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North Dakota Licensure Update

By Anne Jones, FSVU, RVT, RDMS, RN, BSN posted Mon April 13, 2015 09:40:15 AM

  
The North Dakota state legislature has passed a licensure bill for medical imaging which will require all technical providers of medical imaging, including ultrasound, x-ray (ionizing radiation) nuclear medicine and magnetic resonance imaging, to be licensed.  After December 31, 2015, all technical imaging personnel who perform procedures on humans for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes must hold a North Dakota license. This will impact all vascular technologists who perform vascular technology and phlebology examinations. North Dakota is the third state to require licensure for ultrasound the other two states are New Mexico and Oregon.

A state board of medical imaging and radiation therapy medical examiners will be appointed by the governor to establish licensure standards. The Board members will include representatives from five medical imaging or radiation therapy professionals, including sonography. Once the state board establishes the standards for certification, education and continuing medical education, these standards will be published. Although we do not yet have the specific language of the Standards, we know that all technical imaging personnel, including vascular technologists and sonographers, must pass a certification examination approved by the board, given by a certification organization recognized by the board. During our discussions over the past months, we were told that credentialing bodies such as ARDMS and CCI will be recognized by the North Dakota Licensure Board because they currently meet or exceed nationally recognized credentialing accreditation standards. SVU will review the CME Standards and comply with those requirements, so that members can fulfill the CME requirement for maintenance of licensure.

The licensee must renew their North Dakota license on January 2nd, every other year, and pay a renewal fee. The licensee must not be in violation of the published Standards and must complete continuing education requirements adopted by rule of the board. Although educational requirements are included in the legislation, experiential equivalents combined with certification will fulfill the licensure requirements for currently practicing technologists and sonographers.

The Sonography Licensure Coalition (SLC), of which SVU is a participating member, worked with lawmakers in North Dakota to review and improve the language of this bill over the last year. One of the most crucial requirements, currently recognized credentials, appears to have been adopted by North Dakota. Certainly. It has been the hope of SVU to have a national set of standards for medical imaging technical personnel, but in the absence of the CARE Bill, states have decided to address this matter. It is still our hope to pass federal legislation, but until that time, we will work with the SLC to optimize language in state licensure bills.

SVU will continue to monitor activities in North Dakota, and other states, and provide periodic updates to our members.
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Sun April 26, 2015 03:09:33 PM

I heard about this North Dakota Licensure. I didn't know all of the details so I appreciate the recap of this new bill. I am glad that this state now requires licensure for imaging personnel.