2007 Minnesota Statutes

148.6402 DEFINITIONS.
    Subdivision 1. Scope. For the purpose of sections 148.6401 to 148.6450, the following
terms have the meanings given them.
    Subd. 2. Advisory council. "Advisory council" means the Occupational Therapy
Practitioners Advisory Council in section 148.6450.
    Subd. 3. Biennial licensure period. "Biennial licensure period" means the two-year period
for which licensure is effective.
    Subd. 4. Commissioner. "Commissioner" means the commissioner of health or a designee.
    Subd. 5. Contact hour. "Contact hour" means an instructional session of 60 consecutive
minutes, excluding coffee breaks, registration, meals without a speaker, and social activities.
    Subd. 6. Credential. "Credential" means a license, permit, certification, registration, or
other evidence of qualification or authorization to engage in the practice of occupational therapy
issued by any authority.
    Subd. 7. Credentialing examination for occupational therapist. "Credentialing
examination for occupational therapist" means the examination sponsored by the National Board
for Certification in Occupational Therapy for credentialing as an occupational therapist, registered.
    Subd. 8. Credentialing examination for occupational therapy assistant. "Credentialing
examination for occupational therapy assistant" means the examination sponsored by the National
Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy for credentialing as a certified occupational
therapy assistant.
    Subd. 9. Delegate. "Delegate" means to transfer to an occupational therapy assistant the
authority to perform selected portions of an occupational therapy evaluation or treatment plan
for a specific patient.
    Subd. 10. Direct supervision. "Direct supervision" of an occupational therapy assistant
using physical agent modalities means that the occupational therapist has evaluated the patient
and determined a need for use of a particular physical agent modality in the occupational therapy
treatment plan, has determined the appropriate physical agent modality application procedure, and
is available for in-person intervention while treatment is provided.
    Subd. 11. Electrical stimulation device. "Electrical stimulation device" means any device
which generates pulsed, direct, or alternating electrical current for the purposes of rehabilitation
of neuromusculoskeletal dysfunction.
    Subd. 12. Electrotherapy. "Electrotherapy" means the use of electrical stimulation devices
for a therapeutic purpose.
    Subd. 13. Licensed health care professional. "Licensed health care professional" means a
person licensed in good standing in Minnesota to practice medicine, osteopathy, chiropractic,
podiatry, or dentistry.
    Subd. 14. Occupational therapist. "Occupational therapist" means an individual who meets
the qualifications in sections 148.6401 to 148.6450 and is licensed by the commissioner.
    Subd. 15. Occupational therapy. "Occupational therapy" means the use of purposeful
activity to maximize the independence and the maintenance of health of an individual who is
limited by a physical injury or illness, a cognitive impairment, a psychosocial dysfunction, a
mental illness, a developmental or learning disability, or an adverse environmental condition. The
practice encompasses evaluation, assessment, treatment, and consultation. Occupational therapy
services may be provided individually, in groups, or through social systems. Occupational therapy
includes those services described in section 148.6404.
    Subd. 16. Occupational therapy assistant. "Occupational therapy assistant" means an
individual who meets the qualifications for an occupational therapy assistant in sections 148.6401
to 148.6450 and is licensed by the commissioner.
    Subd. 17. Physical agent modalities. "Physical agent modalities" mean modalities that use
the properties of light, water, temperature, sound, or electricity to produce a response in soft
tissue. The physical agent modalities referred to in sections 148.6404 and 148.6440 are superficial
physical agent modalities, electrical stimulation devices, and ultrasound.
    Subd. 18.[Repealed, 2001 c 7 s 91]
    Subd. 19. License or licensed. "License" or "licensed" means the act or status of a natural
person who meets the requirements of sections 148.6401 to 148.6450.
    Subd. 20. Licensee. "Licensee" means a person who meets the requirements of sections
148.6401 to 148.6450.
    Subd. 21. Licensure by equivalency. "Licensure by equivalency" means a method of
licensure described in section 148.6412 by which an individual who possesses a credential from
the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy may qualify for licensure.
    Subd. 22. Licensure by reciprocity. "Licensure by reciprocity" means a method of licensure
described in section 148.6415 by which an individual who possesses a credential from another
jurisdiction may qualify for Minnesota licensure.
    Subd. 22a. Limited license. "Limited license" means a license issued according to section
148.6425, subdivision 3, paragraph (c), to persons who have allowed their license to lapse for
four years or more and who choose a supervised practice as the method for renewing their license
status.
    Subd. 23. Service competency. "Service competency" of an occupational therapy assistant
in performing evaluation tasks means the ability of an occupational therapy assistant to obtain the
same information as the supervising occupational therapist when evaluating a client's function.
Service competency of an occupational therapy assistant in performing treatment procedures
means the ability of an occupational therapy assistant to perform treatment procedures in a
manner such that the outcome, documentation, and follow-up are equivalent to that which would
have been achieved had the supervising occupational therapist performed the treatment procedure.
Service competency of an occupational therapist means the ability of an occupational
therapist to consistently perform an assessment task or intervention procedure with the level
of skill recognized as satisfactory within the appropriate acceptable prevailing practice of
occupational therapy.
    Subd. 24. Superficial physical agent modality. "Superficial physical agent modality"
means a therapeutic medium which produces temperature changes in skin and underlying
subcutaneous tissues within a depth of zero to three centimeters for the purposes of rehabilitation
of neuromusculoskeletal dysfunction. Superficial physical agent modalities may include, but are
not limited to: paraffin baths, hot packs, cold packs, fluidotherapy, contrast baths, and whirlpool
baths. Superficial physical agent modalities do not include the use of electrical stimulation
devices, ultrasound, or quick icing.
    Subd. 25. Temporary licensure. "Temporary licensure" means a method of licensure
described in section 148.6418, by which an individual who (1) has completed an approved or
accredited education program but has not met the examination requirement; or (2) possesses a
credential from another jurisdiction or the National Board for Certification in Occupational
Therapy but who has not submitted the documentation required by section 148.6420, subdivisions
3 and 4 , may qualify for Minnesota licensure for a limited time period.
    Subd. 26. Ultrasound device. "Ultrasound device" means a device intended to generate
and emit high frequency acoustic vibrational energy for the purposes of rehabilitation of
neuromusculoskeletal dysfunction.
History: 2000 c 361 s 2; 2001 c 7 s 35,36; 2004 c 279 art 1 s 19