Guest editorial, July/August 2007:
The Better Way of Recertifying
Mary Anderson, CPST-I, Team Ohio
Recertifying this year can be frustrating because the new process was designed to be done during a two-year period. If you are a bit confused, I can feel your pain because many of the techs I work with have no clue how to get through the process.
However, I can tell you from an instructor’s viewpoint this process is the BEST thing that has happened in the CPS world today. What other professional certification would allow you to renew without updating your skills? During the last six months, I have taught seven Update Classes for techs and I will tell you it is scary to see techs who were originally certified in 2000 who have renewed under the old requirements but who never have read a newsletter or research article, been to a Refresher Course or Conference, or used update websites. And yet, these same techs are putting in car seats with LATCH, which was only “on the horizon” when they trained. They are still installing, not educating. Many also are not using instructions, have no access to updated instructions, and have no clue what a LATCH manual is.
Personally, I applaud Safe Kids and our CPS Board for all the work and thought that has gone into this whole process, which will make us all better techs and instructors. This new process forces us to stay up-to-date with our skills.
Planning ahead will make it much easier on you. While the earliest you can complete your recertification is four months prior to your expiration date, that doesn’t mean you should wait until then to log seat check activity and CEU’s. In fact, it is best to start now – anytime in your certification cycle. There is plenty of help available at www.cert.safekids.org and in the monthly CPS Express! delivered via e-mail. Know your user name and password, and keep your personal profile up-to-date. If you don’t know this information, call Customer Service (877-366-8154, M-F, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET). Keep backup information about your CEUs (certificates of attendance, proof of purchase letters, quizzes taken) and community education activities in your own file.
It is especially important not to leave logging your seat check activity for approval until the last minute! For every seat an instructor approves at an event and the CPST enters, that instructor has to go on-line to confirm your activity. Can you imagine an instructor trying to handle 170 techs each entering five seat checks posted at the last minute and wanting instant approval to meet their deadlines?
As a final precaution, maintain your documentation of all of the above until three months after you have received your recertification confirmation. Then start a new folder for the next cycle.
The bottom line is: let’s work together as a team to make sure it is easy for everyone. So if you know a technician who needs a bit of encouragement to get started early, or who isn’t comfortable with the online system, give them a boost!
Mary Anderson,
CPST-I, Team Ohio
Preble County Health Dept.
panderson13@woh.rr.com
Safe Ride News, July/August 2007