Current through September 16, 2024
1. An occupational therapy assistant or a
provisional licensee shall not practice occupational therapy without the
general supervision of an occupational therapist. Immediate physical presence
or constant presence on the premises where the occupational therapy assistant
or provisional licensee is practicing is not required of the occupational
therapist. To provide satisfactory general supervision, the treating
occupational therapist shall:
(a) Provide an
initial program of intervention, and any subsequent changes to the initial
program, for patients assigned to the occupational therapy assistant or
provisional licensee.
(b) Not less
than 1 hour for each 40 hours of work performed by the occupational therapy
assistant or provisional licensee and, in any event, not less than 1 hour each
month, engage in:
(1) Clinical observation of
the occupational therapy assistant or provisional licensee; or
(2) Direct communication with the
occupational therapy assistant or provisional licensee. The mode and frequency
of that communication is dependent upon the setting for the practice of the
occupational therapy assistant or provisional licensee. Direct communication
may consist of, without limitation:
(I) Direct
or joint treatment of a patient;
(II) Personal supervision of the occupational
therapy assistant or provisional licensee while providing services;
(III) Conversation, in person or by
telephone;
(IV) Exchange of written
comments;
(V) Review of patient
records;
(VI) Conferences, or other
face-to-face meetings; or
(VII)
Communications conducted using audio-video communications technology.
(c) Establish the
patient workload of the occupational therapy assistant or provisional licensee
based on the competency of the occupational therapy assistant or provisional
licensee as determined by the occupational therapist.
(d) Review written documentation prepared by
the occupational therapy assistant or provisional licensee during the course of
treatment of a patient. The completion of this review by the occupational
therapist may be evidenced by:
(1) Preparation
of a separate progress note; or
(2)
The occupational therapist signing and dating the document prepared by the
occupational therapy assistant or provisional licensee.
2. The treating occupational
therapist and the occupational therapy assistant or provisional licensee shall
jointly:
(a) Document, in a manner other than
the mere signing of service records prepared by another person, the supervision
required pursuant to this section the preparation of:
(1) Daily or weekly treatment or intervention
schedules;
(2) Logs of supervision,
which include, without limitation, the time and date of supervision, the type
of supervision provided and the subject matter covered during the supervision;
and
(3) Patient records.
(b) Ensure that the record
regarding a patient treated by the occupational therapy assistant or
provisional licensee is signed, dated and reviewed at least monthly by the
occupational therapy assistant or provisional licensee and the occupational
therapist. In reviewing the record, the occupational therapist and the
occupational therapy assistant or provisional licensee shall verify, without
limitation:
(1) The accuracy of the record;
and
(2) That there is continuity in
the services received by the patient pursuant to the program of
intervention.
3. An occupational therapy assistant or
provisional licensee may assist an occupational therapist in:
(a) Preparing and disseminating any written
or oral reports, including, without limitation, the final evaluation and
discharge summary of a patient;
(b)
Unless the treatment is terminated by a patient or his or her provider of
health care, determining when to terminate treatment; and
(c) Delegating duties to an occupational
therapy aide or technician.
4. An occupational therapy assistant or
provisional licensee shall document all treatment provided to a patient by the
occupational therapy assistant or provisional licensee.
5. An occupational therapist shall not
delegate responsibilities to an occupational therapy assistant or provisional
licensee which are beyond the scope of the training of the occupational therapy
assistant or provisional licensee.
6. The provisions of this section do not
prohibit an occupational therapy assistant or provisional licensee from
responding to acute changes in a patient's condition that warrant immediate
assistance or treatment.
7. As used
in this section, "sign" means to inscribe by handwriting or electronic means
one's name, initials or license number.
Added to NAC
by Bd. of Occupational Therapy, eff. 12-23-92; A 5-23-95; R083-99, 9-27-99;
R179-01, 9-20-2002; R210-07, 9-18-2008; A by
R017-14, eff. 10/24/2014; A by
R067-17AP,
eff. 5/16/2018; A by
R001-21A,
eff. 12/22/2021
NRS
640A.110
