PT Techs and legal allowances

[Smash Atoms]

Question - Where is a good resource to find state by state laws on what a tech can and cannot do? Or moreover an undergraduate intern?

I just went to an interview for my last semester internship at one of the locations listed, and there was only 1 PT working (Who was in an office the entire time), 1 PTA (buried in a computer) and a swath of pt techs and interns. They told me to shadow an intern, and within minutes I was alone in a treatment room with just the intern (Once again, this is an undergraduate intern who is not even interested in PT) who was doing ultra sound on a patient followed by "soft tissue mobilization" (ie unqualified manual therapy) on the patients lower back right next to wound site that was still healing from what looked to be an l4-l5 fusion.

I thought - holy ****, this is probably illegal. And super uncomfortable.... So I left and told them I was going to just go with another internship. Now my question is where to find specific legalities, and who I should report this to assuming this is a black and white violation of law? (Regardless it felt terribly unethical).

Thanks.

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[TheIron]

From what I understand it depends on the laws in your state. In CA the PT is completely in charge of patient management and an aide cannot change the POC. It is up to the PT to determine if the aide is capable to safely perform a "patient related task" with DIRECT supervision (immediately available in the building). In this case if the PT thought the intern was able to safely use these interventions, its totally legal in CA. I've seen tons of outpatient clinics that use aides for most of the treatment session while the PT sees patients on 15 min intervals. This is one of the many reasons I don't feel comfortable referring within my profession.
http://www.ptbc.ca.gov/forms/ptaidsup.shtml
Requirements for Supervision of PT Aides? - Physical Therapy Board of California

Sounds like you did the right thing by leaving. Legal or not, it didn't sound like you would learn much anyway. Find somewhere you can shadow a PT/PTA directly.

 

[Smash Atoms]

Here is what I dug on Texas law:

http://www.ptot.texas.gov/idl/81613405-AFBE-DADC-0D5E-4E0C0F590799

"(3) A physical therapy aide may not: (A) perform any evaluative or assessment activities; (B) initiate physical therapy treatment, to include exercise instruction; or"


Most clinics I have shadowed in allow techs to assist with basic exercise, or set up e-stim, but therapists or PTA always use ultrasound and perform any manual therapy. Also I have never seen another clinic where techs (or much less an undergrad intern with no interest in the profession) are allowed to perform any sort of treatments in a private room away from the main floor.

Not to mention I know there are some tight specifics regarding reimbursement and patient care with medicare and several insurance providers.

It just felt wrong in there.

 

[DPTinthemaking15]

This was standard when I used to work as a tech... My boss told me this "When you go to an interview, DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT tell them everything that you do here." I kept it hush-hush and I received an acceptance. Anyways, here is a list of things that we were "in charge" of at our clinic: Ultrasound, stim, lumbar and cervical traction, and we had the fancy Biodex Dynamometer that we used on a daily basis. Yes, it was normal to do treatment in a private room. Although, soft tissue mobilization is a new one. That ALWAYS required a PT or PTA.

 

[jadedphysiotherapist]

This was standard when I used to work as a tech... My boss told me this "When you go to an interview, DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT tell them everything that you do here." I kept it hush-hush and I received an acceptance. Anyways, here is a list of things that we were "in charge" of at our clinic: Ultrasound, stim, lumbar and cervical traction, and we had the fancy Biodex Dynamometer that we used on a daily basis. Yes, it was normal to do treatment in a private room. Although, soft tissue mobilization is a new one. That ALWAYS required a PT or PTA.

I suggest you guys never go back. Those places will likely get what they deserve. I never observed that prior to school, within school, or working, however, I had hearsay of it occurring.