Chronic Fatigue Syndrome > Continuing Education > Continuing Education Portal > A Primer for Allied Health Professionals

A Primer for Allied Health Professionals, Course WB3151

The web-based curriculum, CFS: A Primer for Allied Health Professionals provides a general overview of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and specific information concerning the care of persons with CFS. The material was developed for allied health care professionals, particularly those working in the behavioral (psychologists, marriage and family counselors, psychiatric nurses and social workers) and rehabilitative (physical therapists, occupational therapists, exercise physiologists, personal trainers, chiropractors and massage therapists) disciplines. The information is also applicable to physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants, who have primary responsibility for diagnosis and management of CFS.

The average completion time for CFS: A Primer for Allied Health Professionals is 2.5 hours. Participants have the option to earn CME, CNE, CEU or CECH credits free of charge. We ask that you review the course information below before registering for the course.

This program provides information for use in clinical practice. Feedback on the course content and its usefulness is welcomed; please note your observations in the comment section of the course evaluation. For those who wish more in-depth information, references follow the course material.

Click here to read course content.

Faculty and Credentials

This educational module is based upon curriculum content from the CDC primary care provider education project and experts in CFS and allied health also contributed to the development of the program’s content.

The following individuals are considered content experts for this activity:

James Jones, MD, Research Medical Officer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Teresa Lupton, RN, BSS, Coordinator for Medical Opportunities, CFIDS Association of America
Kimbery McCleary, BA, CEO, CFIDS Association of America
William Reeves, MD, Branch Chief, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Vicki Walker, BA, Manager, Research and Public Policy, CFIDS Association of America (formerly)

CDC, our planners, and our content experts wish to disclose they have no financial interests or other relationships with the manufacturers of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services, or commercial supporters. Content will not include any discussion of the unlabeled use of a product or a product under investigational use.

Please see the development team page for a complete listing of program advisors.

Origin Date: 7/1/2006 Expiration Date: 6/30/2009

Goal Statement

The goals of this educational activity are to offer a general overview of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and provide information that is valuable in the clinical setting.

Course Objectives

After completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

Define CFS according to the 1994 Case Definition.
Explain the diagnostic process for CFS.
Identify management strategies for CFS.
Recognize the wide-ranging impact of CFS.

Course Instructions

REVIEW course information on this page.
READ The course features an up-to-date curriculum, two case studies, downloadable booklet on Assessing and Documenting Impairment in CFS and additional fact sheets on CFS.
COMPLETE LEARNING ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION Following the course, participants are given two opportunities to score 70% or higher on a learning assessment and are also required to complete a course evaluation. Please note that all certificates are issued only after completion of both successful completion of the post test and the evaluation.

Continuing Education Credits

In order to earn continuing education (CE) credits, participants in this learning experience must complete:

Core content and associated supplemental graphics/pages
Two case study reviews
Learning Assessment
Course evaluation

Participants are given two opportunities to score 70% or higher on the post-course and to complete a course evaluation.

Accreditation

Continuing education qualification is determined by the organization from which you are licensed. The best way to determine if any of the credit categories listed below apply to your discipline is to contact the licensing organization directly. Most states and organizations have their own set of regulations; CME (physician and non-physician), CNE, CEU and CECH, all of which are offered for this course, are generally accepted nationally.

CME Credits

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention designates this educational activity for a maximum of 2.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

CNE Credits

This activity for 2 contact hours is provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is accredited as a provider of continuing education in nursing by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditations.

Note to Nurses: CDC is accredited as a provider of continuing education in nursing by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Commission on Accreditation. ANCC credit is accepted by most State Boards of Nursing.

California: The California Board of Nursing will accept CDC’s ANCC credit for self-study courses. However, they will not accept ANCC credit for courses offered within the state of California. When applying for re-licensure using ANCC credit, write-in “ANCC self-study.” A provider number is not needed.

Iowa: Courses that are presented via "live" distance learning technologies, such as teleconferences or satellite programs, must be covered by an approved Iowa provider if they are attended at a site within Iowa. There are no exceptions to this requirement.

However, courses taken as self-study over the Internet, are acceptable if they are either covered by an approved Iowa provider, granted special approval, are approved by the ANA (or ANCC), the NLN, the NFLPN, NAPNES, or if they are approved by a board of nursing in another mandatory continuing education state.

Reference: IAC 655, Chapter 5 - 5.2(2)f(i)

CECH Credits

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is a designated provider of continuing education contact hours (CECH) in health education by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. This program is a designated event for the CHES to receive 2.5 Category I contact hours in health education, CDC provider number GA0082

CEU Credits

The CDC has been approved as an Authorized Provider by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET), 1760 Old Meadow Road, Suite 500, McLean, VA 22102. The CDC is authorized by IACET to offer 0.2 CEU's for this program.

Instructions for Obtaining Continuing Education Credit

Go to the CDC/ATSDR Training and Continuing Education Online at http://www.cdc.gov/TCEOnline. If you have not registered as a participant, click on New Participant to create a user ID and password; otherwise click on Participant Login and login.
Once logged on to the CDC/ATSDR Training and Continuing Education Online Web site, you will be on the Participant Services page. Click on Search and Register. Enter the course number (WB3151) or a keyword under Keyword Search. Click on View.
Click on the course title “CFS: A Primer for Allied Health Professionals” Select the type of CE credit you would like to receive and then click Submit. Three demographic questions will come up. Complete the questions and then Submit. A message will come up thanking you for registering for the course. If you have already completed the course you may choose to go right to the evaluation and posttest. Complete the evaluation and Submit. Complete the post-test and Submit. A record of your course completion will be located in the Transcript and Certificate section.

If you have any questions or problems please contact: CDC/ATSDR Training and Continuing Education Online 1-800-41TRAIN or 404-639-1292. E-mail at ce@cdc.gov

The materials and continuing education credits are free. Requirements for obtaining continuing education include reading CFS: a Primer for Allied Health Professionals, registering on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s continuing education Web site (www.cdc.gov/TCEOnline), and completing an evaluation form and post-test.

Copyright Statement

The content in the continuing education curriculum WB3151 is public domain. Any copyrighted materials are identified using publication references (citations).