(a) The Arkansas Board of Podiatric Medicine shall adopt rules that establish standards to be met and procedures to be followed by a podiatrist with respect to the podiatrist's delegation of the performance of medical practices to a qualified and properly trained employee who is not licensed or otherwise specifically authorized by the Arkansas Code to perform the practice.
(b) The rules adopted under subsection (a) of this section shall provide that:
(1) The delegating podiatrist is responsible for the acts of the employee performing the delegated practice;
(2) The employee performing the delegated practice shall not be represented to the public as a licensed podiatrist, licensed nurse, licensed podiatrist's assistant, or other licensed healthcare provider; and
(3) Medical practices delegated under this section shall be performed under the podiatrist's supervision.
(c) Delegation of medical practices under this section may include administration of drugs that do not require substantial specialized judgment and skill based on knowledge and application of the principles of biological, physical, and social sciences as determined by the board.
(d) Rules adopted regarding the delegation of the administration of drugs shall provide for:
(1) The delegated administration of drugs only within the physical boundaries of the delegating podiatrist's offices;
(2) Evaluation of whether delegation is appropriate according to the acuity of the patient involved;
(3) Training and competency requirements that shall be met by the person administering the drugs; and
(4) Other standards and procedures the board considers relevant.
(e) The board shall not adopt rules that:
(1) Authorize a podiatrist to transfer to a health professional other than another physician the podiatrist's responsibility for supervising a person who is performing a delegated medical practice;
(2) Authorize an individual to whom a medical practice is delegated to delegate the performance of that practice to another individual;
(3) Authorize a podiatrist to delegate the administration of anesthesia; or
(4) Conflict with a provision of the Arkansas Code that specifically authorizes an individual to perform a particular practice.
Section: Previous 17-96-202 17-96-203 17-96-204Last modified: November 15, 2016