(a) Nothing in this part shall be construed as preventing or restricting the practice, services or activities of:

Terms Used In Tennessee Code 63-13-208

  • ACOTE: means the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education, a nationally recognized accrediting agency for professional programs in the field of occupational therapy. See Tennessee Code 63-13-103
  • Dry needling: means a skilled intervention that uses a thin filiform needle to penetrate the skin and stimulate underlying neural, muscular, and connective tissues for the management of neuromusculoskeletal conditions, pain, and movement impairments. See Tennessee Code 63-13-103
  • Occupational therapist: means a person licensed to engage in occupational therapy practice under this chapter. See Tennessee Code 63-13-103
  • Occupational therapy assistant: means a person licensed to assist in occupational therapy practice under the supervision of an occupational therapist. See Tennessee Code 63-13-103
  • Person: includes a corporation, firm, company or association. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • United States: includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Upper limb: means the hand, wrist, elbow, and shoulder girdle. See Tennessee Code 63-13-103
  • Year: means a calendar year, unless otherwise expressed. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(1) Any person licensed under any chapter of this title;
(2) Any person employed as an occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant by an agency of the United States government while providing occupational therapy services in that capacity;
(3) Any person pursuing a course of study leading to a degree or certificate in occupational therapy in an educational program accredited or granted developing program status by ACOTE, if:

(A) The activities and services constitute a part of a supervised course of study; and
(B) The person is designated by a title that clearly indicates the person’s status as a student;
(4) Any person fulfilling the supervised fieldwork experience requirements of § 63-13-202(3), if the activities and services constitute a part of the experience necessary to meet the requirements of § 63-13-202(3);
(5) An occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant who is licensed or certified to practice in another state that has licensure or certification requirements at least as stringent as the requirements of this part while in Tennessee for the purpose of providing educational, consulting or training services for no more than fourteen (14) days in a calendar year; and
(6) Any person who is certified by the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification as a certified therapeutic recreation specialist, while engaged in practicing the profession of recreation therapy.
(b) Nothing in this part shall prevent certified orthotists from designing, fabricating and fitting orthotic devices.
(c) Nothing in this part shall prevent any person employed by a physician from performing activities related to casting and splinting or teaching exercises related to specific treatment by the employing physician.
(d) The practice of dry needling of the upper limb by an occupational therapist licensed under this chapter does not constitute the practice of acupuncture under chapter 6, part 10, of this title.