(a) “Board” shall mean the Mississippi State Board of Health.

(b) “Council” shall mean the Respiratory Care Advisory Council.

(c) “License” shall mean the document of licensure issued by the board.

(d) “Respiratory care” shall mean the allied health profession responsible for the treatment, management, diagnostic testing, control and care of patients with deficiencies and abnormalities associated with the cardiopulmonary system, pursuant to the orders of a physician licensed in the State of Mississippi.

(e) “Practice of respiratory care” shall include, but not be limited to: direct and indirect respiratory care services, including, but not limited to, the administration of pharmacological, diagnostic and therapeutic agents related to respiratory care procedures necessary to implement a treatment, disease prevention, pulmonary rehabilitative or diagnostic regimen prescribed by a physician; transcription and implementation of the written or verbal orders of a physician pertaining to the practice of respiratory care; observing and monitoring signs and symptoms, general behavior, general physical response to respiratory care treatment and diagnostic testing, including determination of whether such signs, symptoms, reactions, behavior or general response exhibit abnormal characteristics; and implementation based on observed abnormalities, of appropriate reporting, referral, respiratory care protocols or changes in treatment, pursuant to a prescription by a person authorized to practice medicine under the laws of the State of Mississippi; or the initiation of emergency procedures under the regulations of the board or as otherwise permitted in this chapter. The practice of respiratory care may be performed in any clinic, hospital, skilled nursing facility, and private dwelling, or other place deemed appropriate or necessary by the board, in accordance with the prescription or verbal order of a physician.

(f) “Performance of respiratory care” means respiratory care in accordance with the prescription of a licensed physician and includes, but is not limited to, the diagnostic and therapeutic use of the following: administration of medical gases (except for the purpose of anesthesia), aerosols and humidification; environmental control mechanisms and hyperbaric therapy; pharmacologic agents related to respiratory care procedures; mechanical or physiological ventilatory support; bronchopulmonary hygiene; cardiopulmonary resuscitation; maintenance of the natural airway; insertion and maintenance of artificial airways; specific diagnostic and testing techniques employed in the medical management of patients to assist in diagnosis, monitoring, treatment and research of pulmonary abnormalities, including measurements of ventilatory volumes, pressures, flows, collection of specimens of blood and blood gases, expired and inspired gas samples, respiratory secretions, and pulmonary function testing; and hemodynamic and other related physiologist measurements of the cardiopulmonary system.

(g) “Respiratory care practitioner” means:

(i) A person employed in the practice of respiratory care who has the knowledge and skill necessary to administer respiratory care as defined in subsections (e) and (f) of this section;

(ii) A person who is capable of serving as a resource to the physician in relation to the technical aspects of respiratory care as to safe and effective methods for administering respiratory care modalities;

(iii) A person who is able to function in situations of unsupervised patient contact requiring great individual judgment; and

(iv) A person capable of supervising, directing and teaching less skilled personnel in the provision of respiratory care services.

(h) Respiratory care includes “inhalation therapy” and “respiratory therapy.”