24.213.301    DEFINITIONS

(1) "Clinical supervision" means the availability of a licensed respiratory care practitioner for purposes of immediate communication and consultation.

(2) "Conscious sedation" means the administration of a pharmacological agent by a respiratory care provider as prescribed by a physician.

(3) "Emergency procedures" as that term is used in 37-28-102, MCA, includes, but is not limited to, physician-approved protocols relating to life-sustaining procedures in emergency situations in the absence of the immediate direction of a physician. Emergency respiratory care may also be provided during transportation of a patient and under any circumstances where an epidemic, public disaster, or other emergency necessitates respiratory care.

(4) "Formal pulmonary function testing" includes, but is not limited to:

(a) diffusion capacity studies; and

(b) complete lung volumes and flows.

(5) "Informal screening spirometry" includes, but is not limited to:

(a) peak expiration flow rate;

(b) screening spirometry forced expiration volume for one second;

(c) forced vital capacity; and

(d) simple vital capacity.

(6) "NBRC" means the National Board for Respiratory Care.

(7) "Pulse oximetry," "pulmonary function testing," and "spirometry" mean diagnostic procedures that, pursuant to the orders of a physician, may be performed only by or under clinical supervision of a licensed respiratory care practitioner and/or other licensed health care provider who has met the minimum competency standards. The individual performing pulmonary function testing and spirometry must meet minimum competency standards, as they currently exist, as established by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) or the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) certification examination for entry level respiratory therapist, certification examination for entry level pulmonary function technologist (CPFT) credential, or registry examination for Advanced Pulmonary Function Technologists (RPFT) specific to pulmonary function testing.

(8) For the purposes of 37-28-102(3)(a), MCA, "respiratory care" does not include the delivery, assembly, testing, simulated demonstration of the operation, or demonstration of safety and maintenance of respiratory therapy equipment by home medical equipment (HME) personnel to a client's home, pursuant to the written prescription of a physician. "Respiratory care" does include any instruction to the client regarding clinical use of the equipment, or any monitoring, assessment, or other evaluation of therapeutic effects.

History: Sections (8) and (1) are advisory only, but may be a correct interpretation of the law, 37-28-104, MCA; IMP, 37-28-101, 37-28-102, MCA; NEW, 1992 MAR p. 913, Eff. 5/1/92; AMD, 1994 MAR p. 160, Eff. 1/28/94; AMD, 1994 MAR p. 668, Eff. 4/1/94; AMD, 1997 MAR p. 542, Eff. 3/25/97; AMD, 2000 MAR p. 1039, Eff. 4/28/00; AMD, 2001 MAR p. 1096, Eff. 6/22/01; TRANS, from Commerce, 2003 MAR p. 1286; AMD, 2005 MAR p. 453, Eff. 4/1/05; AMD, 2015 MAR p. 22, Eff. 1/16/15.