§ 5-40.1-21. Supervision. (a) A licensed occupational therapist shall exercise sound judgment and shall provide adequate care in the performance of duties. A licensed occupational therapist shall be permitted to supervise the following: occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants, occupational therapy aides, care extenders, occupational therapy students, and volunteers.

(b) A licensed occupational therapy assistant shall exercise sound judgment and shall provide adequate care in the performance of duties. A licensed occupational therapy assistant shall be permitted to supervise the following: occupational therapy aides, care extenders, students, and volunteers.

(c) Subject to the requirements of this section, a licensed occupational therapy assistant may practice limited occupational therapy only under the supervision of a licensed occupational therapist. Supervision requires at a minimum that the supervising licensed occupational therapist meet in person with the licensed occupational therapy assistant to provide initial direction and periodic on-site supervision. The supervising licensed occupational therapist working with the licensed occupational therapy assistant shall determine the amount and type of supervision necessary in response to the experience and competence of the licensed occupational therapy assistant and the complexity of the treatment program. The supervisor and the licensed occupational therapy assistant shall be jointly responsible for maintaining records, including patient records, to document compliance with this regulation.

(d) A licensed occupational therapy assistant:

(1) May not initiate a treatment program until the patient has been evaluated and the treatment planned by the licensed occupational therapist;

(2) May not perform an evaluation, but may assist in the data-gathering process and administer specific assessments where clinical competency has been demonstrated, under the direction of the licensed occupational therapist;

(3) May not analyze or interpret evaluation data;

(4) May participate in the screening process by collecting data and communicate the information gathered to the licensed occupational therapist;

(5) Monitors the need for reassessment and reports changes in status that might warrant reassessment or referral under the supervision of the licensed occupational therapist; and

(6) Immediately discontinues any treatment procedure that appears harmful to the patient and immediately notifies the supervising occupational therapist.

(e)(1) An occupational therapy aide shall be a worker trained on the job. A licensed occupational therapist or licensed occupational therapy assistant using occupational therapy aide personnel to assist with the provision of occupational therapy services must provide close supervision in order to protect the health and welfare of the consumer.

(2) The primary function of an occupational therapy aide functioning in an occupational therapy setting shall be to perform designated routine tasks related to the operation of an occupational therapy service. These tasks may include, but are not limited to, routine department maintenance, transporting patients/clients, preparing or setting up treatment equipment and work area, assisting patients/clients with their personal needs during treatment, assisting in the construction of adaptive equipment, and carrying out a predetermined segment or task in the patient's care.

(f) The licensed occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant shall not delegate to an occupational therapy aide:

(1) Performance of occupational therapy evaluation procedures;

(2) Initiation, planning, adjustment, modification, or performance of occupational therapy procedures requiring the skills or judgment of a licensed occupational therapist or licensed occupational therapy assistant;

(3) Making occupational therapy entries directly in patients' or clients' official records; and

(4) Acting on behalf of the occupational therapist in any matter related to occupational therapy, which requires decision making or professional judgment.

History of Section. (P.L. 1997, ch. 350, § 2.)