NV Chiropractic Jurisprudence cheat sheet

Chiropractic is defined in NRS 634 as the science and art of palpating and adjusting the articulations of the human spinal column and other articulations by hand, with the adjustment the core diagnostic and therapeutic procedure.

A licensee may analyze, diagnose, and treat the human body by adjustments of the spinal column and articulations, and may use the physical, chemical, and clinical means authorized by the Board's regulations to carry out that treatment.

Chiropractic practice includes taking case histories, performing physical examinations, ordering and interpreting diagnostic imaging, and providing dietary and nutritional counseling within Board-authorized limits.

Prohibited acts include practicing without a current license, using a title or abbreviation implying licensure when unlicensed, and aiding an unlicensed person to practice chiropractic.

Performing surgery, prescribing or dispensing legend drugs, or administering controlled substances is outside chiropractic scope; a chiropractor who does so commits a prohibited act subject to discipline.

Practicing beyond the scope of the license, including holding out as qualified to treat conditions outside chiropractic, is a ground for Board action even if no patient is harmed.

The Act requires that treatment be rendered with the degree of care ordinarily exercised by a reasonably competent chiropractor under the same or similar circumstances.

A chiropractor may not use the term 'physician' in a manner suggesting a medical doctor license; Nevada authorizes the title 'chiropractic physician' only as limited by statute and Board rule.

Applicants must graduate from a chiropractic college accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education or its successor and must pass the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners examinations or Board-approved equivalents.

Nevada requires a jurisprudence examination covering the Practice Act and Board regulations in addition to clinical examination requirements.

Applications are filed with the Nevada Board of Chiropractic Physicians and include fees, transcripts, examination scores, and fingerprint-based criminal background checks.

A license must be renewed before its expiration date; practicing on an expired license is unlicensed practice and a disciplinary violation.

Continuing education is required each renewal cycle, with a specified number of hours and mandated topic hours set by Board regulation, including jurisprudence and recordkeeping.

Licensees must report address changes and name changes to the Board within the period set by regulation so that renewal notices and disciplinary correspondence reach the licensee.

Failure to complete required continuing education can result in a conditional or nonrenewable license until deficiencies are cured.

A licensee who allows a license to lapse must meet reinstatement requirements, which may include late fees, CE make-up, and Board review.

The Nevada Board of Chiropractic Physicians licenses chiropractors, adopts regulations, investigates complaints, and imposes discipline for violations of NRS 634 and Board rules.

Grounds for discipline include unprofessional conduct, gross negligence, incompetence, fraud in obtaining a license, and conviction of a crime involving moral turpitude.

The Board may impose sanctions ranging from a private reprimand and fines through suspension, revocation, and probation with conditions.

Disciplinary proceedings follow the contested case provisions of the Nevada Administrative Procedure Act, including notice, an opportunity to be heard, and a record.

A licensee is entitled to notice of charges, representation by counsel, presentation of evidence, and cross-examination at a hearing before the Board or its hearing officer.

The Board may seek summary suspension when continued practice poses an imminent danger to public health and safety.

A final order of the Board is subject to judicial review in the district court under the standard for administrative agency decisions.

Licensees must cooperate with Board investigations; failure to respond to a subpoena or investigative inquiry is itself a ground for discipline.

A chiropractor must keep a record for each patient that documents the history, examination findings, diagnosis, treatment plan, services rendered, and patient response.

Records must be legible, dated, authenticated by the treating chiropractor, and retained for the period required by Nevada law and Board regulation.

Informed consent requires disclosure of the diagnosis, the nature and purpose of proposed care, material risks, alternatives, and the consequences of declining care.

Patient information is confidential and may not be disclosed without written authorization except as required or permitted by law, such as for treatment, payment, or mandated reporting.

Nevada law requires reporting of suspected child abuse or neglect to the appropriate state or local agency; the report is made promptly.

Statutes also require reporting of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of older persons and vulnerable adults to the designated state agency.

A patient or the patient's representative generally has a right of access to the patient's records, subject to statutory exceptions and reasonable copying fees.

Releasing records in response to a subpoena requires verification of legal authority, and disclosure without proper authorization can support both discipline and civil liability.

Advertising must be truthful and not misleading; a chiropractor may not claim superiority, guarantee results, or use sensational or deceptive statements about care.

A licensee may not pay or receive any commission, rebate, or fee split for the referral of a patient, except as permitted among licensed practitioners in a lawful practice arrangement.

Paying for patient referrals, including per-patient payments to marketers or recruiters, is prohibited fee splitting and a ground for discipline.

Soliciting patients through in-person or telephone contact that exploits a patient's vulnerability or uses undue influence is unprofessional conduct.

A chiropractor may not practice under a name that is false or misleading or that implies a professional status the licensee does not hold.

Testimony and reports prepared for litigation must be accurate and within the licensee's competence; false or misleading statements constitute unprofessional conduct.

Providing or accepting improper inducements, gifts, or discounts to influence referrals may violate anti-kickback and insurance fraud provisions.

A chiropractor must not abandon a patient; termination of the professional relationship requires notice and an opportunity to arrange continuing care.

Chiropractors must follow standard precautions, including hand hygiene and use of gloves, for contact with blood, body fluids, and non-intact skin.

Equipment and surfaces that contact patients must be cleaned and disinfected between patients according to the manufacturer's instructions and accepted guidelines.

Needles and other sharps, if used within scope, must be handled and disposed of in accordance with Nevada solid and medical waste rules.

A chiropractor must not practice while impaired by alcohol, drugs, or illness that creates a risk to patients; impairment is a disciplinary ground and may trigger reporting.

Nevada law requires reporting of suspected child abuse or neglect and of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of vulnerable adults to the designated agency.

Certain communicable disease findings must be reported to the local health authority as required by state public health regulation.

A chiropractor who has reason to believe another licensee is impaired or has committed serious misconduct may have a duty or authority to report to the Board.

Maintaining a safe office environment includes staff training, written infection-control procedures, and documentation of compliance.

To treat injured workers under Nevada workers' compensation, a chiropractor must be authorized by the insurer or the state system and must follow the treatment guidelines and reporting forms in effect.

Workers' compensation treatment requires timely reports to the insurer and claims administrator, including the initial evaluation, treatment plan, and progress reports.

Billing must reflect services actually rendered; upcoding, unbundling, or billing for undocumented services constitutes insurance fraud.

A chiropractor must maintain professional liability insurance or otherwise satisfy the financial responsibility requirement set by Nevada law and Board rule.

Business entities through which chiropractic is practiced must comply with Nevada entity registration and with ownership rules limiting control by unlicensed persons.

Records and billing documentation must be retained for the period required by insurance and workers' compensation rules so that claims can be audited.

A chiropractor who serves as an expert or independent medical examiner must disclose conflicts and render opinions within the scope of chiropractic expertise.

Fee agreements and liens for personal injury care must comply with Nevada law, and a lien may not be used to coerce settlement or deny records to the patient.