As used in the Respiratory Care Practice Act:

1. "Board" means the State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision;

2. "Practice of respiratory care" shall include, but not be limited to, the direct and indirect respiratory care services including but not limited to the administration of medical gases, pharmacological, diagnostic, and therapeutic agents and services related to respiratory care procedures necessary to implement and administer treatment, ventilatory support, maintenance of the airway via natural or artificial means, specimen collection, disease prevention, pulmonary rehabilitation, or diagnostic regimen prescribed by orders of a physician; observing and monitoring signs and symptoms, physiologic measurements of the cardiopulmonary system, 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 clinical observations, of appropriate reporting, referral, respiratory care protocol, or changes in treatment, pursuant to a prescription by a person authorized to practice medicine under the laws of this state; or the initiation of emergency procedures under the rules of the Board or as otherwise permitted in the Respiratory Care Practice Act. The practice of respiratory care shall also include the terms "inhalation therapy" and "respiratory therapy". The practice of respiratory care shall not include the delivery, set-up, installation, maintenance, monitoring and the providing of instructions on the use of home oxygen and durable medical equipment;

3. "Qualified medical director" means the licensed physician responsible for respiratory care services or the licensed physician designated as such by the clinic, hospital, or employing health care facility. The physician must be a medical staff member or medical director of a health care facility licensed by the State Department of Health;

4. "Respiratory care practitioner" means a person licensed by this state and employed in the practice of respiratory care; and

5. "Respiratory therapist" means an individual who has graduated from a respiratory therapist program that is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) or an equivalent national respiratory care educational accreditation agency as identified by the Respiratory Care Advisory Committee and approved by the State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision.

Added by Laws 1995, c. 171, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 1995. Amended by Laws 2013, c. 72, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2013.