Q. Must a Presenter/Author of a NCPD activity be a Registered Nurse?
A. The presenter/author of an educational activity is not required to be a Registered Nurse. The planning committee should determine whether a proposed presenter/author is a content expert on the topic to be presented based on the individual’s education, experience, expertise, professional achievement, credentials, publications, etc. It is also considered best practices that the presenter is familiar with the target audience and is skilled with the teaching strategies chosen to assist with fulfilling the learning outcomes.
Q. When a speaker cancels at the last minute may we substitute another presenter, even if the required documents are not in hand?
A. Yes, as long as the provider has ensured that evaluation of relevant financial relationships and mitigation (if required) have been met and all required disclosures are provided to learners/participants. The presentation learning outcomes and content as determined by the planning committee must remain the same. The provider of the Individual Education Activity would need to communicate the change that occurred with the Midwest MSD office as soon as possible. An Approved Provider Unit would need to ensure that appropriate documentation is complete in the educational activity file.
Q. We did not give a certificate of completion nor contact hours to the speaker in our one-day conference? Was this correct?
A. An individual who presents or facilitates a portion of the total learning experience (e.g., a speaker or faculty member) should not be awarded contact hours for the portion of the educational activity that he or she presents. If, however, the remainder of the educational activity constitutes a learning experience for the speaker, credit for that portion of the educational activity may be awarded based on the provider’s internal policies and criteria for verifying completion of an educational activity. The provider must have a procedure in place to document the number of contact hours awarded the presenter as different from other participants.
It is inappropriate for the speaker to receive contact hours for their presentations because they are considered the expert on the topic. Going back to the definition, continuing education builds upon the nurse’s knowledge. If the speaker does not have the knowledge, then they should not have been selected to present. Contact hours are also not awarded to speakers/faculty for their preparation time.