La. Admin. Code tit. 46 § LIV-331

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 11, November 20, 2024

Section LIV-331 - Supervised Clinical Practice of Foreign-Educated Physical Therapist Provisional Licensees and Foreign-Educated Physical Therapist Assistant Provisional Licensees [Formerly Sections 317 and 319]

A. A clinical supervisor is subject to ratio restrictions pursuant to R.S. 37:2418(F)(2)(a).

B. Before a foreign-educated physical therapist or foreign-educated physical therapist assistant applicant for initial licensure is issued a provisional license, the applicant shall submit to the board:

1. a signed Statement of Responsibility completed by the requesting clinical supervisor;

2. a signed Statement of Placement completed by the director of physical therapy services at the practice site where the clinical supervised practice will take place which includes the name, address, and telephone number and email address for such person; and

3. a description of the types of physical therapy services provided at the site.

C. The executive director shall approve or deny a request made under §331 after assessing whether the facility provides the opportunity for a provisional license holder to attain the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to be evaluated according to a board-approved performance evaluation tool and determines if the site provides a broad base of clinical experience to the foreign-educated provisional licensee including a variety of physical agents, therapeutic exercises, evaluation procedures, and patient physical therapy diagnoses.

1. Clinical sites are approved on a case-by-case basis.

D. As authorized by R.S. 37:2410(6), a foreign-educated provisional licensee shall not begin practicing physical therapy until the executive director has approved the clinical supervisor and the worksite, the foreign-educated provisional licensee has completed the personal interview with a board representative, and the executive director has issued his provisional license.

E. A provisional licensee shall complete a supervised clinical practice at a board-approved clinical site for a minimum of four hours per day, with on premises supervision by a board-approved clinical supervisor who is a physical therapist.

1. The supervised clinical practice shall consist of no less than 1,000 hours and shall be accomplished at a rate of no more than 40 hours and no less than 20 hours per week.

2. The board-approved clinical supervisor of the foreign-educated initial applicant shall cosign all of the foreign-educated provisional licensees treatment documentation within five days of treatment.

F. Supervisor Absence. If, due to illness or continuing education, the board-approved clinical supervisor for the foreign-educated provisional licensee cannot fulfill his supervisory obligations:

1. if absent for five or fewer consecutive days, another PT in good standing may supervise in his place. In such case, the substitute PT is not required to be approved by the board; however, the board-approved clinical supervisor of the foreign-educated provisional licensee, the substitute clinical supervisor of the foreign-educated provisional licensee, and the supervised foreign-educated provisional licensee shall all be held accountable for the care provided to the patient;

2. if absent for more than five consecutive days, the board-approved clinical supervisor of the foreign-educated provisional licensee shall send a written request to the executive director for approval of a substitute supervising physical therapist during his period of absence. The substitution can only occur once written approval is provided by the executive director to the designated supervisor.

G. The approved clinical supervisor shall:

1. observe, assist and support the provisional licensee during the supervised clinical practice;

2. rate the provisional licensees performance during his clinical practice using a board-approved performance evaluation form or tool, indicating the dates of observation, demonstration or discussion of each skill;

3. assess skills required for success in such setting with recommendations for improvement upon completion of a supervised clinical practice site;

4. submit the results of the supervised clinical practice to the board in a timely manner. Approval of the next clinical placement or granting of license, shall not take place until this report is received and evaluated by the executive director; and

5. continue with supervised clinical practice until the supervised foreign-educated provisional licensee receives notice of termination of supervision by issuance of permanent license.

H. A provisional licensee shall not supervise any personnel unless assistance is required to ensure the safety and welfare of the patient during ambulation, transfers, or functional activities.

La. Admin. Code tit. 46, § LIV-331

Promulgated by the Department of Health and Human Resources, Board of Physical Therapy Examiners, LR 13:749 (December 1987), amended by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Board of Physical Therapy Examiners, LR 15:388 (May 1989), LR 17:667 (July 1991), LR 19:208 (February 1993), LR 24:41 (January 1998), LR 26:1447 (July 2000), amended by the Physical Therapy Board, LR 37:3051 (October 2011), Amended by the Department of Health, Physical Therapy, LR 442182 (12/1/2018), Amended by LR 471138 (8/1/2021).

This Section was amended utilizing information from the Sections enumerated. The Historical Note reflects prior action for those enumerated Sections. A comprehensive revision of the Louisiana Physical Therapy Board book (LAC 46:LIV) was effective via the board's October 2011 Rule in the Louisiana Register.

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 37:2410(A) and Act 535 of 2009.