TITLE 16 OCCUPATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL LICENSING

CHAPTER 20 PHYSICAL THERAPISTS

PART 7 SUPERVISION

16.20.7.1 ISSUING AGENCY: New Mexico Physical Therapy Board.

[10-15-97; 16.20.7.1 NMAC - Rn & A, 16 NMAC 20.7.1, 08-31-00]

16.20.7.2 SCOPE: All individuals who wish to practice physical therapy in the State of New Mexico.

[10-15-97; 16.20.7.2 NMAC - Rn & A, 16 NMAC 20.7.2, 08-31-00]

16.20.7.3 STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Section 61-12-12 NMSA 1978.

[10-15-97; 16.20.7.3 NMAC - Rn, 16 NMAC 20.7.3, 08-31-00]

16.20.7.4 DURATION: Permanent.

[10-15-97; 16.20.7.4 NMAC - Rn, 16 NMAC 20.7.4, 08-31-00]

16.20.7.5 EFFECTIVE DATE: October 15, 1997, unless a later date is cited at the end of a section.

[10-15-97; 16.20.7.5 NMAC - Rn & A, 16 NMAC 20.7.5, 08-31-00]

16.20.7.6 OBJECTIVE: The objective of Part 7 of Chapter 20 is to outline the definitions and requirements of supervision.

[10-15-97; 16.20.7.6 NMAC - Rn, 16 NMAC 20.7.6, 08-31-00; A, 1-12-08]

16.20.7.7 DEFINITIONS: “Unlicensed physical therapy assistive personnel (physical therapy aide or other assistive personnel)” means a person trained under the direction of a physical therapist who performs designated and supervised routine physical therapy tasks related to physical therapy services.

[10-15-97; 16.20.7.7 NMAC - Rn, 16 NMAC 20.7.7, 08-31-00; A, 1-12-08; A, 08/01/09; 8/16/10]

16.20.7.8 SUPERVISION OF LICENSED PERSONNEL:

A. A physical therapist may not be responsible for the direction and supervision of more than two full-time physical therapist assistants, or two FTE’s (full-time equivalency totaling eighty (80) work hours per week) requiring supervision, including temporary physical therapists, temporary physical therapist assistants, and licensed physical therapist assistants.

B. A physical therapist may supervise two or more physical therapist assistants provided combined FTE’s do not exceed more than eighty (80) hours per week.

C. When supervising another licensee, a physical therapist planning an absence from work (vacation, leave of absence, continuing education) must arrange for another physical therapist to supervise the licensee in his place.

D. A physical therapist supervising a temporary licensee must notify the New Mexico physical therapy licensing board, in writing, when they are no longer responsible for supervision of a temporary licensee.

E. The referring physical therapist must hold documented conferences with the physical therapist assistant regarding the patient. The physical therapist is responsible for determining the frequency of the conferences consistent with accepted standards of practice.

[10-15-97; 16.20.7.8 NMAC - Rn, 16 NMAC 20.7.8, 08-31-00; A, 03-02-06; A, 1-12-08; A, 08/01/09]

16.20.7.9 SUPERVISION OF UNLICENSED ASSISTIVE PERSONNEL (PHYSICAL THERAPY AIDE/TECHNICIAN/ATTENDANT): A licensed physical therapist may only supervise unlicensed aides working as care-giving assistive personnel, provided the assistive personnel’s combined full time equivalency does not exceed 80 hours per week.

[10-15-97; 16.20.7.9 NMAC - Rn, 16 NMAC 20.7.9, 08-31-00; A, 1-12-08; A, 08/01/09; 8/16/10]

HISTORY of 16.20.7 NMAC:

Pre-NMAC History: The material in this part was derived from that previously filed with the commission of public records, state records center and archives:

Rule 91-13, Supervision, filed 5-8-91,

Rule 92-13, Supervision, filed 9-3-92.

History of the Repealed Material: [Reserved]

Other History:

Rule 92-13, Supervision (filed 9-3-92) was renumbered and reformatted to 16 NMAC 20.7, Supervision, effective 10-15-97.

16 NMAC 20.7, Supervision (filed 9-30-97) was renumbered, reformatted and amended to 16.20.7 NMAC, Supervision, effective 8-31-00.