Rhode Island Code of Regulations
Title 216 - Department of health
Chapter 40 - Professional licensing and facility regulation
Subchapter 05 - Professional Licensing
Part 13 - Physical Therapists and Physical Therapist Assistants
Section 216-RICR-40-05-13.4 - Physical Therapists/Licensing Requirements
Universal Citation: 216 RI Code of Rules 40 05 13.4
Current through September 18, 2024
13.4.1 License Requirement
A. Pursuant
to R.I. Gen. Laws §
5-40-9, it is unlawful for any
person to represent him or herself as a physical therapist in this state unless
the person has been licensed pursuant to the provisions of the Act and this
Part.
B. The right of use of the
title of physical therapist shall be in accordance with R.I. Gen. Laws §
5-40-9.
13.4.2 Qualifications for Licensure
Any applicant for licensure shall meet all of the requirements as set forth in R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-40-6.
13.4.3 Application for Licensure and Fee
A. An applicant for licensure to
practice physical therapy in this state must submit the following:
1. Application for licensure on forms
provided by the Department that shall be completed and submitted to the
Board.
2. The non-refundable,
non-returnable application fee as set forth in the Fee Structure for Licensing,
Laboratory and Administrative Services Provided by the Department of Health
(Part 10-05-2 of this Title).
3.
Supporting official transcripts of education credentials as required in §
13.4.2 of this Part.
4. The
examination scores of the national examination approved by the FSBPT submitted
directly to the Board.
5. Full
Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) check from the Rhode Island Attorney
General's Office.
B.
Licensure by Endorsement. An applicant for licensure to practice physical
therapy by endorsement in this state must submit the following:
1. Application for licensure on forms
provided by the Department that shall be completed and submitted to the
Board.
2. The non-refundable,
non-returnable application fee as set forth in the Fee Structure for Licensing,
Laboratory and Administrative Services Provided by the Department of Health
(Part 10-05-2 of this Title).
3.
The examination scores of the national examination approved by the FSBPT
submitted directly to the Board.
4.
A statement from the Board of Physical Therapy in each state in which the
applicant has held or holds licensure submitted to the Board of this state,
attesting to the licensure status of the applicant during the time period the
applicant held licensure in said state.
5. Out-of-state applicants must obtain their
full BCI report from their state of residence.
C. Foreign Trained Applicants. Applicants
from foreign physical therapy schools must present evidence that their
educational credentials are equivalent of those requirements set forth in
§13.4.2 of this Part by an agency approved by the Board. Furthermore,
foreign trained applicants must meet all of the requirements for licensure to
the satisfaction of the Board and in accordance with the statutory and
regulatory provisions of this Part. An applicant for licensure in this state
must provide the following:
1. Application
for licensure on forms provided by the Department that shall be completed and
submitted to the Board.
2. The
non-refundable, non-returnable application fee as set forth in the Fee
Structure for Licensing, Laboratory and Administrative Services Provided by the
Department of Health (Part 10-05-2 of this Title).
3. Provide written proof of authorization to
practice as a physical therapist without limitation(s) in the country(ies)
where the professional education occurred and/or in country(ies) where the
applicant practiced physical therapy.
4. Have successfully passed the national
examination as described in § 13.4.4 of this Part.
5. Any applicant for licensure as a physical
therapist who has received his or her physical therapy training in a country
other than the United States of America, the United Kingdom, the Republic of
Ireland, Canada except Quebec Province, Australia or New Zealand, shall submit
to the Board evidence of attainment of a passing score, as determined by the
Board, on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) examination, which
test shall have been taken within the two (2) years immediately preceding the
filing of the application for licensure. Such evidence must be submitted with
the application for licensure.
6.
Full Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) check from the Rhode Island
Attorney General's Office.
13.4.4 Examinations for Licensure of Physical Therapists
A. Applicants,
except those exempt pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws §
5-40-7, shall be required to pass a
national examination as set forth in R.I. Gen. Laws §
5-40-6.
1. The Board will adopt the
criterion-referenced passing point recommended by FSBPT.
B. Without Examination by Endorsement
1. A license to practice physical therapy may
be issued without examination in accordance with R.I. Gen. Laws §
5-40-7(b).
a. Until such time as a license has been
issued, the candidate for licensure by endorsement may not practice as a
physical therapist in Rhode Island.
C. Re-Examination
In order to qualify for re-examination after three (3) failures, the applicant must request a formal meeting with the Board, at which time requirements consisting of additional coursework and/or training for re-examination will be determined and must be fulfilled prior to admittance to a future examination.
D.
Graduate Practice
Graduate practice shall be in accordance with the provisions of R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-40-7(c).
13.4.5 Issuance and Renewal of License
A. A license to practice
physical therapy in this state, unless sooner suspended or revoked, shall
expire on the first day of May of the next even year following the date of
issuance of the original license.
B. Every licensed person who desires to renew
his or her license shall file a renewal application and documentation in
accordance with R.I. Gen. Laws §
5-40-10 together with the renewal
fee as set forth in the Fee Structure for Licensing, Laboratory and
Administrative Services Provided by the Department of Health (Part 10-05-2 of
this Title).
C. Any person who
allows his or her license to lapse by failing to renew it on or before the
thirty-first day of March of the next even year may be renewed by the
Department on payment of the current renewal fee plus an additional fee as set
forth in the Fee Structure for Licensing, Laboratory and Administrative
Services Provided by the Department of Health (Part 10-05-2 of this Title).
1. Any person using the title "physical
therapist" during the time that his or her license has lapsed shall be subject
to the penalties provided for violations of this Part and the Act.
D. Continuing Education
Requirements
1. Applicants for biennial
licensure renewal shall meet continuing education requirements as prescribed in
this Part.
2. On application for
renewal of license, physical therapists shall attest to completion of
twenty-four (24) hours biennially in scope of practicespecific offerings that
may include, but not be limited to: formal presentations, conferences,
coursework from a regionally accredited college/university and/or self-study
courses, such as on-line courses, one (1) continuing education hour awarded for
each hour completed. Teaching and/or clinical supervision of student affiliates
by licensed physical therapists in APTA approved programs shall be approved for
a maximum of three (3) hours per licensure cycle. Such programs or offerings
shall be approved or sponsored by a Board-approved organization as set forth in
§13.4.5(D)(3) of this Part.
3.
Continuing education programs or offerings sponsored or approved by the
following organizations are deemed to be approved by the Board:
a. Accreditation Council for Continuing
Medical Education (ACCME) approved programs;
b. American Academy of Family Physicians
(AAFP);
c. American Academy of
Neurology;
d. American Academy of
Orthopedics;
e. American Academy of
Pediatrics;
f. American Cancer
Society;
g. American College of
Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG);
h. American Heart Association;
i. American Hippotherapy Association
(AHA);
j. American Management
Association;
k. American Medical
Association;
l. American Nursing
Association (ANA) or its state affiliate;
m. American Occupational Therapy Association
(AOTA);
n. American Physical
Therapy Association (APTA);
o.
American Red Cross cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)/first aid;
p. American Speech and Hearing Association
(ASHA);
q. Any course offered by a
department or school of physical therapy, or professional organization, or
accrediting agency as may be approved by the Board;
r. Aquatic Exercise Association;
s. Arthritis Foundation;
t. Basic water safety
certification;
u. Commission for
Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF);
v. Federation of State Boards of Physical
Therapy;
w. Educational programs
offered by non-profit associations with a primary purpose of providing health
education and/or disability support;
x. Educational programs offered by the Alpert
Medical School at Brown University;
y. Educational programs offered by the Alpert
Medical School at Brown University in public health;
z. Educational programs offered by the Rhode
Island Department of Education;
aa.
Multiple Sclerosis Society;
bb.
National Association of Social Workers (NASW);
cc. National Athletic Trainers Association
(NATA);
dd. National Strength and
Conditioning Association (NSCA);
ee. Neurodevelopmental Treatment
Association;
ff. Paralyzed Veterans
of America;
gg. Rhode Island
American Physical Therapy Association or any other state physical therapy
association;
hh. Rhode Island
Medical Society or other state medical society;
ii. Rhode Island State Nurses Association or
other state nursing association;
jj. Others as may be approved by the Board;
or
kk. Courses that have been
presented, accepted, or approved by other state licensing boards of physical
therapy.
4. It shall be
the sole responsibility of the physical therapist to obtain documentation,
e.g., course descriptions, proof of attendance, from the sponsoring
organization, agency, or institution of his/her participation in a continuing
education program and/or activity. These documents shall be retained by each
licensee for no less than four (4) years and are subject to random audit by the
Department.
5. A licensee who fails
to complete the continuing education requirements described in this Part may be
subject to disciplinary action pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws §
5-40-13.
6. A license may be denied to any applicant
who fails to provide satisfactory evidence of completion of continuing
education relevant to physical therapy as required in this Part.
7. Physical therapists initially licensed by
examination after the May 1st renewal date shall be exempt from the continuing
education requirements stated in this Part until the date of the next renewal
cycle, i.e., April 30th of the next even-numbered year.
8. The Department may extend for only one six
(6) month period these educational requirements if the Department is satisfied
that the applicant has suffered hardship, which prevented meeting the
educational requirements.
13.4.6 The Practice of Physical Therapy
A. Whenever a patient seeks or
receives treatment from a physical therapist without referral from a doctor of
medicine, osteopathy, dentistry, podiatry, or chiropractic, the physical
therapist shall:
1. Disclose to the patient
in writing the scope and limitations of the practice of physical therapy and
shall obtain their consent in writing in accordance with the "American Physical
Therapy Association, Standards of Practice for Physical Therapy" incorporated
above by reference at §
13.2(E) of
this Part; and
2. Refer the patient
to such a practitioner within ninety (90) days after the date treatment
commenced; provided, however, a physical therapist shall not be required to
make such a referral after treatment is concluded.
B. The physical therapist and the physical
therapist assistant is responsible for his/her individual professional
development and continued competence in physical therapy in. accordance with
the "American Physical Therapy Association, Standards of Practice for Physical
Therapy" incorporated above by reference at §
13.2(E) of
this Part and the "American Physical Therapy Association, Standards of Ethical
Conduct for the Physical Therapist Assistant" incorporated above by reference
at §
13.2(C) of
this Part.
C. The physical
therapist shall adhere to the "American Physical Therapy Association, Standards
of Practice for Physical Therapy" incorporated above by reference at §
13.2(E) of
this Part and the "American Physical Therapy Association, Code of Ethics"
incorporated above by reference at §
13.2(A) of
this Part.
D. The physical
therapist assistant shall adhere to the "American Physical Therapy Association,
Standards of Ethical Conduct for the Physical Therapist Assistant" incorporated
above by reference at §
13.2(C) of
this Part and the "American Physical Therapy Association, Guide for Conduct of
the Physical Therapist Assistant" incorporated above by reference at §
13.2(D) of
this Part.
13.4.7 Supervision
A. Pursuant to R.I.
Gen. Laws §
5-40-1(8) a
licensed physical therapist shall at all times be responsible for the
supervision of physical therapist assistants, supportive personnel, and
students to ensure the safety and welfare of patients. Such supervision shall
include but not be limited to the following:
1. A physical therapist shall be present on
the premises, and immediately available whenever a physical therapist student
is performing treatment procedures or patient-related activities. A physical
therapist or physical therapist assistant shall be present on the premises, and
immediately available whenever a physical therapist assistant student or
supportive personnel is performing treatment procedures or patient-related
activities.
2. A qualified physical
therapist must be accessible by telecommunications to the physical therapist
assistant at all times while the physical therapist assistant is treating
patients.
3. The physical therapist
shall maintain the following written documentation regarding the supervision of
a physical therapist assistant:
a. Necessary
instruction;
b. On-site supervision
of the physical therapist assistant's performance;
c. Review of the physical therapist
assistant's documentation;
d. A
reassessment; and,
e. Appropriate
update of the patient's program and goals.
f. All of the above shall occur when
re-evaluation of the patient is indicated but no less than once during a one
(1) month period.
4. The
physical therapist or physical therapist assistant shall maintain the following
written documentation regarding the supervision of supportive personnel:
a. Necessary instruction and documented
competence;
b. Line-of-sight
supervision of the treatment performed by the supportive personnel;
and
c. Review of the supportive
personnel's documentation on a daily basis.
5. In licensed facilities providing chronic
long term care services, in licensed facilities providing services for the
developmentally impaired population, or in school settings certified by the
Department of Education, physical therapist assistants and supportive personnel
may implement programs designed and supervised by the physical therapist in the
above-mentioned settings, if these programs are of the nature and purpose of
practicing or maintaining a skill.
a. These
programs will be implemented under the direction of the physical therapist with
regular interval on-site supervision by the physical therapist, no less than
quarterly for physical therapist assistants, and no less than monthly by the
physical therapist or physical therapist assistant for supportive
personnel.
6. In the
settings noted in §13.4.7(A)(5) of this Part, the physical therapist shall
maintain the following written documentation regarding the supervision of a
physical therapist assistant or supportive personnel:
a. Necessary instruction;
b. On-site supervision of the physical
therapist assistant's/supportive personnel's performance;
c. Review of the physical therapist
assistant's/supportive personnel's documentation;
d. A reassessment; and, appropriate update of
the patient's program and goals.
e.
All of the above shall occur no less than quarterly for a physical therapist
assistant supervised by a physical therapist and no less than monthly for
supportive personnel supervised by either a physical therapist or physical
therapist assistant.
B. When supervising supportive personnel, the
physical therapist shall provide a written plan(s) for the training and
supervision of supportive personnel. The plan shall be in accordance with
current standards of professional practice and shall be reviewed at least
annually and revised as necessary. The plan shall be readily available for
review by all physical therapists and physical therapist assistants who work
with the supportive personnel and shall include:
1. A list of clinical competencies of each
supportive personnel;
2. The method
for monitoring and supervising care provided by the supportive personnel;
and
3. The date reviewed and
signatures of the supervisor and supportive personnel governed by the
plan.
C. No physical
therapist assistant and/or supportive personnel shall evaluate new patients
admitted for physical therapy service and/or establish a physical therapy
treatment program based on the physician's referral or prescription;
and
D. The physical therapist shall
discharge such other supervisory activity(ies) as may be deemed appropriate and
in accordance with policies and procedures of the health care facility and/or
agency.
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Rhode Island may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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