practice. If there are courses/activities that you believe should be approved for CE credits, you can submit them for review here.
What about activities not on the list?
Self-Directed activities are any other activity that is not on the approved CE list but is still relevant to your practice. SD activities are granted one credit per hour of activity. The following list is not exhaustive but are some types of activities that you can claim in the SD category:
- Workplace training (many courses that employers may deem mandatory do not fall under the CE category)
- Certification courses
- Committee Meeting / Paramedic Working Group / Council Meeting / Roundtable Discussion (members may claim up to 15 hours maximum)
- Community Enhancement (members may claim up to 15 hours maximum)
- Conference / Seminar / Workshop
- Didactic or Practical Course
- Instructor Preparation (instructing / teaching hours not eligible) (members may claim up to 15 hours maximum)
- Preceptorship / new employee Mentorship
- Research & Development
- Ride Along
- Study / Review (15 hour maximum limit)
How can I break up my credits?
As mentioned, each regulated member required to participate in the CC program must complete 60 credits, 30 of which must be from the CE category. That means the remaining 30 credits can be earned in either category that you wish. Members cannot claim more than 30 credits from the SD category in one CC cycle.
If you have any questions about the CC program, please contact CC@ABparamedics.com.