TITLE 16 OCCUPATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL LICENSING

CHAPTER 20 PHYSICAL THERAPISTS

PART 7 SUPERVISION

16.20.7.1 ISSUING AGENCY: New Mexico Physical Therapy Board.

[10/15/1997; 16.20.7.1 NMAC - Rn & A, 16 NMAC 20.7.1, 8/31/2000]

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

[10/15/1997; 16.20.7.2 NMAC - Rn & A, 16 NMAC 20.7.2, 8/31/2000]

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

[10/15/1997; 16.20.7.3 NMAC - Rn, 16 NMAC 20.7.3, 8/31/2000]

16.20.7.4 DURATION: Permanent.

[10/15/1997; 16.20.7.4 NMAC - Rn, 16 NMAC 20.7.4, 8/31/2000]

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

[10/15/1997; 16.20.7.5 NMAC - Rn & A, 16 NMAC 20.7.5, 8/31/2000]

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

[10/15/1997; 16.20.7.6 NMAC - Rn, 16 NMAC 20.7.6, 8/31/2000; A, 1/12/2008]

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 that performs designated and supervised routine physical therapy tasks related to physical therapy services.

[10/15/1997; 16.20.7.7 NMAC - Rn, 16 NMAC 20.7.7, 8/31/2000; A, 1/12/2008; A, 8/1/2009; A, 8/16/2010; A, 9/30/2014]

16.20.7.8 SUPERVISION OF LICENSED PERSONNEL:

A. A physical therapist may not be responsible for the direction and supervision of more than three full-time physical therapist assistants, or three FTE’s (full-time equivalency totaling 120 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 three or more physical therapist assistants provided combined FTE’s do not exceed more than 120 hours per week.

C. When physical therapy services are being provided, a licensed physical therapist must be on call and readily available for consultation by phone or electronic mail when the referring physical therapist leaves the area or facility, for any length of time or the referring physical therapist must appoint a stand in physical therapist as a supervising therapist until such time the referring physical therapist returns to the facility.

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 within the facility in which they work.

[10/15/1997; 16.20.7.8 NMAC - Rn, 16 NMAC 20.7.8, 8/31/2000; A, 03-02-06; A, 1/12/2008; A, 8/1/2009; A, 9/30/2014; A, 7/28/2019]

16.20.7.9 SUPERVISION OF UNLICENSED ASSISTIVE PERSONNEL (PHYSICAL THERAPY AIDE/TECHNICIAN/ATTENDANT):

A. 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 120 hours per week.

B. Physical therapy aides and other assistive personnel shall perform patient care activities under on-site supervision of a physical therapist. “On-site supervision” means the supervising physical therapist:

(1) be continuously on-site and present in the department or facility where the assistive personnel are performing services;

(2) be immediately available to assist the person being supervised in the services being performed; and

(3) maintain continued involvement in appropriate aspects of each treatment session in which a component of treatment is delegated to assistive personnel.

[10/15/1997; 16.20.7.9 NMAC - Rn, 16 NMAC 20.7.9, 8/31/2000; A, 1/12/2008; A, 8/1/2009; A, 8/16/2010; A, 9/30/2014; A, 7/28/2019]

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 5/8/1991,

Rule 92-13, Supervision, filed 9/3/1992.

History of the Repealed Material: [Reserved]

Other History:

Rule 92-13, Supervision (filed 9/3/1992) was renumbered and reformatted to 16 NMAC 20.7, Supervision, effective 10/15/1997.

16 NMAC 20.7, Supervision (filed 9/30/1997) was renumbered, reformatted and amended to 16.20.7 NMAC, Supervision, effective 8/31/2000.