Article - Health Occupations
§14–5A–01.
(a) In this subtitle
the following words have the meanings indicated.
(b) “Board”
means the State Board of Physicians.
(c) “Committee”
means the Respiratory Care Professional Standards Committee established
under § 14–5A–05 of this subtitle.
(d) “License”
means a license issued by the Board to practice respiratory care.
(e) “Licensed
respiratory care practitioner” means a respiratory care practitioner
who is licensed by the Board to practice respiratory care.
(f) “Licensee”
means a licensed respiratory care practitioner.
(g) “National
certifying board” means the National Board for Respiratory Care
or a certifying organization that has certification requirements equivalent
to the National Board for Respiratory Care and that has been approved
by the Board.
(h) (1) “Practice
respiratory care” means to evaluate, care for, and treat, including
the diagnostic evaluation of, individuals who have deficiencies and
abnormalities that affect the pulmonary system and associated aspects
of the cardiopulmonary and other systems under the supervision of
and in collaboration with a physician.
(2) “Practice
respiratory care” includes:
(i) Providing direct
and indirect respiratory care services that are safe, aseptic, preventive,
and restorative;
(ii) Practicing
the principles, techniques, and theories derived from cardiopulmonary
medicine;
(iii) Evaluating
and treating individuals whose cardiopulmonary functions have been
threatened or impaired by developmental defects, the aging process,
physical injury, disease, or actual or anticipated dysfunction of
the cardiopulmonary system;
(iv) Observing
and monitoring physical signs and symptoms, general behavior, and
general physical response to respiratory care procedures and determining
if initiation, modification, or discontinuation of a treatment regimen
is warranted;
(v) Transcribing
and implementing written or oral orders regarding the practice of
respiratory care;
(vi) Using evaluation
techniques that include cardiopulmonary function assessments, gas
exchange, the need and effectiveness of therapeutic modalities and
procedures, and the assessment and evaluation of the need for extended
care and home care procedures, therapy, and equipment; and
(vii) Applying
the use of techniques, equipment, and procedures involved in the administration
of respiratory care, including:
1. Except for general
anesthesia, therapeutic and diagnostic gases;
2. Prescribed medication
for inhalation or direct tracheal installation;
3. The administration
of analgesic agents by subcutaneous injection or inhalation for the
performance of respiratory care procedures;
4. Nonsurgical
insertion, maintenance, and removal of artificial airways;
5. Advanced cardiopulmonary
measures;
6. Cardiopulmonary
rehabilitation;
7. Mechanical ventilation
or physiological life support systems;
8. Collection of
body fluids and blood samples for evaluation and analysis;
9. Insertion of
diagnostic arterial access lines; and
10. Collection
and analysis of exhaled respiratory gases.
(i) “Supervision”
means the responsibility of a physician to exercise on–site
or immediately available direction for a licensed respiratory care
practitioner performing delegated medical acts.