HB0140 Treadway, Joseph L

P R E F I L E D

HB 140 -- Respiratory Care Practitioners

This bill creates the respiratory care practice act. The bill contains provisions which define the following; certified respiratory therapy technician, registered respiratory therapist, direct clinical supervision, emergency care, formal training, protocols, and respiratory care.

The practice of respiratory care is defined as the direct or indirect respiratory care services which would include the administration of pharmacologic, diagnostic and therapeutic agents related to respiratory care and observing, examining, monitoring and evaluating signs, symptoms, and the general response to respiratory care procedures.

The bill creates within the Division of Professional Registration the Missouri Board for Respiratory Care. It is the board's duty to adopt rules regarding professional conduct, establish continuing education requirements, renew licenses, and establish ethical standards of practice. The board retains the right to refuse to issue or renew, suspend, or revoke a license or permit or place a licensee on probation if the person has been guilty of unprofessional conduct which endangered or could endanger the health, welfare, and safety of any person. The board is required to hear and investigate complaints, employ investigators, issue subpoenas, and file petitions with courts of proper jurisdiction regarding the practice of certain individuals. The board may also discipline licensees for controlled substance abuse, fraud, incompetency, impersonation, deceptive advertising, unethical conduct, and failure to notify the board of any prior suspensions and revocations. All fees collected by the division will be placed in the Respiratory Care Practitioners Fund, which is created within the state treasury. These funds will be used for the operation and administration of the board.

The bill provides for temporary permits to practice as respiratory care practitioners for individuals who are enrolled in approved respiratory care programs. These permits are issued for the period in which the individual is enrolled in the program and up to twelve months after completion of course work. If the individual drops out of the program the permit is automatically revoked.

Respiratory care practitioners, who in good faith render emergency care are not liable for civil damages, but are liable for negligence.

Violation of any provisions of this bill is a class B misdemeanor.