Oregon

United States Physical Therapy Practice Acts

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Temporary License Requirements/Availability

• The board may issue a temporary license or permit upon satisfactory application and payment of a registration fee established by the board by rule.
• The Physical Therapist Licensing Board, may issue without examination a temporary permit to a person to practice as a physical therapist in this state if the person files an application for license and pays to the board at the time of filing the application the temporary permit fee.
• A person holding a temporary permit may practice physical therapy only under the direction of a licensed physical therapist.
• A person with a temporary permit (issued because they graduated from a CAPTE accredited school in a U.S state or territory and are applying to take the licensure exam for the first time or is a foreign educated physical therapist who has
  graduated from a CAPTE accredited physical therapist program) must practice under on-site supervision, which means that at all times a supervising therapist is in the same building and immediately available for consultation.
• A person who holds a temporary permit issued because they hold a valid current license to practice in another state or territory of the United States must practice under general supervision, which means that at all times a supervising therapist must be readily available for consultation, either in person or by telecommunication.
  
• Entries made in the patient record by a temporary permit holder must be authenticated by the permit holder and by a supervising therapist.
  
• The temporary permit shall be granted for a period not to exceed three months. The board may renew the temporary permit at its discretion for an additional three months, but no longer.
  

Requirements for License

A license is required to practice physical therapy. Unless a person is a licensed physical therapist or holds a permit issued from the board, a person shall not:

• Practice physical therapy
• Use in connection with the name of the person the words or letters, “P.T.”, “R.P.T.”, “L.P.T.”, “physical therapist”, “physiotherapist” or any other letters, words, abbreviations or insignia indicating that the person is a physical therapist, or purports to be a physical therapist.

Each physical therapist shall display a copy of the physical therapist’s license or current renewal verification in a location accessible to public view at the physical therapist’s place of practice or employment.

Supervision

A physical therapist aide must have direct on-site supervision from a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant and perform designated and supervised routine tasks of physical therapy as determined by the physical therapist or assistant.

A physical therapist assistant is supervised and directed by the physical therapist.

A physical therapist may supervise a maximum total of two physical therapist aides, when the aides are performing treatment-related tasks. In addition, a physical therapist may supervise additional aides who are not performing treatment related tasks.

A physical therapist or physical therapist assistant shall not permit an aide to perform any of the following treatment-related tasks:
(1) Administer iontophoresis. However, an aide who has been trained to do so may assist with iontophoresis by applying the medication to the electrode so long as a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant administers it to the patient.
(2) Administer phonophoresis. However, an aide may operate the sound head if the physical therapist or physical therapist assistant has applied the medication to the patient, determined the treatment protocols and parameters, as provided in the plan of care, and authorizes the aide to provide the treatment.
(3) Administer electrotherapy. However an aide may perform this task if the physical therapist or physical therapist assistant has examined the patient in person on the day of treatment and determined the electrode placements, treatment protocols and parameters, as provided in the plan of care, and authorizes the aide to
provide the treatment.
(4) Administer ultrasound. However an aide may perform this task if the physical therapist or physical therapist assistant has examined the patient in person on the day of treatment and determined the treatment protocols and parameters, as provided in the plan of care, and authorizes the aide to provide the treatment.
(5) Administer mechanized or manual traction.
(6) Perform manual stretching with the goal of increasing range of motion, neuro-facilitation or cardiac therapeutic exercise.
(7) Perform soft tissue mobilization or massage (other than effleurage and petrissage). However, an aide who is separately
licensed or registered under another Oregon statute to do so may perform these tasks if done under the direction and on-site supervision.
(8) Wound debridement.
(9) Administer tilt table or standing frame. However an aide may perform these tasks if the physical therapist or physical therapist assistant has examined the patient in person on the day of treatment and determined the treatment protocols and parameters, as provided in the plan of care, and authorizes the aide to provide the treatment.
(10) Joint mobilization or manipulation.
(11) Determine or modify a plan of care.
(12) Initiate or administer a physical therapy intervention the first time that intervention is administered or provided to a patient. This prohibition means that a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant must provide or administer the entire specific intervention before delegating that task to an aide.
(13) Independently make entries in a patient record, except for objective information about the treatment provided by the aide. The aide shall authenticate the record entry. A physical therapist or physical therapist assistant may also
dictate information to an aide for entry into a patient medical record, so long as the physical therapist or physical therapist assistant authenticates such entries.
(14) Instruct a patient or a patient's caregiver in the application of any treatment.
(15) Except as required to respond to an inquiry by the Board or other person authorized to receive the information, answer or discuss any questions regarding a patient's status or treatment with anyone other than the physical therapist or physical therapist assistant.

Grounds exist for the imposition of sanctions when a person:

• Fails as a physical therapist to supervise physical therapist assistants in accordance with board rules.
• Fails as a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant to supervise physical therapist aides in accordance with board rules.
  
  

Physical Therapy Students

• A physical therapist may allow a student physical therapist (SPT) to provide treatment consistent with the individual student's education, experience and skills.
• At all times, a supervising physical therapist must provide onsite supervision of an SPT who provides treatment to a
  patient.
• For purposes of this rule "supervising physical therapist" means the physical therapist who is responsible for that patient's
  treatment on the day the SPT or SPTA provides treatment.
• For purposes of this rule "on-site supervision" means that at all times the supervising physical therapist is in the same building and immediately available to provide in person direction, assistance, advice or instruction to the student.
  
• Documentation by a student physical therapist SPT shall be authenticated on the same day by the student and by a supervising physical therapist.

References

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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.