Board of Physical Therapy Practice
RULE NO.:RULE TITLE:
64B17-6.008Minimum Standards of Practice for the Performance of Dry Needling
NOTICE OF CHANGE
Notice is hereby given that the following changes have been made to the proposed rule in accordance with subparagraph 120.54(3)(d)1., F.S., published in Vol. 46 No. 182, September 17, 2020 issue of the Florida Administrative Register.
A previous Notice of Change published for the rule on December 29, 2020, in Vol.46, No. 251, of the Florida Administrative Register. The changes are based upon written comments received by the staff of the Joint Administrative Procedures Committee.
64B17-6.008 Minimum Standards of Practice for the Performance of Dry Needling.
(1) For purposes of this rule only, the words and phrases listed below are defined in the following manner:
(a) “Adverse medical incident” means an event over which the physical therapist could exercise control and which is associated in whole or in part with the performance of dry needling, rather than the condition treated by dry needling, and which resulted results in any of the following:
1. A limitation of neurological, pulmonary, vascular, integumentary, or musculoskeletal function; or
2. Any prolonged, unanticipated, and/or emergent neurological, pulmonary, vascular, or musculoskeletal condition that required the transfer of the patient to a hospital and/or referral to a physician for treatment of the resulting condition.
(b) “Supervision” means observation of the dry needling procedure by a qualified physical therapist licensed in any state or the District of Columbia who meets the qualifications for practicing dry needling in the state of Florida and who has a minimum of one year and 25 sessions of experience treating patients using dry needling. The observation may be in person or via synchronous telehealth as defined in s. 456.47, F.S.
(c) “Compentency requirements” means proficiency in the subject areas listed in subparagraphs (2)(b)1.a.-e.
(2) The minimum standards of practice for the performance of dry needling by a physical therapist include the following:
(a) No change.
(b) Completion of 50 hours of face-to-face continuing education on the topic of dry needling from an entity accredited in accordance with s. 486.109, F.S.
1. The continuing education must include instruction in the following subject areas:
a. through b. No change.
c. General iIndications and contraindications for dry needling, as well as to include special complex anatomical and safety considerations of the cranio-facial and peripheral nervous systems for dry needling of the head, neck, and torso, to include specific anatomical application and safety considerations;
d. Psychomotor skills needed to perform dry needling, including tissue palpation, needle insertion, and needle extraction; and
e. No change.
2. The continuing education must include a determination by the instructor, who is a licensed physical therapist meeting the qualifications set forth in (1)(b) “Supervision,” with a minimum of one year of dry needling experience, that the physical therapist being trained in dry needling demonstrates the requisite competency and psychomotor skills to safely perform dry needling; and
(c) After completing (2)(a) and (b), completion of 25 patient sessions of dry needling under one of the following circumstances:
1. No change.
2. Under the supervision of a physical therapist who has actively practiced dry needling for at least 1 year and holds an active license to practiced physical therapy in any state or the District of Columbia. Such supervisor must document that the supervised therapist has met the supervision and competency requirements and needs no additional supervised sessions to perform dry needling. It is the responsibility of the supervised physical therapist to maintain all documents.
(3) through (6) No change.
Rulemaking Authority 486.025, 486.117 FS. Law Implemented 486.117 FS. History–New ____________.
THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Allen Hall, Executive Director, Board of Physical Therapy Practice, 4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin #C05, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3252, or by email at allen.hall@flhealth.gov.
