448.956 Practice requirements.

(1)

(a) A licensee may engage in athletic training only in accordance with an evaluation and treatment protocol that is established by the athletic trainer and approved by the consulting physician in accordance with the rules promulgated under s. 448.9525 (2) and recorded on a protocol form prescribed by the affiliated credentialing board under s. 448.9525 (1) (c).

(b) A licensee shall have a copy of the protocol established under par. (a) at his or her place of employment at all times.

(c) A protocol established under par. (a) shall be updated no later than 30 days before the date specified in s. 440.08 (2) (a) 14f.

(1m) Subject to sub. (1) (a), a licensee may provide athletic training to an individual without a referral, except that a licensee may not provide athletic training as described under s. 448.95 (5) (d) or (e) in an outpatient rehabilitation setting unless the licensee has obtained a written referral for the individual from a practitioner licensed or certified under subch. II, III, IV, V, or VII of this chapter; under ch. 446; or under s. 441.16 (2).

(2) In addition to engaging in athletic training under a protocol established under sub. (1), a licensee may do any of the following:

(a) Monitor the general behavior and general physical response of a person to treatment and rehabilitation, including monitoring whether the person's behavior or response show abnormal characteristics and monitoring whether the person exhibits abnormal signs or symptoms.

(b) Suggest modifications in treatment or rehabilitation of an injured person to the health care practitioner who referred the person to the athletic trainer or to any other health care provider who is providing treatment to the person.

(c) Develop and administer an athletic training program for a person. An athletic training program under this paragraph may include providing education and counseling to a person.

(3) When working on behalf of his or her employer, a licensee may, in accordance with a protocol established under sub. (1) (a), do all of the following:

(a) Treat and rehabilitate an injury or illness using cold, heat, light, sound, electricity, exercise, chemicals, or mechanical devices.

(b) Evaluate and treat a person for an injury or illness that has not previously been diagnosed.

(c) Treat or rehabilitate an employee with an injury or illness that has resulted from an employment activity as directed, supervised, and inspected by a physician, as defined in s. 448.01 (5), or by a person licensed under s. 446.02, who has the power to direct, decide, and oversee the implementation of the treatment or rehabilitation.

(4) If a licensee or the consulting physician of the licensee determines that a patient's medical condition is beyond the scope of practice of the licensee, the licensee shall, in accordance with the protocol established under sub. (1) (a), refer the patient to a health care practitioner who is licensed under ch. 446 or 447 or subch. II, III or IV of ch. 448 and who can provide appropriate treatment to the patient.

(5) A licensee shall modify or terminate treatment of a patient that is not beneficial to a patient or that the patient cannot tolerate.

History: 1999 a. 9; 2009 a. 162.