Michigan

United States Physical Therapy Practice Acts

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Temporary License Requirements/Availability

A person shall not engage in the practice of physical therapy or practice as a physical therapist assistant unless licensed or otherwise authorized under this part. A person shall engage in the actual treatment of an individual only upon the prescription of an individual holding a license issued under part 166, 170, 175, or 180, or the equivalent license issued by another state.

The board shall grant a limited license to an applicant who is a graduate of a physical therapist assistant education program accredited by the commission on accreditation in physical therapy education. A limited license issued under this section is effective until the board formally issues or denies a license to the applicant.

Requirements for License

• Program accreditation standards; physical therapist; adoption of standards by reference. Rule 31.

(1) The board approves and adopts by reference in these rules the standards and evaluative criteria for accreditation of physical therapist educational programs set forth by the commission on accreditation in physical therapy education in the document entitled "Evaluative Criteria for Accreditation of Education Programs for the Preparation of Physical Therapists," effective January 1, 2006.

(2) Any educational program for physical therapists that is accredited by the commission on accreditation in physical therapy education qualifies as a physical therapist educational program approved by the board.

• In addition to meeting the requirements of the code and these administrative rules, an applicant shall meet all of the following requirements:
  (a) Graduate from an accredited physical therapist educational program that meets the standards adopted by the board (b) Pass a physical therapist licensure examination that is approved by the board.
  (c) Pass the examination on laws and rules related to the practice of physical therapy in Michigan which is administered by the department.

• To be eligible for examination, an applicant shall meet 1 of the following requirements:

(a) Graduate from an accredited physical therapist educational program that meets the standards adopted by the board in (b) Comply with the requirements of R 338.7135.
(c) Submit documentation acceptable to the board verifying that the applicant is currently enrolled in the final semester, term, or quarter of an approved physical therapist educational program and is expected to graduate.

Supervision 

A  physical  therapist  who  delegates  acts,  tasks,  functions,  or interventions  to  a  physical  therapist  assistant  shall  provide  general supervision of the physical therapist assistant. 

• "General supervision" means that the PT is not required to be physically present on site, but must be continuously available  at  the  time the procedure is performed.
• Continuously available includes  availability  by telecommunication or other electronic device.
• A PT may not supervise more than 4 PTAs at one time

 A  physical  therapist  who  delegates  acts,  tasks,  functions,  or interventions  shall also comply  with  all  of the following:

  (a)  Ensure the qualifications of the PTA under the PT's supervision, including verification of the  PTA's training, education, and licensure.
  (b)   Examine  and  evaluate  the  patient  or  client  before  delegating interventions to be performed by a PTA.
  (c)  Provide supervision of a PTA to  whom  acts, tasks, functions, or interventions have been delegated.
  (d)  Provide  predetermined  procedures  and  protocols  for  acts,  tasks, functions, or interventions that have been delegated.
  (e)  Maintain a record of the names of the PTAs to whom acts, tasks, functions, or interventions have been delegated.
  (f)  Monitor a PTA's practice  and  provision  of assigned physical therapy acts, tasks, functions, or interventions.
  (g)  Meet regularly and in person with the physical therapist assistant  to whom acts, tasks, functions, or interventions have been delegated to evaluate the  assistant's  performance,  review  records,  and  educate  the  PTA on the acts, tasks, functions, or interventions that have been delegated.

Physical Therapy Students 

A PT who delegates acts, tasks,  or  functions  to  an unlicensed individual shall provide  direct  supervision  of  the  unlicensed individual. 

•  "Direct  supervision"  means  that  the physical therapist  is  physically  present  and  immediately  available  for
  direction and supervision when patients or clients are present  at  the  time the act, task, or function is performed, and that the PT has direct contact with the patient during each visit. (Not applicable to Student PT or Student PTA)

 A physical therapist who delegates acts,  tasks,  or  functions utilizing an unlicensed professional should abide by the following:
  (a)  Ensure the qualifications  of  the  unlicensed  individual  under  the PT's direct  supervision,  including  verification  of  the unlicensed individual's training and education.
  (b)  Examine and evaluate the patient before  delegating  acts, tasks, or functions to be performed by an unlicensed individual. (Not applicable to Student PT or Student PTA)
  (c)  Supervise an unlicensed individual to whom acts, tasks,  or  functions have been delegated.
  (d)  Provide predetermined procedures and protocols  for  acts,  tasks,  or functions that have been delegated.
  (e)  Maintain a record of the names of the unlicensed individuals  to  whom acts, tasks, or functions have been delegated.
  (f)  Monitor an unlicensed individual's practice and provision of  assigned acts, tasks, or functions.
  (g)  Meet regularly and in person with the unlicensed  individual  to  whom acts, tasks, or functions have been delegated to  evaluate  the  individual's performance, review records, and educate the  unlicensed  individual  on  the acts, tasks, or functions that have been delegated.

A PT  shall  not  supervise  more  than  3  unlicensed individuals at the same time, regardless of whether  the  PT has delegated the supervision of  an  unlicensed  individual  to  a  PTA 

A physical therapist shall not delegate the performance of a  physical therapy intervention to an unlicensed individual. (Not applicable to a Student PT or Student PTA)

Is there anything unusual about this act?

• An applicant who fails to achieve passing scores on the examinations required in R 338. 7133 may retake either or both of the examinations without limitation. Thinking in the future that the APTA or the FSBPT will limit the amount of board re-takes.
• The board approves the examination on laws and rules related to the practice of physical therapy in Michigan which is administered by the department. The passing score on the laws and rules examination is a converted score of not less than 75. The FSBPT passing scores were not specified and it was odd to find it narrowed down into a percentage.

Recent Related Research (from Pubmed)

 

http://www.apta.org/Licensure/StatePracticeActs/

References

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Michigan Legislature. http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(ddwz1quq5esrisa2lpowno55))/mileg.aspx?page=getObject&objectName=mcl-333-17827 Accessed April 17, 2012.

Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Available at http://www.state.mi.us/orr/emi/admincode.asp?AdminCode=Single&Admin_Num=33807101&Dpt=CH&RngHigh= Accessed April 18, 2012.

Disclaimer:   Informational Content is assimilated from the state practice act is a resource only and should not be considered a  substitute for the content within the state practice act.  All state practice acts can change and it is recommended that you refer to the original resource in the link above.