Ohio

United States Physical Therapy Practice Acts

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Temporary License Requirements/Availability

• Currently there is no temporary Physical Therapy license in Ohio.

Requirements for License

Anyone who wants to practice Physical Therapy has to file with the secretary of the Physical Therapy section of the Ohio occupational therapy, physical therapy, and athletic trainers board a notarized application that includes:

• Name
• Current address
• Physical description and photograph
• Proof of completion of a master's or doctorate program of physical therapy education that is accredited by a national physical therapy accreditation agency recognized by the United States department of education
• A fee of no more than $125

The applicant will then be approved by the Ohio physical therapy section to sit for the examination no later than 125 days after receiving the application.

To practice physical therapy in Ohio the applicant must pass both of the following:

• The national physical therapy examination
• A jurisprudence examination on Ohio's laws and rules governing the practice of physical therapy

Supervision

• The supervising physical therapist is accountable and responsible at all times for the direction of the actions of
  the persons supervised, including the:
  (1) Physical therapist assistant;
  (2) Student physical therapist;
  (3) Student physical therapist assistant;
  (4) Other licensed personnel; and
  (5) Unlicensed personnel.
• Supervision for a physical therapist assistant does not require the supervising physical therapist to be
  on-site or on location. The supervising physical therapist must be available by telecommunication at all times and
  able to respond appropriately to the needs of the patient.
• Supervision of other licensed personnel: direct supervision from the supervising physical therapist or supervising physical therapist assistant is required whenever the other licensed personnel is performing patient interventions.

Physical Therapy Students

• The Physical Therapy Student may only be supervised by a licensed Physical Therapist who must be on-site to respond immediately to the needs of the patient when the student is performing examinations, evaluations, and interventions.

Continued Competence

• Physical Therapists practicing in the state of Ohio are required to complete a minimum of 24 contact hours per renewal cycle except for the first renewal cycle. (1 contact hour is one clock hour spent in a continuing education activity).
• Each renewal cycle is to be completed by the 31st of January in each even numbered year.
• Continued education programs must be approved by the Physical Therapy section of the Ohio occupational therapy, physical therapy, and athletic trainers board.

Does the Act appear restrictive? Why/Why not?

It appears that certain sections of the act are restrictive for example in the section where it describes the Physical Therapist using orthotics it uses the terms "shall be limited to the application of the following orthotic devices".

Is there anything unusual about this act?

• The definition of Physical Therapy specifically states that Physical Therapy does not include the use of Roentgen rays or
  radium for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes, or the use of electricity for cauterization or other surgical purposes.

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.