LAC 46:XLV.1903. Definitions

A. As used in this Chapter the following terms shall have the meanings specified. AOTA Guidelines—American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) official documents and professional policies that undergo scheduled review and updating. These documents are used by the AOTA and its membership to guide education, practice, advocacy, and policy on behalf of the profession. Applicant―a person who has applied to the board or a license to engage in the practice of occupational therapy in the state of Louisiana. Application—a request directed to and received by the board, for a license to practice occupational therapy in the state of Louisiana, in a manner prescribed by the board. Approved Course—program, course, seminar, workshop, self-study, independent study or other activity meeting the standards and approved by the AOTA, by an AOTA approved provider, the National Board of Occupational Therapy (NBCOT), or the Louisiana Occupational Therapy Association (LOTA). Board—the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners. Client—a person, group, or population for whom the occupational therapy practitioner is providing service. Client Care Conference—a meeting between the supervising occupational therapist, who must have previously evaluated and/or treated the client, and an occupational therapy assistant to discuss client progress or lack thereof, client issues, revision of goals, initiation, modification or termination of an individual program plan, assessment of utilization of additional resources, discharge and any other information which may affect a client's plan of care. The minimum standard of frequency for this meeting is monthly for each individual client. This meeting can be conducted using a variety types and methods as outlined in §4926 of this document. Client-Related Tasks—routine tasks during which volunteers or unlicensed personnel (i.e., aide or tech) may interact with the client under direct supervision of the Occupational Therapy Practitioner (OTP). Compact Privilege—a privilege to practice granted by a remote state. Consultation—process of assisting a client, agency, or other provider by identifying and analyzing issues, providing information and advice and developing strategies for current and future actions. Direct Supervision—supervision in which the supervisor is personally present and immediately available within the treatment area to give aid, direction, and instruction when occupational therapy procedures or activities are performed. Dry Needling—a skilled intervention that uses a thin filiform needle to penetrate the skin and stimulate underlying neural, muscular, and connective tissues for the management of neuromusculoskeletal conditions, pain, and movement impairments. Education—an intervention process that involves the imparting of knowledge and information about occupation and activity. Education also denotes an area of occupational performance. Evaluation—the comprehensive and ongoing process of planning, obtaining, documenting, and interpreting data necessary for intervention. This process is focused on the client’s wants and needs and on identifying those factors that act as supports or barriers to performance. General Supervision—minimal standard of supervision consisting of a client care conference at least monthly for each individual client. Good Moral Character—as applied to an applicant means that the applicant has not, prior to or during the pendency of an application to the board, been guilty of any act, omission, condition, or circumstance which would provide legal cause under R.S. 37:3011 for the suspension or revocation of occupational therapy licensure; the applicant has not, prior to or in connection with their application, made any representation to the board, knowingly or unknowingly, which is in fact false or misleading as to a material fact or omits to state any fact or matter that is material to the application; and the applicant has not made any representation or failed to make a representation or engaged in any act or omission which is false, deceptive, fraudulent, or misleading in achieving or obtaining any of the qualifications for a license required by this Chapter. License—the lawful authority to engage in the practice of occupational therapy in the state of Louisiana, as evidenced by a certificate duly issued by and under the official seal of the board. Louisiana Occupational Therapy Practice Act or the Act—R.S. 39:3001-3014 as hereafter amended or supplemented. Non-client Related Task—tasks not directly involving a client, i.e., clerical activities and preparation of the work area or equipment. Non-skilled Task—tasks that do not require judgment, interpretation, or adaptation. The following are elements of a non-skilled task: a. The outcome is predictable. b. The client’s condition and the environment are stable and will not require judgment or interpretation. c. The client has demonstrated previous performance ability with the task. d. The task process has been clearly established. Occupational Performance—the act of engaging in any occupation including activities of daily living (ADL), instrumental ADLs (IADL), health management, rest and sleep, education, work, play, leisure, and social participation. Occupational Therapist—a person who is licensed to practice occupational therapy, as defined in this Chapter, and whose license is in good standing. Occupational Therapy—the therapeutic use of everyday life occupations with persons, groups, or populations (clients) to support occupational performance and participation. Occupational therapy practice includes clinical reasoning and professional judgment to evaluate, analyze, and diagnose occupational challenges (e.g., issues with client factors, performance patterns, and performance skills). Occupational therapy interventions may include occupations and activities, interventions to support occupation (including but not limited to physical agent modalities), education and training, advocacy, group, and virtual interventions. Occupational therapy services include habilitation, rehabilitation, and the promotion of physical and mental health and wellness for clients with all levels of ability-related needs. These services are provided for clients who have or are at risk for developing an illness, injury, disease, disorder, condition, impairment, disability, activity limitation, or participation restriction. Through the provision of skilled services and engagement in everyday activities, occupational therapy promotes physical and mental health and well-being by supporting occupational performance in people with, or at risk of experiencing, a range of developmental, physical, and mental health disorders. Occupational Therapy Assistant—a practitioner who is licensed to deliver occupational therapy services in the practice of occupational therapy under the supervision of, and in partnership with an occupational therapist licensed under this chapter. Under the appropriate level of supervision of an occupational therapist, an occupational therapy assistant may perform all interventions stated in the definition of occupational therapy, including physical agent modalities, with the exception of dry needling. Occupational Therapy Code of Ethics—an official document of the AOTA designed to reflect the dynamic nature of the profession, the evolving health care environment, and emerging technologies that can present potential ethical concerns in research, education, and practice. Occupational Therapy Practice Framework: Domain and Process (OTPF)—an official document of the AOTA that presents a summary of interrelated constructs that describe occupational therapy practice. Occupational Therapy Practitioner—occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants. OTAC―Occupational Therapy Advisory Committee of the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners (LSBME) Physical Agent Modalities—those modalities that produce a response in soft tissue through the use of mechanical devices, light, water, temperature, sound, or electricity. Physical agent modalities are characterized as adjunctive methods used in conjunction with or in immediate preparation for patient involvement in purposeful activity. Re-evaluation—reappraisal of the client’s performance and goals to determine the type and amount of progress or lack thereof. The re-evaluation occurs as often as needed to review and interpret the effectiveness and efficiency of the occupational therapy plan. Position Statement—an official AOTA stance on the provision of services, practice of occupational therapy, or role of occupational therapy. Referring Healthcare Professional—licensed healthcare professionals who may refer clients to occupational therapy for direct service intervention for their specific medical conditions. Qualified referring healthcare professionals consist of physicians, dentists, podiatrists, optometrists, physician’s assistants, or advanced practice nurse practitioners. Screening—process of reviewing available data, observing, or administering screening instruments to identify a person’s potential strengths and limitations and the need for further assessment. Service Competency—the ability to provide occupational therapy services in a safe and effective manner. With respect to an occupational therapy assistant, this means one who is appropriately trained and qualified to perform occupational therapy in accordance with the current Standards of Practice for the relevant population and setting. Standards for Continuing Competence in Occupational Therapy—an official AOTA document that serves as a foundation for analyzing the continuing competence of the OTP. Standards of Practice for Occupational Therapy—an official AOTA document that defines the minimum standards for the practice of occupational therapy. Supervising Occupational Therapist—the occupational therapist who is providing general supervision to an occupational therapy assistant and who is readily available to answer questions about the client's intervention at the time of the provision of services. Temporary Permit—an applicant who is currently licensed and in good standing to practice in another jurisdiction and meets the requirements for licensure by endorsement or an applicant who has completed the academic and supervised field work experience requirements specified under §1907 of this Chapter and has applied for and is waiting examination or examination results, may obtain a temporary permit while the application is being processed by the board. Unlicensed Personnel—an employee who provides supportive services to the OTP, commonly referred to as OT Aide, OT Tech, or Rehab Tech. Unlicensed personnel do not provide skilled OT services but perform specifically delegated client and non-client related tasks. Unprofessional Conduct—acts or behavior that fail to meet the minimally acceptable standard expected of occupational therapy practitioners including, but not limited to, conduct that may be harmful to the health, safety, and welfare of the client, conduct that may reflect negatively on one’s fitness to practice, or conduct that may violate any provision of the most current AOTA Code of Ethics. Volunteer—a non-compensated individual who is volunteering their time to support occupational therapy services. Volunteers do not provide skilled OT services but perform specifically delegated non-skilled client and non-client related tasks. Wellness—an active process through which individuals become aware of and make choices toward a more successful existence. Wellness is more than a lack of disease symptoms. It is a state of mental and physical balance and fitness.