Florida Occupational Therapists Continuing Education Requirements

Florida-licensed occupational therapists have a biennial license renewal with a February 28th deadline,
odd years. Twenty-six (26) hours of continuing education are required for licensure. Two (2) hours of
Preventing Medical Errors and two (2) hours of Florida Occupational Therapy Laws and Rules are
required at each renewal. One (1) hour of HIV/AIDS is required for the first renewal only. Twelve (12)
hours of home study are allowed if AOTA approved.

Professional Development Resources is an American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)
approved provider of continuing education (#3159). The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply
endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA. Professional
Development Resources is also approved by the Florida Board of OT Practice (#34) and is CE Broker
compliant.

Continuing Education Requirements

Occupational therapists licensed in the state of Florida have a license renewal every two years with a
deadline of February 28th, odd years. Twenty-six (26) continuing education hours are required to renew
a license. Two hours of Preventing Medical Errors and two hours of Florida Occupational Therapy Laws
and Rules are required at each renewal. One hour of HIV/AIDS is required for the first renewal only.
Twelve (12) hours of home study are allowed if AOTA approved.

Information obtained from the Florida Board of Occupational Therapy on August 6, 2014.







Continuing Education Courses for Occupational Therapists:

Caregiver Help Part I: Coping with Anger and Guilt is a 2-hour online video CE course. The emotional
stress of caring for persons who are aging, chronically ill or disabled can be debilitating for family
members as well as professional caregivers. This course addresses caregiver anger and guilt, and
provides a three-step process that helps caregivers develop an attitude of what is described as creative
indifference toward the people, situations and events that cause them the greatest amount of
emotional stress. By gaining insights into how degenerative and progressive diseases affect the life of
the caregiver, the mental health professional will be in a better position to empathize with the
caregivers situation and provide strategies that will help them manage the stress of caring for someone
whose situation will never improve. The significance of honoring and supporting caregivers feelings and
helping them understand the importance of self-care can not only improve their physical and emotional
well-being, but can also have a huge impact on the quality of care they are able to provide to their care
receiver. This course includes downloadable worksheets that you can use (on a limited basis) in your
clinical practice. Course #20-84 | 2014 | 15 posttest questions

Living a Better Life with Chronic Pain: Eliminating Self-Defeating Behaviors is a 5-hour online course.
Certainly no one would choose a pain-filled body over a healthy, pain-free body. Yet every day, people
unwittingly choose actions and attitudes that contribute to pain or lead to other less-than-desirable
consequences on their health, relationships or ability to function. These actions and attitudes are what
are called self-defeating behaviors (SDBs) and they keep us from living life to the fullestif we let them.
This course is a self-instructional module that walks readers through the process of replacing their
self-defeating chronic pain issues with healthy, positive, and productive life-style behaviors. It
progresses from an analysis of the emotional aspects of living with chronic pain to specific strategies for
dealing more productively with it. Through 16 guided exercises, readers will learn how to identify their
self-defeating behaviors (SDBs), analyze and understand them, and then replace them with life-giving
actions that lead to permanent behavioral change. Course #50-12 | 2014 | 49 pages | 35 posttest
questions






Prescription Drug Abuse is a 3-hour online course. Prescription drug abuse is on the rise.
Pharmaceuticals like OxyContin, Adderall, and Xanax are some of the most commonly abused
prescription drugs. For some prescription drug addicts, medication was originally taken as prescribed
until they started developing a tolerance for it. For others, members of their peer group began to abuse
prescription drugs because they are easily accessible and relatively inexpensive on the street.
Prescription drug abuse also affects those who dont use through increased costs and the
inconveniences of increased security at pharmacies. Treatment is comprised of a series of steps,
including detoxification, inpatient/outpatient treatment, and maintenance. In some cases, patients must
be closely monitored because of the potential for withdrawal effects. Once treatment is completed,
there are various options for maintaining sobriety. Laws are being tightened, and some medications
have become difficult to find due to the increased rate of prescription drug abuse. Course #30-61 | 2012
| 30 pages | 20 posttest questions

Animal Assisted Therapy is a 2-hour online CE course. In Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) the human-
animal bond is utilized to help meet therapeutic goals and reach individuals who are otherwise difficult
to engage in verbal therapies. AAT is considered an emerging therapy at this time, and more research is
needed to determine the effects and confirm the benefits. Nevertheless, there is a growing body of
research and case studies that illustrate the considerable therapeutic potential of using animals in
therapy. AAT has been associated with improving outcomes in four areas: autism-spectrum symptoms,
medical difficulties, behavioral problems, and emotional well-being. This course is designed to provide
therapists, educators, and caregivers with the information and techniques needed to begin using the
human-animal bond successfully to meet individual therapeutic goals. Course #20-62 | 2012 | 30 pages
| 20 posttest questions
Source: Florida Occupational Therapists Continuing Education Requirements