The board may deny or discipline a licensee for any of the following:

(a) Unprofessional conduct, including, but not limited to, the following:

(1) Incompetence or gross negligence in carrying out usual occupational therapy functions.

(2) Repeated similar negligent acts in carrying out usual occupational therapy functions.

(3) A conviction for practicing medicine without a license in violation of Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 2000), in which event a certified copy of the record of conviction shall be conclusive evidence thereof.

(4) The use of advertising relating to occupational therapy that violates Section 17500.

(5) Denial of licensure, revocation, suspension, restriction, or any other disciplinary action against a licensee by another state or territory of the United States, by any other government agency, or by another California health care professional licensing board. A certified copy of the decision, order, or judgment shall be conclusive evidence thereof.

(b) Procuring a license by fraud, misrepresentation, or mistake.

(c) Violating or attempting to violate, directly or indirectly, or assisting in or abetting the violation of, or conspiring to violate, any provision or term of this chapter or any regulation adopted pursuant to this chapter.

(d) Making or giving any false statement or information in connection with the application for issuance or renewal of a license.

(e) Conviction of a crime or of any offense substantially related to the qualifications, functions, or duties of a licensee, in which event the record of the conviction shall be conclusive evidence thereof.

(f) Impersonating an applicant or acting as proxy for an applicant in any examination required under this chapter for the issuance of a license.

(g) Impersonating a licensed practitioner, or permitting or allowing another unlicensed person to use a license.

(h) Committing any fraudulent, dishonest, or corrupt act that is substantially related to the qualifications, functions, or duties of a licensee.

(i) Committing any act punishable as a sexually related crime, if that act is substantially related to the qualifications, functions, or duties of a licensee, in which event a certified copy of the record of conviction shall be conclusive evidence thereof.

(j) Using excessive force upon or mistreating or abusing any client. For the purposes of this subdivision, “excessive force” means force clearly in excess of that which would normally be applied in similar clinical circumstances.

(k) Falsifying or making grossly incorrect, grossly inconsistent, or unintelligible entries in a client or hospital record or any other record.

(l) Changing the prescription of a physician and surgeon or falsifying verbal or written orders for treatment or a diagnostic regime received, whether or not that action resulted in actual client harm.

(m) Failing to maintain confidentiality of client medical information, except as disclosure is otherwise permitted or required by law.

(n) Delegating to an unlicensed employee or person a service that requires the knowledge, skills, abilities, or judgment of a licensee.

(o) Committing any act that would be grounds for denial of a license under Section 480.

(p) Except for good cause, the knowing failure to protect clients by failing to follow infection control guidelines of the board, thereby risking transmission of infectious diseases from licensee to client, from client to client, or from client to licensee.

(1) In administering this subdivision, the board shall consider referencing the standards, regulations, and guidelines of the State Department of Public Health developed pursuant to § 1250.11 of the Health and Safety Code and the standards, guidelines, and regulations pursuant to the California Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1973 (Part 1 (commencing with Section 63001) of Division 5 of the Labor Code) for preventing the transmission of HIV, hepatitis B, and other blood-borne pathogens in health care settings. As necessary to encourage appropriate consistency in the implementation of this subdivision, the board shall consult with the Medical Board of California, the Board of Podiatric Medicine, the Dental Board of California, the Board of Registered Nursing, and the Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians.

(2) The board shall seek to ensure that licensees are informed of their responsibility to minimize the risk of transmission of infectious diseases from health care provider to client, from client to client, and from client to health care provider, and are informed of the most recent scientifically recognized safeguards for minimizing the risks of transmission.

(Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 490, Sec. 10. (AB 2221) Effective January 1, 2019.)