La. Admin. Code tit. 46 § XLV-2503
Advisory Committee or Committee-the Respiratory Therapy Advisory Committee, as established, appointed and organized pursuant to R.S. 37:3356 of the Act.
American Association for Respiratory Care or AARC-a professional society associated with the respiratory care profession or its successor.
Applicant-a person who has applied to the board for a license or permit to practice respiratory therapy in this state.
Board-the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners.
Certified Respiratory Therapist-also known as a Certified Respiratory Therapy Technician prior to July 1, 1999, means one who is in good standing with, and has successfully completed the entry level credentialing examination or its successor administered by the National Board for Respiratory Care.
Chest Pulmonary Therapy (CPT)-chest percussion, postural drainage, chest clapping, chest vibrations, bronchopulmonary hygiene and cupping, positive expiratory therapy (PEP), deep breathing/cough exercise, and inspiratory muscle training.
CoARC-the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care, or its successor or predecessor organizations.
Good Moral Character-as applied to an applicant, means that an applicant has not, prior to or during the pendency of an application to the board, been guilty of any act, omission, condition or circumstance which would provide legal cause under R.S. 37:3358 for the denial, suspension or revocation of respiratory care licensure; the applicant has not, prior to or in connection with his application, made any representation to the board, knowingly or unknowingly, which is in fact false or misleading as to material fact or omits to state any fact or matter that is material to the application; and the applicant has not made any representation or failed to make a representation or engaged in any act or omission which is false, deceptive, fraudulent or misleading in achieving or obtaining any of the qualifications for a license required by this Chapter.
License-the lawful authority to engage in the practice of respiratory therapy in the state of Louisiana, as evidenced by a certificate duly issued by and under the official seal of the board.
Licensed Respiratory Therapist or LRT-a person who is licensed by the board to practice respiratory therapy in Louisiana under the qualified medical direction and supervision of a licensed physician. The term licensed respiratory therapist shall be used to signify either a certified or registered respiratory therapist, or a person who was licensed by the board to practice respiratory care prior to 1991.
Medical Gases-gases commonly used in a respiratory care department in the calibration of respiratory care equipment and in the diagnostic evaluation and therapeutic management of diseases, including but not restricted to carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, compressed air, helium, nitric oxide, nitrogen, and oxygen.
National Board for Respiratory Care or NBRC-the official national credentialing board of the profession, or its successor.
Nontraditional Respiratory Care Education Program-a program of studies primarily through correspondence with tutorial assistance and with a clinical component comparable to a traditional program.
Physician-a person who is currently licensed by the board to practice medicine in the state of Louisiana.
Registered Respiratory Therapist-one who is currently in good standing with, and has successfully completed the advanced practitioner registry credentialing examination or its successor administered by the National Board for Respiratory Care.
Respiratory Care-is synonymous with the term respiratory therapy as defined in this Chapter.
Respiratory Care Education Program-a program of respiratory therapy studies accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC), or its predecessor or successor organizations, including programs formerly accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) in collaboration with CoARC.
Respiratory Therapy-the allied health specialty practiced under the direction and supervision of a physician involving the assessment, treatment, testing, monitoring, and care of persons with deficiencies and abnormalities of the cardiopulmonary system. Such therapy includes, but is not limited to, the following activities conducted upon the prescription or other order of a physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or physician assistant howsoever communicated and duly recorded:
a. application and monitoring of oxygen therapy, invasive and non-invasive ventilatory therapy, mechanical ventilation, bronchial hygiene therapy and cardiopulmonary rehabilitation and resuscitation;
b. insertion and care of natural and artificial airways;
c. institution of any type of physiologic monitoring applicable to respiratory care, including but not limited to cardiopulmonary and neurological processes related to such diseases;
d. insertion and care of peripheral arterial lines;
e. administration of non-controlled drugs and medications commonly used in respiratory care that have been dispensed by a pharmacist and prescribed by a physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or physician assistant to be administered by a licensed respiratory therapist as defined in this Chapter. Nothing in this Chapter shall be construed to authorize the administration of sedatives, hypnotics, anesthetics or paralytic agents, or intravenous administration of medications, with the exception of the administration of medications necessary during cardiopulmonary arrest by a licensed respiratory therapist certified in advanced cardiac life support (ACLS), pediatric advanced life support (PALS), or in a neonatal resuscitation program (NRP);
f. pulmonary assessment, testing techniques, and therapy modification required for the implementation of physician-approved respiratory care protocols;
g. administration of medical gases and environmental control systems and their apparatus, including hyperbaric oxygen therapy;
h. administration of humidity and aerosol therapy;
i. application of chest pulmonary therapy and associated broncho-pulmonary hygiene techniques;
j. institution of physician-approved, patient-driven respiratory therapy protocols in emergency situations in the absence of a physician;
k. supervision of students;
l. performance of specific procedures and diagnostic testing relative to respiratory therapy that are ordered by a physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or physician assistant to assist in diagnosis, monitoring, treatment, and research, including:
i. drawing of arterial, venous, and capillary blood samples and other body fluids for analysis to determine laboratory values to be performed on blood gas instrumentation;
ii. collection of sputum and other body fluids for analysis;
iii. procedures involved in patient preparation and assisting a physician who is in attendance with invasive procedures related to respiratory therapy, including but not limited to bronchoscopy, chest tube insertion, and tracheotomy;
iv. measurement of expired gases in the performance of cardiopulmonary function tests common to respiratory therapy; and
v. starting of intravenous lines for the purpose of administering fluids pertinent to the practice of respiratory therapy in a special procedure area under the order of a physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or a physician assistant;
m. transcription and implementation of physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or physician assistant orders pertinent to the practice of respiratory therapy to be provided by a licensed respiratory therapist; and
n. instruction of patient, family, and caregivers in the prevention, management, and therapeutic modalities related to respiratory therapy for patients in any setting.
Respiratory Therapy Practice Act or the Act-R.S. 37:3351-3361, as amended.
United States Government-any department, agency or bureau of the United States Armed Forces or Veterans Administration.
La. Admin. Code tit. 46, § XLV-2503