Wyo. Code R. 062-0001-6
Physical Therapy, Board of
Chapter 6: Continuing Competence
Effective Date: 08/30/2010 to 01/25/2016
Rule Type: Superceded Rules & Regulations
Reference Number: 062.0001.6.08302010
Section 1. Hours, effective date, and requirements. Effective October 1, 2009 all physical therapists and physical therapist assistants must obtain twenty (20) contact hours of continuing education every two years to be eligible for renewal. One contact hour equals sixty minutes of instruction. There may be no carryover of credit hours to the next reporting period. The Board shall determine reporting groups, methods, and deadlines.
(a) Course content. Twenty contact hours are required every two years. At least fifteen of the required hours must be clinically related, five of which may be cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Nonclinical courses must relate to a therapist's job responsibilities. All continuing education courses related to physical therapy sponsored by the American Physical Therapy Association, state physical therapy associations, medical institutions, or educational institutions are approved. Any continuing education courses sponsored, or co-sponsored by the Arthritis Foundation, the American Heart Association, or other similar national or state health organizations, which meet the credit standards, are approved. Any postsecondary coursework taken at an accredited educational institution will be approved, provided the coursework meets the credit standards. The successful completion of the jurisprudence examination shall satisfy two (2) of the required contact hours.
(b) Credit standards. The following credit standards apply to continuing education courses for physical therapists or physical therapist assistants:
(i) The educational activities must have significant intellectual or practical content dealing primarily with matters directly related to the practice of physical therapy or to the professional responsibility or ethical obligations of physical therapists or physical therapy assistants;
(ii) Each instructor at a continuing education course must be qualified by practical or academic experience to teach the subject;
(iii) Participants shall attend educational activities in a classroom or other setting suitable for the activity. Video, motion picture, or sound presentations may be used.
(iv) Credit may not be given for entertainment or recreational activities or programs, employment orientation sessions, holding an office or serving as an organizational delegate, meeting for the purpose of making policy, or non-educational association meetings.
(v) Credit may not be given for meals, keynote speeches, introductory or preliminary sessions, post session activities, and similar events associated with continuing education programs.
(vi) A person teaching an approved continuing education course must be awarded additional credit for preparation time not to exceed a ratio of five to one between preparation time and presentation time respectively. Presentation time counts as contact hours for continuing education purposes. This credit may be taken for only one course annually.
(a) License and certificate holders shall provide a signed and notarized statement on the form provided by the Board listing the continuing education courses taken and indicating compliance with the required twenty hours of continuing education upon renewal. The Board, in its discretion, may require additional evidence necessary from a license or certificate holder to verify compliance.
(b) The Board shall periodically select a sample of physical therapists and physical therapist assistants and may request supporting evidence for their continuing education. Supporting evidence may come directly from the license or certificate holder or from state or national organizations that maintain those types of records.
(c) A person who claims extenuating circumstances in not being able to meet the continuing education requirements shall petition the Board for consideration on or before September 1.
(d) License and certificate holders from other jurisdictions applying for license in Wyoming for the first time who do not have twenty hours of continuing education credits within the last two (2) years will be required to complete thirteen (13) hours of continuing education within a year of their initial license in Wyoming, and will thereafter be on the two-year continuing education cycle provided in these rules.
(a) Professional accountability – the physical therapist:
(i) Practices in a safe manner that minimizes risk to patients, self and others.
(ii) Completes documentation related to physical therapy practice in an appropriate, legible, and timely manner that is consistent with all applicable laws and regulatory requirements.
(iii) Supervises assistive personnel and students in a manner that assures safe and efficient care.
(iv) Consistently and critically evaluates sources of information related to physical therapy practice, outcomes research and education and applies knowledge from these sources in a scientific manner and to appropriate populations.
(v) Selects and utilizes outcomes measures to assess the results of interventions administered to individuals and groups of patients.
(vi) Communicates effectively with clients, caregivers and professional colleagues.
(b) Professional Behavior – the physical therapist:
(i) Conducts critical self-assessment in order to practice to the fullest extent of knowledge, skills and abilities and takes responsibility to make accommodations as necessary.
(ii) Demonstrates an understanding of and compliance with all laws and regulations governing the practice of physical therapy in his jurisdiction.
(iii) Forms a professional relationship with patients/clients, colleagues and other members of the health care team in an effort to maximize patient/client outcomes.
(iv) Avoids potential conflict of interest situations and circumstances that could be construed as harassment or abuse of patients, colleagues, associates or employees.
(v) Demonstrates sensitivity to individual and cultural differences when engaged in physical therapy practice.
(vi) Demonstrates knowledge and works to accommodate health disparities for individuals and community at large.
(c) Plan of Care – the physical therapist:
(i) Establishes and monitors a plan of care in consultation, cooperation and collaboration with the patient/client and other involved health care team members to insure that care is continuous and reliable.
(ii) Evaluates and updates the plan of care as indicated based on the patient/client status and applicable laws and regulations.
(iii) Incorporates appropriate, timely and efficient use of resources (environmental, equipment, care-giver support and financial) when establishing a plan of care.
(d) Implementation – the physical therapist:
(i) Delivers, evaluates and adjusts the physical therapy intervention.
(ii) Takes appropriate action in any emergency situation.
(iii) Utilizes assistive personnel in accordance with legal requirements.
(e) Education – the physical therapist:
(i) Educates patients/clients, family, and caregivers, using relevant and effective teaching methods to assure optimal patient care outcomes.
(f) Discharge – the physical therapist:
(i) Plans for discharge in consultation with the patient/client and care givers.
(ii) Discharges the patient/client after expected outcomes have been achieved or documents rational for discharge when outcomes have not been achieved.
(iii) Assists in the coordination of ongoing care if required.
(g) The Standards of Practice outlined above apply to physical therapist assistants within the limits of their scope of practice.
(a) Qualification for grades I-IV joint manipulation include:
(i) Physical therapists who are graduates of a CAPTE accredited entry-level physical therapy program.
(ii) Foreign-educated physical therapists who provide evidence of entry-level physical therapy training in manual therapy techniques as part of their curriculum.
(b) Qualification for grade V joint manipulation (high velocity, low amplitude thrust manipulation) requires hands on practical evaluation and includes one or more of the following:
(i) Physical therapists who graduated from CAPTE accredited doctoral degree physical therapy programs shall obtain and maintain evidence showing that high velocity, low amplitude thrust techniques were included in their program.
(ii) Foreign-educated physical therapists shall provide evidence of doctoral-level physical therapy training in manual therapy techniques which included high velocity, low amplitude thrust techniques as part of their curriculum.
(iii) Physical therapists who hold the Orthopedic Certified Specialist (OCS) or Sports Certified Specialist (SCS) certification from the American Physical Therapy Association with documentation that high velocity, low amplitude thrust techniques were included in the study program.
(iv) Physical therapists who successfully complete a formal, credentialed manual therapy fellowship or other certification program approved by the Board.
(v) Physical therapists who successfully complete a post entry-level education program in high velocity, low amplitude thrust techniques approved by the American Physical Therapy Association.