State Board of Optometry - Board Policies

BOARD POLICIES

The policies of the Nevada State Board of Optometry have been adopted by the Board for the purpose of assisting in the consistent enforcement of Nevada’s statutes and regulations applicable to the practice of optometry and the conduct of the Board’s authorized functions under the law.

The policies are not intended to take the place of the statutes and regulations, and where they conflict, the statutes and regulations shall take precedence.

Policy Number 1	Correspondence
Policy Number 2	Change in Location of Practice
Policy Number 3	Application Fees
Policy Number 4	Duplicate Document Fees
Policy Number 5	License Renewal
Policy Number 6	Licensing Education Requirements
Policy Number 7	Retaking of Exam
Policy Number 8	Continuing Education
Policy Number 9	Accredited Colleges of Optometry
Policy Number 10	Multiple Verification of Licensure
Policy Number 11	Fictitious Name

POLICY NUMBER 1 All official correspondence with the Board must be made through the Board’s Executive Director at Post Office Box 1824, Carson City, Nevada 89702.

POLICY NUMBER 2 NRS 636.370 requires an optometrist to notify the Board of the place of his practice or any change in location of that practice. In order for an optometrist to comply with this requirement, said optometrist must notify the Board in writing, through its Executive Director, of any change of location of practice from a location within this state to a different location within this state or outside of this state, prior to the date the change becomes effective.

POLICY NUMBER 3 NRS 636. 143 empowers the Board to charge a fee for examination of applicants for licenses within this state. The Board authorizes the Executive Director to charge a fee of $25.00 for sending each application form to a prospective applicant. If that prospective applicant subsequently files the application with the Board, the amount charged for the form shall be deducted from the examination fee.

POLICY NUMBER 4 The Board is authorized by law to charge a reasonable amount for duplication of documents. The Executive Director of the Board is authorized to charge the following amounts for copying, mailing and duplication of the documents:
	Rosters	$25.00
	Licensee Labels	$50.00
	Booklet containing statutes and regulations	$25.00
	Copies of Minutes or other documents	$ .60 (per page)

POLICY NUMBER 5 Pursuant to NRS 636.250, a licensee must renew his/her license by March 1 of each year. In order for the renewal to be timely, it must be postmarked before March 1 by the United States Postal Service. If a license is not renewed by March 1, the licensee may renew within the remainder of the calendar year by paying a penalty of $250.00 as authorized by NRS 636. 285, plus the renewal fee.

POLICY NUMBER 6 Pursuant to NRS 636.260, a licensee must present evidence of approved education at the time his/her license is renewed. Said education requirements may be satisfied by pregraduation study if this is the licensee’s first renewal and if he/she graduated from optometry school in the second quarter of the calendar year preceding his/her first renewal.

POLICY NUMBER 7 Pursuant to NRS 636.195, an examinee who has failed to attain a passing grade on the Nevada Law Exam may make written request to the Board for re-examination. Upon receipt of such a written request, the Executive Director is authorized to require said applicant to submit such additional information, through a notarized statement, as the Board or its staff deem necessary to update the original application.

POLICY NUMBER 8 NRS 636.260[2] requires the renewal fee must be accompanied by satisfactory evidence that the licensee, within the 12 month period immediately preceding license renewal, has completed the required number of hours in a course or courses of continuing education that have been approved by the Board. The continuing education requirements for licensees certified in diagnostic pharmaceutical drugs may not exceed 24 hours in the 12 month period. The Board has established 18 hours as the requirement for licensees who have been certified in diagnostic pharmaceutical drugs, of which 5 hours may be practice management. All of the 18 hours may be by Internet, correspondence or video tape. Licensees submitting courses taken via the Internet, correspondence or video tape must submit proof he/she has received a grade of 75% or higher on the test relating to the course. The requirement for licensees who have been certified in therapeutic pharmaceutical drugs may not exceed 50 hours in the 12 month period. The Board has established 30 hours as the requirement for licensees who have been certified in therapeutic pharmaceutical drugs. Of the 30 hours, a minimum of 15 hours must be TPA related. Five hours may be practice management. All of the 30 hours may be by Internet, correspondence or video tape. Licensees submitting courses taken via the Internet, correspondence or video tape must submit proof he/she has received a grade of 75% or higher on the test relating to the course. The Board has established two categories of continuing education it will accept:
A.	Pre-approved - This category only requires submission of the Board’s Continuing Education Attendance [CEA] form on which attendance has been certified. If another type of certification is given by the provider, it should be submitted along with the CEA form. Certification can be stamp or signature. A list of pre-approved providers is attached as Exhibit “1".

	The Board will review pre-approved providers periodically to verify they are adhering to established standards and hours are as certified.

B.	Other - All other providers will be approved on an individual basis. This category requires submission of the course syllabus or programs and the [CEA] form. The syllabus or program may be submitted in advance for approval or at the time the [CEA] form[s] is submitted. The licensee will receive notice from the Board *only if the course is not approved.*

	The Board counts hours in 0.25 hour increments using 1/4 hour time nearest the actual time, with the exception that 50 minute lectures are counted as one hour in accord with academic tradition.

	EXHIBIT “1"

1.	All schools and colleges of optometry but not their affiliates. For example, alumni associations are considered other providers.

2.	The following AOA & U.S. Affiliated Association:
	Alabama Optometric Association Alaska Optometric Association Arizona Optometric Association Arkansas Optometric Association Armed Forces Optometric Association California Optometric Association Colorado Optometric Association Connecticut Optometric Association Delaware Optometric Association Optometric Society of the District of Columbia Florida Optometric Association Georgia Optometric Association Hawaii Optometric Association Idaho Optometric Association Illinois Optometric Association Indiana Optometric Association Iowa Optometric Association Kansas Optometric Association Kentucky Optometric Association Louisiana State Association of Optometrists Maine Optometric Association Maryland Optometric Association Massachusetts Society of Optometrists Michigan Ooptometric Association Mississippi Optometric Association Missouri Optometric Association Montana Optometric Association Nebraska Optometric Association Nevada State Optometric Association New Hampshire Optometic Association New Jersey Optometric Association New Mexico Optometric Association New York State Optometric Association North Carolina Optometric Association North Dakota Optometric Association Ohio Optometric Association Oklahoma Optometric Association Oregon Optometric Association Pennsylvania Optometric Association Rhode Island Optometric Association South Carolina Optometric Association South Dakota Optometric Society/South Dakota State Board of Optometric Examiners Tennessee Optometric Association Texas Optometric Association Utah Optometric Association Vermont Optometric Association Virginia Optometric Association Washington Optometric Association West Virginia Optometric Association Wisconsin Optometric Association Wyoming Optometric Association
3.	Regional Councils:
	Mountain West Council of Optometrists New England Council of Optometrists North Central States Optometric Council Optometric Council of the National Capital Region Southern Council of Optometrists Southern Council of Optometry
4.	U.S. Government
	Veterans Administration Academy of Health Sciences, USA Air National Guard Optometric Society Brooke Army Medical Center Department of the Army - Office of the Surgeon General 18^th Medical Command 2291^st U.S.A.H. [Reserve] Ireland Army Community Hospital - Optometry Section Naval Medical Command - Southwest Region - Naval Hospital School of Health Care Sciences, USAF - Sheppard AFB, TX [Department o Biomedical Sciences MSDB] Tri Service Optometric Society - Naval Medical Clinic, Barbar’s Point Naval Air Station
5.	OEPF
	Optometric Extension Program Foundation, Inc. Eastern State Optometric Congress Great Lakes Optometric Congress Heart of American Optometric Congress The Invitational Skeffington Symposium Mid American Vision Conference Mountain States Congress of Optometry New Jersey Optometric Extension Program Northeast Congress of Optometry Northwest Congress of Optometry Northeast Vision Conference Reading Advanced Behavioral Vision Seminar Rosario Seminar San Jose Vision Therapy Conference Southwest California Behavioral Vision Seminar Southern California Vision Forum Summerville Behavioral Seminars Sun Valley Behavioral Vision Seminar
6.	Special:
	American Academy of Optometry National Eye Research Foundation Northern Rockies Optometric Conference Council on Practitioner Education of the IAB College of Optometry and Vision Development [COVD]
7.	Any state ophthalmologic society.
8.	Any regional or national ophthalmologic association.
9.	Any medical school affiliated ophthalmology residency program.

POLICY NUMBER 9 Pursuant to NRS 636.135, the following schools and colleges of optometry are accredited by the Nevada Board of Optometry. The Board shall rely on the Council on Optometric Education for information regarding accreditation. The date following each school or college indicates the date the Council will next renew the school or college for accreditation.
	University of Alabama at Birmingham, School of Optometry	2002
	University of California at Berkeley, School of Optometry	2007
	Ferris State University, College of Optometry	2005
	University of Houston, College of Optometry	2006
	Illinois College of Optometry	2002
	Indiana University, School of Optometry	2005
	Inter American University of Puerto Rico, School of Optometry	2005
	University of Missouri, St. Louis, School of Optometry	2001
	University of Montreal, School of Optometry	2008
	New England College of Optometry	2002
	State University of New York, State College of Optometry	2003
	Northeastern State University, College of Optometry	2004
	Nova Southeastern University, College of Optometry	2004
	The Ohio State University, College of Optometry	2003
	Pacific University, College of Optometry	2006
	Pennsylvania College of Optometry	2007
	Southern California College of Optometry	2005
	Southern College of Optometry	2004

POLICY NUMBER 10 Any person requesting multiple verifications of licensure may be required by the Executive Director to make such request in writing to the Executive Director. Any such request must include a fee payment of $25.00. Upon receipt of the request and fee payment, the Executive Director shall provide the requesting party with a copy of the roster. Any person requesting disciplinary information concerning a licensee must make the request in writing.

POLICY NUMBER 11 NRS 636.350 requires that prior to any licensee practicing under an assumed or fictitious name must be issued a certificate from the Board prior to the time he/she commences using the assumed or fictitious name. Any licensee practicing at a medical or surgical facility who applies for registration of an assumed name to be used at the facility must include his professional designation in the assumed name.

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