Florida

United States Physical Therapy Practice Acts

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Temporary License Requirements/Availability

Temporary License is currently not available in Florida but will become available effective June 1, 2012 by House Bill 799 that was approved April 8, 2012.

This bill allows Physical Therapy or PTA students who have graduated from approved programs obtain a temporary license while waiting to sit for their board exam.

The requirements for PT students with temporary licensure include on site supervision by a PT (who can only supervise one person with a temporary license at a time).  The temporary license will be revoked if the board exam is not passed within 6 months of graduation.

Florida House BIll 799
www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx

Florida House Bill 799 Information and History

www.myfloridahouse.gov/sections/bills/billsdetail.aspx

Requirements for License

To apply for license: file DOH Form #DH-MQA 1142 Application for Licensure

Applicant must:
• Be eighteen years old
• Possess good moral character
• Be educated in PT, by either having:

• received a degree in physical therapy from an institution that has been approved for the training of physical therapists by the Commission on Accreditation for Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), at the time of graduation; or
• received a diploma from a program in physical therapy in a foreign country and complete all other requirements of the state of Florida to prove that the credentials are equivalent to the education required for licensure in the US
  

Supervision

Physical Therapy Assistants

“The physical therapist should be readily available to the physical therapist assistant with emphasis placed on directing the assistant through frequent reporting, both verbal and written and frequent observations of the care rendered to the patient.”

“The physical therapist shall not delegate portions of the skilled physical therapy functions or tasks to any lesser trained health personnel than the physical therapist assistant.”

• Inpatient (hospital) setting: “the physical therapist shall be readily and physically available for consultation to the physical therapist assistant”
• All other settings: “the physical therapist shall be accessible at all times by telecommunication and shall be within the same geographic location as the assistant”

PTAs Employed by other Health Care Professionals

Board certified orthopedic physician or physiatrist, or a chiropractic physician certified in physiotherapy: PTA must be under the general supervision of a Physical Therapist

• "The physical therapist shall be accessible at all times by two way communication, which enables the physical therapist to respond to an inquiry when made and to be readily available for consultation during the delivery of care, and shall be within the same geographic location as the assistant”

Any other physician: PTA must be under on site supervision of a Physical Therapist

Unlicensed Supportive Personnel (PT technicians)

“Unlicensed Supportive Personnel may be utilized to help in the treatment being provided by a licensed physical therapist or licensed physical therapist assistant. Such personnel shall perform such acts only under the direct supervision of a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant.”

“A physical therapist may only delegate tasks for which he is qualified or legally entitled to perform and a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant may only supervise those tasks or activities for which the licensee is qualified or legally entitled to perform.”

References

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Disclaimer:   Informational Content is assimilated from the state practice act is a resource only and should not be considered a  substitute for the content within the state practice act.  All state practice acts can change and it is recommended that you refer to the original resource in the link above.