Current through August 31, 2023
A physical therapist shall supervise and be responsible for
patient care given by physical therapist assistants, supportive personnel,
physical therapy students, and physical therapist assistant students.
(3-28-23)
01.
Procedures and
Interventions Performed Exclusively by Physical Therapist. The following
procedures and interventions shall be performed exclusively by a physical
therapist: (3-28-23)
a. Interpretation of a
referral for physical therapy if a referral has been received.
(3-28-23)
b. Performance of the
initial patient evaluation and problem identification including a diagnosis for
physical therapy and a prognosis for physical therapy. (3-28-23)
c. Development or modification of a treatment
plan of care which is based on the initial evaluation and which includes
long-term and short-term physical therapy treatment goals. (3-28-23)
d. Assessment of the competence of physical
therapist assistants, physical therapy students, physical therapist assistant
students, and supportive personnel to perform assigned procedures,
interventions and routine tasks. (3-28-23)
e. Selection and delegation of appropriate
portions of treatment procedures, interventions and routine physical therapy
tasks to the physical therapist assistants, physical therapy students, physical
therapist assistant students, and supportive personnel. (3-28-23)
f. Performance of a re-evaluation when any
change in a patient's condition occurs that is not consistent with the physical
therapy treatment plan of care, patient's anticipated progress, and physical
therapy treatment goals. (3-28-23)
g. Performance and documentation of a
discharge evaluation and summary of the physical therapy treatment plan.
(3-28-23)
h. Performance of dry
needling. (3-28-23)
02.
Supervision of Physical Therapist Assistants. A physical therapist
assistant must be supervised by a physical therapist by no less standard than
general supervision. (3-28-23)
a. A physical
therapist assistant must not change a procedure or intervention unless such
change of procedure or intervention has been included within the treatment plan
of care as set forth by a physical therapist. (3-28-23)
b. A physical therapist assistant may not
continue to provide treatment as specified under a treatment plan of care if a
patient's condition changes such that further treatment necessitates a change
in the established treatment plan of care unless the physical therapist
assistant has consulted with the supervising physical therapist prior to the
patient's next appointment for physical therapy, and a re-evaluation is
completed by the supervising physical therapist. (3-28-23)
c. The supervising physical therapist must
provide direct personal contact with the patient and assess the plan of care on
or before every ten (10) visits or once a week if treatment is performed more
than once per day but no less often than once every sixty (60) days. The
supervising therapist's assessment must be documented in the patient record.
(3-28-23)
d. A physical therapist
assistant may refuse to perform any procedure, intervention, or task delegated
by a physical therapist when such procedure, intervention, or task is beyond
the physical therapist assistant's skill level or scope of practice standards.
(3-28-23)
e. A physical therapist
is not required to co-sign any treatment related documents prepared by a
physical therapist assistant, unless required to do so in accordance with law,
or by a third-party. (3-28-23)
03.
Supervision of Supportive
Personnel. Any routine physical therapy tasks performed by supportive
personnel requires direct personal supervision. (3-28-23)
04.
Supervision of Physical Therapy and
Physical Therapist Assistant Students. Supervision of physical therapy
students and physical therapist assistant students requires direct supervision.
(3-28-23)
a. A physical therapy student is
only supervised by the direct supervision of a physical therapist.
(3-28-23)
b. A physical therapy
student is required to sign all treatment notes with the designation "SPT"
after their name, and all such signatures require the co-signature of the
supervising physical therapist. (3-28-23)
c. A physical therapist assistant student is
required to sign all treatment notes with the designation "SPTA" after their
name, and all such signatures require the co-signature of the supervising
physical therapist or supervising physical therapist assistant.
(3-28-23)
05.
Supervision Ratios. (3-28-23)
a.
At any one time, the physical therapist may supervise up to a total of three
supervised personnel, who are physical therapist assistants or supportive
personnel. If the physical therapist is supervising the maximum of three
supervised personnel at any one time, no more than two of the supervised
personnel may be supportive personnel or physical therapist assistants.
(3-28-23)
b. In addition to the
supervised personnel authorized in a. of this subsection, the physical
therapist may supervise two persons engaging in direct patient care who are
pursuing a course of study leading to a degree as a physical therapist or a
physical therapist assistant. (3-28-23)