2014 Neurodiagnostics Updates: News from ABRET re: recertification and more

Here it is, New Year’s Eve, 2013!   I have gotten a few calls this week from techs that are under the wire to complete their recertification application, due at the end of this year.  Some are scrambling to accrue the rest of the CEUs required!  I have some good news for all of you “last minute shoppers”!  ABRET has offered an extension for credentials expiring this year only.   The extension is granted for up to six months!  There will be a “late fee” of $100 added to the $75 regular application fee.   ABRET’s Executive Director, Janice Walbert, explained to me that there is no need to file paperwork or notify ABRET at this time, if you wish to take advantage of this extension.  Between now and June, those technologists who are due to recertify by the end of this year, who have missed the deadline, will be “certified in grace” until June.  As long as you turn in your application, fees and documentation of the required continuing education hours by then, you will be able to renew your credential.

Please note that in the interim, if anyone looks up your name on the credential search tab of the ABRET website, your expiring credential will appear in red, indicating that it is past due.  So, if you are in a situation such as a job interview, where an employer might research your credentials, it is important to explain this up front.

Starting in 2014, ABRET will offer only a one-month grace period for expiring credentials, so mark your calendars now, if you need to recertify in 2014!

Other news items: 

·        ASET’s lower registration rate for our seminar courses!

You may not have noticed yet, but this year ASET is offering lower registration fees for our spring and fall seminar courses!   We have reduced rates up to $100 for the two-day courses!  In years’ past, the early registration rate for ASET members was $375 and this year it will be just $275!  We at ASET try to listen to our members and address their needs.  With the trend for health care institutions to cut back on covering educational expenses, many technologists are struggling to fund their attendance at courses.  At the same time, with ABRET’s requirements for CEUs both for recertification and qualification for the EEG registry exam, more technologists than ever before must partake of formal education.  I am hoping that the reduction in fees will allow more technologists to come to our courses.  Please support ASET by attending our educational events.  You will get a good value for your investment!  Please look at the meeting tab on our website for more information about our seminar schedule for 2014.  We will be in Pittsburgh, PA on March 29 & 30, with “EEG Boot Camp” and “LTM Academy” courses.   We will offer “EEG Boot Camp” in Arlington, TX on November 8 & 9.   For the first time, at the Fall Seminar course, we will be sharing the meeting space with AAET, who will sponsor the NCS course that will run concurrently.

·        Recap: ASET Course at AES – “Making an LTM/ICU Monitoring Program Work: Technical Aspects

We had 72 registered attendees for this one day course!  This was above and beyond my expectations!  We would have had even more local technologists participating, those who planned to drive into D.C. on the day of the course, if the icy, messy snowstorm had not arrived mid-day!   However, we did have several nurse practitioners and physicians who were at the AES meeting come by and sign up to attend the course that day.  And those folks were very impressed with our knowledge and the course content!  We got rave reviews all around!   Thanks so much to our speakers:  Judy Ahn-Ewing, Dr. Joseph Drazkowski, Cheryl Plummer, Sherry Nehamkin, Ryan Lau and Sabrina Galloway!   We won’t be able to repeat this opportunity until 2015, but based on the success of this event, we certainly will work on hosting another course at the AES conference to be held in Philadelphia that year!

Happy New Year to all!  Hope to see you at an ASET educational event in 2014!

Would college credits be of value to you as an NDT Technologist?

We at ASET thought that perhaps the opportunity to have college credits awarded for our on-line courses would be helpful to technologists who are planning to work on advancing their careers by obtaining a college degree: either an Associates, a Bachelor’s or Master’s level, depending upon the current level of education each person may have.

So, we have spent the last two years working with the American Council on Education (ACE) to complete the application process to have them review our on-line course curriculums for approval for recommendation for college credits.  A couple of months ago, we proudly announced that we were successful! The American Council on Education has approved our courses, and they made the following recommendations:

·        EEG  101-112 plus proctored exam:  In the lower-division baccalaureate/associate degree category, 11 semester hours in basic and clinical application of EEG.

·        NCS 101-112 plus proctored exam:  In the lower-division baccalaureate/associate degree category, 8 semester hours in nerve conduction study

·        LTM 101-109 plus proctored exam:  in the upper-division baccalaureate degree category, 12 semester hours in long term  and neuro-critical care monitoring

·        IONM 100-110 plus proctored exam:  In the upper-division baccalaureate degree category, 20 semester hours in intraoperative neuromonitoring

Please note: You must have completed one of our full curriculums in order to receive the college credits as listed above.   It is also important to understand that each college sets its own standards and may use the ACE guidelines or not.  They can decline the request for college credits or award a different value.

What does all this mean?

This means that a national organization that is highly respected in the academic community has recognized our courses as a worthy educational resource at the college level.  It does not mean that every college you might apply to will award college credits if you have completed the ASET on-line courses.  That is up to the individual college.  These are only recommendations.  However, many colleges rely on the American Council on Education to make recommendations about all types of adult education and work related training.

Did you notice the stipulation about the “proctored exam”?  Let me explain.  The American Council on Education requires that anyone who wishes to obtain college credit recommendations must prove their successful course of study by taking a proctored exam covering the curriculum content.  The ABRET exam does not qualify as the “proctored exams”.   These exams must be custom arranged  for each individual to take place in your area.  Typical locations may include a local community or college library. The facility may charge a nominal fee for providing this service, in the $20-$30 range.   Please contact Maggie Marsh Nation to request arrangements for a proctored exam if you are interested in taking the proctored exam after completing one of our online curriculums.

By having our courses acknowledged by the American Council on Education, we are hoping that some employers may allow our course enrollees to use their tuition reimbursement benefit to pay for the course registration fees.  This has always been a difficulty for ASET, since we are not an “institution of higher education” and cannot be considered a college.  Please check with your hospital benefits department regarding their rules regarding tuition reimbursement, as we can’t assume this benefit will be approved for all course participants.
Here is a link to a page on our website that you may find helpful:
http://www.aset.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageID=4041

And here is a link to the American Council on Education listing which includes ASET:
http://www2.acenet.edu/credit/?fuseaction=browse.main

Please contact Maggie or me if we can help you achieve your goals for a college degree by using ASET courses.

faye@aset.org     marshnation@stx.rr.com