Hawaii PT Jurisprudence flashcards
Hawaii PT Jurisprudence · Build recall with a focused review session.
33 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- HRS chapter 461J
- The Hawaii Physical Therapy Practice Act, which establishes the Board of Physical Therapy and governs licensure, scope, discipline, and enforcement for physical therapists and physical therapist assistants.
- Hawaii Administrative Rules Title 16
- Title 16 contains the administrative rules adopted by professional and vocational boards, including chapter 110, which sets detailed physical therapy requirements for licensure, supervision, and conduct.
- Board of Physical Therapy
- The Hawaii board appointed by the Governor that licenses physical therapists and assistants, adopts rules, and adjudicates complaints and disciplinary matters under chapter 461J.
- Definition of physical therapy
- The evaluation, treatment, and prevention of disability and pain using physical measures such as exercise, manual therapy, and physical agents, plus consultative, educational, and research services.
- Unlicensed practice prohibition
- No person may practice physical therapy or hold themselves out as a physical therapist or assistant without a valid Hawaii license; violations are grounds for discipline and civil penalties.
- Public member on Board
- Hawaii's Board includes at least one consumer member who is not a licensee, intended to represent the public interest in licensing and disciplinary decisions.
- License by examination
- The standard route to licensure: graduation from an accredited program, passage of the NPTE, and satisfaction of Board application, fee, and background requirements.
- License by endorsement
- A route for applicants already licensed in another jurisdiction who demonstrate equivalent education and licensure standards and meet Hawaii's application requirements.
- Biennial renewal cycle
- Hawaii physical therapy licenses renew every two years, with renewal requiring completion of continuing competence requirements and payment of the renewal fee.
- Continuing competence requirement
- Licensees must complete Board-required continuing education hours each renewal period from approved providers and retain documentation for audit; exact hours are set by Board rule.
- Lapsed license
- A license not renewed by the deadline is expired; practicing on it is unlawful, and reinstatement may require late fees, penalties, or additional education.
- NPTE requirement
- The National Physical Therapy Examination must be passed as part of initial licensure; the Board sets rules on attempts, eligibility, and score reporting.
- Initial evaluation
- A comprehensive examination and clinical decision-making process that only a licensed physical therapist may perform to establish a diagnosis and plan of care.
- Physical therapist assistant scope
- PTAs deliver selected interventions under a physical therapist's direction and supervision but may not perform initial evaluations, establish diagnoses, or independently alter the plan of care.
- Direct supervision
- A supervision level in which the supervising physical therapist is physically on-site and immediately available to the assistant or aide during patient care.
- General supervision
- A supervision level in which the physical therapist is not on-site but is available by telecommunication and maintains responsibility for the patient's plan of care.
- Supervision ratio limits
- Board rules cap the number of assistants and aides a physical therapist may supervise at one time, and the therapist must remain accessible to all supervised personnel.
- Aide and technician limits
- Non-licensed supportive personnel may perform only non-skilled tasks such as transport, setup, and clerical duties; they may not deliver skilled physical therapy interventions.
- Student supervision
- Physical therapy students may treat patients only within an accredited educational program under a licensed physical therapist who retains full responsibility for the care.
- Referral not required
- Hawaii permits physical therapists to evaluate and treat patients without prior physician referral, subject to Board rules and any payer-specific requirements.
- Delegation accountability
- The delegating physical therapist remains responsible for care quality and must weigh patient acuity, task complexity, and the assistant's demonstrated competence before delegating.
- Unprofessional conduct
- Conduct falling below accepted standards, including dishonesty, incompetence, gross negligence, impairment, or breach of patient confidentiality, that supports Board discipline.
- Grounds for discipline
- Statutory bases including fraud in obtaining a license, certain criminal convictions, aiding unlicensed practice, and failing continuing competence requirements.
- Patient record documentation
- Licensees must maintain records documenting evaluation, plan of care, interventions, and outcomes, and must safeguard patient information under HIPAA and state law.
- Informed consent
- Before treatment, the therapist must explain the nature, risks, benefits, and alternatives of care and honor the patient's right to refuse or withdraw consent.
- Sexual misconduct prohibition
- Sexual contact or exploitative boundary violations with patients are serious grounds for discipline and may result in revocation of the license.
- Mandatory reporting duty
- Licensees must report suspected abuse or neglect as required by law and must cooperate fully with Board investigations and disciplinary proceedings.
- Disciplinary sanctions
- Board remedies include reprimand, probation with conditions, suspension, revocation, fines, and required remediation or additional education.
- Cease-and-desist order
- An enforcement tool the Board may issue to stop unlicensed practice or prohibited conduct, enforceable through civil penalties.
- RICO complaint process
- The Regulated Industries Complaints Office of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs investigates consumer complaints against licensees and prosecutes licensing violations.
- License display requirement
- Licensees must make their license available for inspection at the practice site and identify themselves accurately as a physical therapist or assistant.
- Continuing education audit
- The Board may audit a licensee's continuing competence records; failure to produce acceptable documentation can result in discipline or renewal denial.
- Plan of care modification
- Only the physical therapist who established the plan may change it; assistants may report changes in patient status but cannot revise the plan independently.