Title: North Carolina Board of Physical Therapy Examiners
Headings: Functional Capacity Evaluations
Functional Capacity Evaluations
Content: A PTA may participate in the collection of objective data. It is the responsibility of the PT to interpret data. A PTA may participate in the performance of objective tests and measures that do not require evaluation or the judgment of a PT. Data collection, tests and measures performed to assess patient response during an FCE require a different set of skills than data collection, tests and measures performed in connection with patient intervention. Training and education beyond entry-level skills are required before a PTA can assist a PT with an FCE. Description of FCE
Occupational Health Physical Therapy Guidelines: Evaluating Functional Capacity defines an FCE as follows: An FCE is a detailed examination and evaluation that objectively measures the patient’s/client’s current level of function, primarily within the context of the demands of competitive employment. Measurements of function from an FCE are compared to the physical demands of a job or other functional activities, and are used to make return-to-work/activity decisions, disability determinations, or to generate a rehabilitation plan. An FCE measures the ability of an individual to perform functional or work-related tasks and predicts the potential to sustain these tasks over a defined time frame.