Assistive Personnel - PTAs, physical therapy aides and other assistive personnel.

Board - The New Mexico Physical Therapy Board.

Contact Hour - Requires sixty (60) minutes.

Continuing Professional Education - Learning experiences which enhance and expand the skills, knowledge, and abilities of physical therapists and physical therapist assistants to enable them to remain current and render competent professional service to clients, the profession, and the public.

Dry Needling - A skilled technique performed by a PT using filiform needles to penetrate the skin or underlying tissues or both to effect change in body structures and functions for the evaluation and management of neuromusculoskeletal conditions, pain, movement impairments, functional limitations and disability.

Fellowship - A planned program designed to provide greater depth in a specialty or subspecialty area and requires a minimum of 1000 hours of instruction.

High Risk Areas - Any area that the PT has not been formally trained to needle, via a board approved course.

Lecture - An educational talk given by a qualified individual.

Licensed Health Care Provider - A physician licensed pursuant to the Medical Practice Act; an osteopathic physician licensed pursuant to Chapter 61, Article 10 NMSA 1978; a chiropractic physician licensed pursuant to the Chiropractic Physician Practice Act; a podiatrist licensed pursuant to the Podiatry Act; a dentist licensed pursuant to the Dental Health Care Act; a doctor of oriental medicine licensed pursuant to the Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Practice Act; a certified nurse practitioner licensed pursuant to the Nursing Practice Act; a certified nurse-midwife licensed pursuant to the Nursing Practice Act and registered with the public health division of the department of health as a certified nurse-midwife; a certified nurse specialist licensed pursuant to the Nursing Practice Act; or a physician assistant licensed pursuant to the Medical Practice Act.

Military Service Member - A person who is serving in the armed forces of the United States or in an active reserve component of the armed forces of the United States, including the national guard.

Other Assistive Personnel - Trained or educated personnel other than PTAs or physical therapy aides who perform specific designated tasks related to physical therapy under the supervision of a PT, at the discretion of the supervising PT and if not prohibited by any other law, it may be appropriate for other assistive personnel to be identified by the title specific to their training or education.

Panel - The presentation of a number of views by several qualified individuals on a given subject.

Person - An individual or other legal entity, excluding a governmental entity.

Physical Therapist - A person who is licensed in this state to practice physical therapy.

Physical Therapist Assistant - A person who performs physical therapy procedures and related tasks pursuant to a plan of care written by the supervising PT.

Physical Therapy - The care and services provided by or under the direction and supervision of a PT.

Physical Therapy Aide - A person trained under the direction of a PT who performs designated and supervised routine physical therapy tasks.

Practice of Physical Therapy:

• Examining and evaluating patients with mechanical, physiological and developmental impairments, functional limitations and disabilities or other health-related conditions in order to determine a physical therapy diagnosis, prognosis and planned therapeutic intervention;
• Alleviating impairments and functional limitations by designing, implementing and modifying therapeutic interventions that include therapeutic exercise; functional training in self-care and community or work reintegration; manual therapy techniques, including soft tissue and joint mobilization and manipulation; therapeutic massage; assistive and adaptive devices and equipment; bronchopulmonary hygiene; debridement and wound care; physical agents; mechanical and electrotherapeutic modalities; and patient-related instruction;
• Preventing injury, impairments, functional limitations and disability, including the promotion and maintenance of fitness, health and quality of life in all age populations;
• Engaging in consultation, testing, education and research.

Recent Veteran - A person who has received an honorable discharge or separation from military service within the two (2) years immediately preceding the date the person applied for an occupational or professional license.

Referring Physical Therapist - The licensed PT who sets the plan of care for the patient being treated by the PTA.

Restricted License - A license to which restrictions or conditions as to scope of practice, place of practice, supervision of practice, duration of licensed status or type or condition of patient or client served are imposed by the board.

Seminar/In-service - Directed study for a group for advanced study, work or discussion in a specific field of interest.

Symposium - A conference of more than a single session organized for the purpose of discussing a specific subject from various viewpoints and by various speakers.

Unlicensed Physical Therapy Assistive Personnel (physical therapy aide or other assistive personnel) - A person trained under the direction of a PT that performs designated and supervised routine physical therapy tasks related to physical therapy services.

Workshop - A series of meetings designed for intensive study, skill development, or discussion in a specific field of interest.

Reference

N.M. Stat. § 61-12D-3

N.M. Code R. § 16.20.6.7 

N.M. Code R. § 16.20.7.7

N.M. Code R. § 16.20.8.7

N.M. Code R. § 16.20.9.7