{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-314a.010","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 314A.010","heading":"Definitions for chapter.","body":"As used in this chapter:\n(1) \"Respiratory care\" includes \"respiratory therapy,\" \"inhalation therapy,\" or other\n\"cardiopulmonary\" terms.\n(2) \"Practice of respiratory care\" means the procedures employed in the therapy,\nmanagement, rehabilitation, gathering of assessment information, or other\nprocedures administered to patients with deficiencies or abnormalities which affect\ntheir cardiopulmonary system and associated aspects of cardiopulmonary and other\nsystem functions. This includes but is not limited to:\n(a) Provision of respiratory c are procedures to ensure the safety, comfort,\npersonal hygiene, protection of patients, and the performance of disease\nprevention and restorative measures;\n(b) The administration of pharmacologic and therapeutic agents related to the\ncardiopulmonary care n ecessary for treatment, disease prevention, or\nrehabilitation regimes prescribed by a physician; and\n(c) Observation of signs and symptoms of cardiopulmonary illness, reactions to\ntreatment, general physical condition; determination of whether such signs,\nsymptoms, reactions, behavior, or general appearance exhibit abnormal\ncharacteristics; and performance of standard procedures according to observed\nabnormalities, or reporting them to the physician in charge or other caretakers;\ninitiating standard or emergency procedures.\n(3) \"Respiratory care practitioner\" means a person who holds a mandatory certificate\napproved by the board. The term \"respiratory care practitioner\" includes the\nfollowing:\n(a) A \"registered respiratory therapist\" means an individual who has successfully\ncompleted a training program accredited by the American Medical\nAssociation's Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education or its\nequivalent in collaboration with the Committee on Accreditation for\nRespiratory Care or its equival ent, and who has successfully completed the\nregistry examination for advanced respiratory therapists administered by the\nNational Board for Respiratory Care, Incorporated or its equivalent;\n(b) A \"certified respiratory therapist\" means an individual who ha s successfully\ncompleted a training program accredited by the American Medical\nAssociation's Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education or its\nequivalent in collaboration with the Committee on Accreditation for\nRespiratory Care or its equivalen t, and who has successfully completed the\nentry level certification examination for respiratory therapists administered by\nthe National Board for Respiratory Care, Incorporated or its equivalent;\n(c) A \"graduate respiratory care practitioner\" means an indi vidual who has\ngraduated from an approved educational program and is eligible to sit for the\nentry level certification examination that will be administered by the National\nBoard for Respiratory Care, Incorporated or its equivalent;\n(d) A \"student respiratory care practitioner\" means:\n1. An individual enrolled in an education and training program, accredited\nby the American Medical Association's Commission on Accreditation of\nAllied Health Education or its equivalent and the Committee on\nAccreditation for Respiratory Care or its equivalent, for respiratory care\npractitioners and whose sponsoring educational institution assumes\nresponsibility for the supervision of and the services rendered by the\nstudent respiratory care practitioner while the student is fun ctioning in a\nclinical training capacity; or\n2. An individual enrolled in an education and training program, accredited\nby the American Medical Association's Commission on Accreditation of\nAllied Health Education or its equivalent and the Committee on\nAccreditation for Respiratory Care or its equivalent , and who is also\nemployed for compensation to provide respiratory care services as\noutlined in KRS 314A.112.\n(4) \"Board\" means the Kentucky Board of Respiratory Care.\n(5) \"Accredited program\" means a training program accredited by the American\nMedical Ass ociation's Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health or its\nequivalent in collaboration with the Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory\nCare or its equivalent which qualifies the graduate to sit for the registry examination\nor the entry level examin ation administered by the National Board for Respiratory\nCare or its equivalent.\n(6) \"Mandatory certification\" means the board's official authorization to practice\nrespiratory care for the time specified by the mandatory certification.\n(7) \"Continuing educ ation\" means educational activities primarily designed to keep\nrespiratory care practitioners informed of developments in the respiratory care field\nor any special areas of practice engaged in by such persons.\n(8) \"Documented competency\" means adherence to  guidelines established by health\nfacilities, medical staff, or accreditation agencies. These guidelines shall be in\naccordance with national standards of practice deemed appropriate by the American\nAssociation for Respiratory Care or its equivalent.\n(9) \"Medical director\" means a licensed physician who is knowledgeable in the\ndiagnosis, treatment, and assessment of respiratory problems and whose\nresponsibilities are established by statutes and regulations governing the operation\nof facilities licensed unde r KRS Chapter 216B, as well as statutes and regulations\ndealing with hospice, home health, and other settings where respiratory care\nservices may be delivered.\n(10) \"Direct supervision\" means supervision by a holder of a mandatory certificate who\nshall be on the premises where respiratory care services are provided and who shall\nbe available for immediate consultation.\n(11) \"Indirect supervision\" means supervision by a holder of a mandatory certificate who\nshall be available by telephone and who shall have a response time, if needed, of\nthirty (30) minutes or less.","path":["KRS Chapter 314A"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=30973","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T20:58:11Z","sha256":"d62aef1c9d2b24bf1b48a55dc5580543198b6f862f03e4fbaa60e2cf4281bc87","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-314.991","next":"us-ky/krs-314a.100"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}