title: Awareness of the 2010 guidelines implemented by the New York State Education Department for respiratory therapists in their role as clinical preceptors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In 1993, the New York State (NYS) legislature and governor signed into law the Respiratory Therapy Guide to Practice Education Law to guide and regulate the profession of respiratory care under the auspices of the New York State Education Department. New guidelines were implemented by the New York State Education Department for respiratory therapists (RTs) in 2010 to provide the opportunity for RTs to receive continuing education units (CEUs) when participating as clinical preceptors. This study was conducted in June 2012 to determine the extent to which the NYS RTs are aware of the new licensing guidelines and amendments.
  
  
  METHODS
  In June 2012, a web-based survey was e-mailed to 2,503 NYS members of the New York State Society for Respiratory Care, 14% of which (n= 360) completed the survey. The survey included 21 items to assess RTs' awareness of the licensing guidelines that were implemented in 2010, and these respondents were analyzed using basic descriptive statistics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study showed that 50% of the respondents were not aware of eligibility to earn CEUs as a clinical preceptor in NYS. Twenty-eight percent responded correctly that licensed RTs were eligible to earn CEUs as a clinical preceptor in NYS. In addition, 67% of those who responded were unaware of how many CEUs could be earned for each renewal period for clinical precepting. Finally, 70% of the respondents indicated that they would be inclined to seek employment at a facility that has a clinical affiliation with a university or college respiratory care program.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings indicate that more education is needed in NYS to make licensed RTs aware of the 2010 guidelines. Practitioners may require incentives to become actively involved in the clinical education of respiratory care students as their clinical preceptors.
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Care Program stephen.smith@stonybrook.edu.
authors.forename: Stephen G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Care Program.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brittelli
authors.affiliation: Program in Public Health, School of Health Technology and Management, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York.
authors.forename: Lisa Benz
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Scott
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D004496:Education, Continuing / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008004:Licensure / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D009518:New York; D011231:Preceptorship / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D024382:Professional Role; D012138:Respiratory Therapy / Q000193:education* / Q000592:standards
keywords: clinical preceptor; continuing education units; licensing guidelines; respiratory therapists; respiratory therapy technicians