OAR 848-020-0040: Training

(1) Prior to allowing a physical therapist aide to perform any treatment-related task, the supervising physical therapist shall assure that the aide has undertaken 40 hours of on-the-job training as follows: (a) A minimum of 10 hours of instruction on professional/medical ethics, patient confidentiality, universal precautions, body mechanics, physical medicine terminology and safety procedures; (b) A minimum of 30 hours of instruction in the facility in areas appropriate to that particular physical therapy facility, including but not limited to precautions and contraindications for physical therapy treatments routinely provided at the facility, and supervised practical applications of appropriate treatment protocols and techniques. Changes in employment shall require another 30 hours of instruction appropriate to that facility; (c) However, physical therapist or physical therapist assistant students, upon successful completion of the first year of study, may be employed as an aide with a minimum of 8 hours of instruction appropriate to that facility; (d) A person who has successfully completed a CAPTE accredited physical therapist or physical therapist assistant program, may be employed as an aide with a minimum of 8 hours of instruction appropriate to that facility. (2) The supervising physical therapist shall be responsible for documentation of the training for each aide, and shall maintain this documentation at the facility for a minimum of 5 years after termination of employment and make it available to the Board upon request. The supervising physical therapist also shall respond to any inquiry by the Board concerning the training provided to an aide. The aide training record shall include but not be limited to: (a) Aide position description; (b) Policies and procedures clearly stating the aide's duties, as set forth in OAR 848-020-0060; (c) Training schedule, which includes but is not limited to: (A) Start date for the training; (B) Activity/description of training; (C) Amount of time spent on training for each activity; (D) Date training is complete; (E) Names of instructors and aide, including signature of each instructor and aide; (F) If applicable, documentation of training received outside of the facility in the form of a letter or copies of the previous training record. Documentation must include the level of responsibility of the aide.