NH PT Juris flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Physical therapist definition

A person licensed under the New Hampshire Physical Therapy Practice Act who examines, evaluates, diagnoses, and treats impairments and functional limitations within the scope of physical therapy practice.

Physical therapist assistant scope

A licensed assistant who provides selected interventions and progresses patients within the physical therapist's established plan of care, but may not evaluate, diagnose, establish prognosis, or discharge.

Licensure requirements

Graduation from an accredited program, passing the national physical therapy examination, submission of an application and fee, and satisfaction of criminal history and jurisprudence requirements.

License by endorsement

A route to licensure for an applicant already licensed in another jurisdiction who is in good standing and meets requirements equivalent to New Hampshire's, as determined by the board.

Title protection

Only licensees may use the titles physical therapist, PT, physical therapist assistant, or PTA; misrepresenting credentials or licensure status is a violation subject to discipline.

Direct supervision

A supervision level in which the supervising physical therapist is physically present on site and immediately available to the assistant or support personnel during the provision of care.

General supervision

A supervision level in which the physical therapist is not required to be on site but is available by telecommunication for consultation and direction of the assistant's work.

Delegation responsibility

The physical therapist retains accountability for the plan of care and delegated tasks; delegation must match patient complexity, assistant competence, and predictability of the expected outcome.

Support personnel limits

Physical therapy aides may perform non-skilled tasks such as transport, setup, and clerical duties, but may not deliver skilled interventions or treatment procedures to patients.

Re-examination triggers

The therapist must re-examine when the patient's condition changes, progress stalls, or new findings appear, and must document the revised plan of care.

Student supervision

A student or intern may participate in care only under the responsible supervision of a licensed therapist and may not practice independently or replace licensed staff.

Direct access limits

New Hampshire allows limited treatment without physician referral, but the therapist may not order imaging, prescribe medication, or diagnose medical disease beyond the physical therapy diagnosis.

Initial examination elements

The examination includes patient history, systems review, and tests and measures used to establish a physical therapy diagnosis, prognosis, and plan of care.

Referral obligation

A therapist must refer the patient to an appropriate provider when findings suggest a condition outside physical therapy scope, when status worsens, or when progress fails.

Red flag screening

Screening for contraindications and warning signs is required before intervention; treatment does not proceed when findings indicate the need for medical evaluation.

Informed consent elements

Consent requires disclosure of the intervention's nature, risks, benefits, and alternatives, plus the right to refuse; consent must be documented and may be withdrawn.

Record ownership and access

The practice or facility owns the record, but the patient has a right to access and obtain copies, subject to applicable law and reasonable copying fees.

Record correction rule

Errors are corrected by a dated addendum or clearly marked correction; altering or deleting original entries is prohibited and constitutes falsification subject to discipline.

Confidentiality disclosure

Protected health information may be released only with patient authorization or as required or permitted by law, applying minimum necessary standards and reasonable safeguards.

Patient rights

Patients have rights to privacy, dignity, freedom from abuse, participation in care decisions, and information about the therapist and the plan of care.

Boundary violations

Sexual or romantic involvement with a current patient is prohibited; exploitative dual relationships, loans, and gifts that take advantage of the patient relationship are unprofessional conduct.

Mandatory reporting duties

Licensees must report suspected child abuse or neglect, abuse or neglect of vulnerable adults, and known unlicensed practice or serious misconduct to the appropriate authority.

Impaired colleague duty

A licensee who knows a colleague is impaired by substances or a health condition that poses a risk to patients must report the concern to the board or appropriate authority.

Truthful billing

Billing and documentation must accurately reflect services provided; submitting false claims or misrepresenting outcomes is fraud and grounds for disciplinary action.

Patient abandonment

Terminating care without notice, reasonable transition, or referral when the patient still needs services constitutes abandonment and unprofessional conduct.

Board composition

The board includes appointed members as provided by statute, including licensed physical therapists and public members, and regulates licensure, standards, complaints, and discipline.

Complaint process

A complaint from any source is reviewed by the board, which may investigate, dismiss, settle, or hold a hearing before imposing discipline.

Disciplinary sanctions

Available actions include reprimand, probation with conditions, suspension, revocation, civil penalties, and required remediation or additional education.

Due process rights

A licensee facing discipline is entitled to notice of the charges, an opportunity to respond, and a hearing with the right to be represented by counsel.

Continuing competence

Licensees must complete the continuing education required for renewal, including jurisprudence and ethics hours, and retain documentation for board audit.

Continuing education audit

Licensees must keep continuing education records for the period set by the board and produce them on request; failure may lead to conditional renewal or discipline.

Discipline disclosure

Licensees must disclose disciplinary history on renewal and endorsement applications; board actions may be reported to national databases and other jurisdictions.