Recertification Requirements
Recertification
Continued use of the NPCTA CPCT credential requires candidates to maintain compliance with all rules of the NPCTA, as may be revised from time to time. Any person holding an NPCTA-issued certification who violates the Standards of Practice can be subjected to disciplinary proceedings before the Judiciary Committee.
Recertification is required every two years. Recertification demonstrates that the practitioner has kept abreast of developments in the field and has maintained a level of professional knowledge consistent with status as a certified patient care technician.
Recertification is contingent upon mandatory documentation of 16 Continuing Education Hours (16 CEUs) during the applicant's current two-year period of certification. Sixteen hours of continuing education biannually is mandatory for NPCTA certificants. A certificant applying for recertification is required to show documented verification of completion of 16 hours of acceptable continuing education, which is required at recertification for NPCTA certificants. CEU’s can be verified through attendance at an approved 16-hour workshop /or seminar. CEU’s will be calculated on a one-hour basis. However, the 16 hours do not need to be evenly distributed among the two years. 16 CEUs per year are not required; an applicant may have SIX CEUs one year and 10 another year.
NPCTA Policy states that an applicant must continue through out their certification period to hold a current CPR (BLS) certification, and be credentialed as a currently valid, full, and unrestricted State Certified/Licensed Nurses Assistant (CNA). These credentials will be verified in processing for the renewal of your CPCT certification.
The application for recertification must also be accompanied by payment of the current re-certification fee of $120 USD.
The certification period begins with the date that certification (or recertification) is granted by the NPCTA Board of Certification. This date may be found on your CPCT certificate. The certificant may apply for recertification at any time during his or her final year of certified status, but it is suggested that candidates begin the process at least 30 days in advance of the expiration of current certification to avoid a lapse. A certificant who does not recertify prior to the expiration of the current two-year certification period will be treated as a new candidate. The Appeals Committee may consider requests for exceptions to this policy.
Recertification will not be granted to those practitioners whose credential has become invalid because they have not held a current CPR certification, and or credentialed as a currently valid, full, and unrestricted State Certified/Licensed Nurses Assistant (CNA) which does not permit adherence to NPCTA Policies, or to those whose use of the credential was revoked through the procedures of the Ethics Complaint Procedure. A certificant applying for recertification is not required to document additional experience in the patient care technician role after the date of the original certification.
CEU’s are credited for educational programs that are approved by the NPCTA Board of Certification Eligibility Committee. These courses must be related to the patient care technician role and must fall under one or more of the eleven major content domains (listed below) that comprise the Job Analysis, which are also the subject matter bases for the certification examination:
- Certified nursing assistant (CNA)
- Medical Terminology
- Basic Anatomy and Physiology
- Electrocardiography (EKG)
- Long Term Care
- Fundamentals of Disease
- Principles of Expanded Patient Care
- Advanced nursing skills
- Patient Care Clerical Principles
- Phlebotomy
- Multi-Skilled Clinical Practicum
If a certified individual is unsure whether or not a particular course or program will be accepted for CEU credit, the Professional should contact the NPCTA before the applicant participates in the course or program.