Statutory Framework and Scope of Chiropractic Practice
Statutory Framework and Scope of Chiropractic Practice
This domain tests whether you can place a fact pattern inside North Dakota's chiropractic statute and Board rules, and whether the proposed conduct falls inside or outside the lawful scope. The framework is NDCC ch. 43-06 plus rules adopted by the Board; the statute controls licensure, Board authority, discipline, and the definition of practice.
Core rules
- A person may not practice chiropractic or use a protected title without a North Dakota license.
- Scope is defined by statute and rule. It centers on analysis, adjustment, and manipulation of the spine and other articulations, plus adjunctive procedures expressly allowed by rule.
- Chiropractic is not unrestricted medicine. Surgery, prescription drugs, and management of conditions outside the statutory scope are not authorized merely because a chiropractor uses a 'physician' title.
- When a patient's presentation exceeds scope, the chiropractor must refer or co-manage.
Worked example
A patient reports headaches and elevated blood pressure. The chiropractor may evaluate for neuromusculoskeletal contributors, adjust within scope, and document findings. The chiropractor may not tell the patient to stop antihypertensive medication or treat the hypertension as a chiropractic condition. The record should show referral to the patient's primary care provider for blood-pressure management.
Traps
Do not assume that 'doctor' or 'physician' language expands scope. Do not let unlicensed staff perform clinical procedures. Do not treat a red-flag condition without referral. Scope questions are answered by the statute and Board rules, not by community custom.