Applicant - Any individual seeking licensure by the board and who has submitted an official application and paid the application fee.

Clinical Student - A student enrolled in a CAPTE approved developing program or a CAPTE accredited physical therapy program or regionally accredited post professional physical therapist program.

Consultation - A meeting that is conducted either face-to-face or by some other medium such as, but not limited to, telephone, facsimile, mail, or electronic means, wherein two or more health professionals discuss the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of a particular case.

Licensed Physical Therapist (PT) - Any person who has met the qualifications for licensed physical therapist and holds a current, unsuspended and unrevoked license which has been lawfully issued by the board.

Licensed Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) - Any person who has met the qualifications for licensed PTA and holds a current, unsuspended and unrevoked license that has been lawfully issued by the board. PTAs perform physical therapy procedures and related tasks that have been selected and delegated only by the supervising PT.

Onsite Supervision - The supervising PT or PTA must:

• Be continuously onsite and present in the department or facility where assistive personnel are performing services;
• Be immediately available to assist the person being supervised in the services being performed; and
• Maintain continued involvement in appropriate aspects of each treatment session in which a component of treatment is delegated to assistive personnel.

Physical Therapist - A person who is licensed in Tennessee to practice physical therapy.

Physical Therapist Assistant - A person who meets the requirements of this chapter for licensure as a PTA and who performs physical therapy procedures and related tasks that have been selected and delegated only by the supervising PT.

Other Assistive Personnel - Other trained or educated health care personnel, who perform specific designated tasks related to physical therapy under the supervision of a PT. At the discretion of the supervising PT, and if properly credentialed and not prohibited by any other law, “other assistive personnel” or “other support personnel” may be identified by the title specific to their training or education.

Physical Therapy Aide - A person trained by and under the direction of a PT who performs designated and supervised routine physical therapy tasks.

Supervision - Of the PTA means the supervising PT will be readily available to the PTA assistant being supervised. When the PTA is practicing in an offsite setting, the supervising PT will be immediately accessible by telecommunications. Patient conferences will be regularly scheduled and documented and supervisory visits will be made as further outlined in the rules and regulations.

Reference

Tenn. Code Ann. § 63-13-103

Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1150-01-.01