What documentation must be provided to participants after completing a CE program?

To ensure that participants receive appropriate recognition for their efforts in continuing education (CE) programs, providing a certificate of completion is essential. This certificate serves as an official acknowledgment that the participant has fulfilled the requirements of the course or program. It typically includes the participant's name, the name of the program, a description of the content, the number of hours completed, and the date of completion.

This document is not only valuable for the participants themselves as they maintain their professional credentials, but it may also be required by licensing boards to substantiate that continuing education requirements have been met.

Other forms of documentation, such as attendance sheets, reports of hours completed, or course syllabi, do not fulfill the same purpose. An attendance sheet tracks who was present but does not provide evidence of the successful completion of the learning objectives. A report of hours completed may summarize attendance but lacks the personalized acknowledgment that a certificate provides. The course syllabus outlines the course content but does not serve as proof of completion.