California Code of Regulations
Title 16 - Professional and Vocational Regulations
Division 13.2 - Physical Therapy Board of California
Article 4 - Physical Therapist Assistant
Section 1398.44 - Adequate Supervision Defined
Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 12, March 22, 2024
(a) "Adequate supervision" of a physical therapist assistant shall mean supervision that complies with this section. A physical therapist shall at all times be responsible for all physical therapy services provided by the physical therapist assistant and shall ensure that the physical therapist assistant does not function autonomously. The physical therapist has a continuing responsibility to follow the progress of each patient, and is responsible for determining which elements of a treatment plan may be assigned to a physical therapist assistant.
(b) A physical therapist who performs the initial evaluation of a patient shall be the physical therapist of record for that patient. The physical therapist of record shall remain as such until a reassignment of that patient to another physical therapist of record has occurred. The physical therapist of record shall ensure that a written system of transfer to the succeeding physical therapist exists.
(c) The physical therapist of record shall provide supervision and direction to the physical therapist assistant in the treatment of patients to whom the physical therapist assistant is providing care. The physical therapist assistant shall be able to identify, and communicate with, the physical therapist of record at all times during the treatment of a patient.
(d) A physical therapist assistant shall not:
The prohibitions in subsection (d) above shall not prohibit a physical therapist assistant from collecting and documenting data, administering standard tests, or taking measurements related to patient status.
(e) The physical therapist assistant shall notify the physical therapist of record, document in the patient record any change in the patient's condition not within the planned progress or treatment goals, and any change in the patient's general condition.
1. Repealer of
subsection (f) filed 6-29-83; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 83,
No. 27).
2. Amendment of section and NOTE filed 9-18-96; operative
9-18-96 pursuant to Government Code section
11343.4(d)
(Register 96, No. 38).
3. Repealer and new section filed 6-14-2011;
operative 7-14-2011 (Register 2011, No. 24).
4. Change without
regulatory effect amending subsection (e) and repealing subsection (e)(1) filed
9-21-2015 pursuant to section
100, title 1, California Code of
Regulations (Register 2015, No. 39).
5. Change without regulatory
effect amending NOTE filed 7-6-2017 pursuant to section
100, title 1, California Code of
Regulations (Register 2017, No. 27).
Note: Authority cited: Section 2615, Business and Professions Code. Reference: Sections 2622 and 2630.3, Business and Professions Code.
