License: Respiratory Care Practitioner

MS State Dept. of Health Office of Licensure Professional Licensure Division external site

P.O. Box 1700

Jackson, MS 39215-1700

(601) 364-7360

General information, terms and definitions: Definitions: The following terms shall have the meaning set forth below, unless the context otherwise requires: 1. "Board" shall mean the Mississippi State Board of Health. 2. "Council" shall mean the Respiratory Care Advisory Council. 3. "License" shall mean the document of licensure issued by the Board. 4. “Respiratory care" shall mean the allied health professions 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, and includes "inhalation therapy" and "respiratory therapy." 5. "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 act. The practice of respiratory care may be performed in any clinic, hospital, skilled nursing facility, private dwelling, or other place deemed appropriate or necessary of the Board, in accordance with the prescription or verbal order of a physician. 6. "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. 7. "Respiratory care practitioner" means: a. A person employed in the practice of respiratory care who has the knowledge and skill necessary to administer respiratory care. b. 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; c. A person who is able to function in situations of unsupervised patient contact requiring great individual judgment; and d. A person capable of supervising, directing, and teaching less skilled personnel in the provision of respiratory care services. 8. "Examination" shall mean an entry level examination as administered by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC), or its successor Board, to practice respiratory care or other examination that the Board may approve. 9. "Department" shall mean the Mississippi Department of Health. 10. "Initiation of Emergency Procedure" shall include, but not be limited to, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support, and Neonatal Resuscitation Program, in emergency situations. Procedures not covered in the rules listed above may be performed by only those Licensed Respiratory Care Practitioners who have successfully completed a course in each respective appropriate discipline as governed by the American Heart Association, in accordance with the prescription or verbal order of a physician. 11. “Written orders of a physician” shall include, in a hospital licensed in the State of Mississippi, a set of criteria/requirements outlined and adopted by the appropriate medical advisory body within the institution and made part of the formal hospital procedure for respiratory care. Licensure Requirements: An applicant for licensure shall submit to the Department, verified by oath, written evidence in form and content satisfactory to the Department that the applicant holds a credential, conferred by the National Board of Respiratory Care, or its successor Board, as a Certified Respiratory Technician (CRT) and/or a Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT), or their successor credentials, providing such credentials have not been suspended or revoked, or at the time of application have not lapsed. Temporary Permit: The Board may, in its discretion, issue a temporary permit to practice respiratory care for a period of six (6) months to an applicant for a license, pending the compliance of the requirements for licensure, providing the applicant submits to the Department, verified by oath, in form and content satisfactory to the Department that the applicant is a student in an approved respiratory care education program and expects to graduate within thirty (30) days of the application for a temporary permit and who is eligible to sit for the CRT, RRT, or their successor examination. Renewal of License: 1. The Board shall issue licenses which shall be renewed biennially, beginning with the first renewal term after the issuance of the license. 2. The licensure period for renewal purposes shall be construed as September 1st through August 31st of odd numbered years.