Chapter 360-13 RESPIRATORY CARE PROFESSIONALS, TECHNICIANS AND THERAPISTS
| (1) |
To be
eligible for Board certification, an applicant must:
| (a) |
provide an affidavit and a
secure and verifiable document in accordance with O.C.G.A.
50-36-1(f).
An affidavit that the applicant is a United States citizen, a legal
permanent resident of the United States, or that he/she is a
qualified alien or non-immigrant under the Federal Immigration and
Nationality Act. If the applicant is not a U.S. citizen, he/she must
submit documentation that will determine his/her qualified alien
status. The Board participates in the DHS-USCIS SAVE (Systematic
Alien Verification for Entitlements or "SAVE") program for the
purpose of verifying citizenship and immigration status information
of non-citizens. If the applicant is a qualified alien or
non-immigrant under the Federal Immigration and Nationality Act,
he/she must provide the alien number issued by the Department of
Homeland Security or other federal immigration agency; |
|
| (2) |
be at least 18 years
of age; |
| (3) |
have
submitted a completed application and the fees as required by the
Board; |
| (4) |
Effective of
January 1, 2020, all applicants must submit evidence of receiving a
passing score on one of the following examinations given by the
National Board of Respiratory Care:
| (i) |
Certified Respiratory Therapy
Technician (CRTT) offered by the National Board for Respiratory Care
(NBRC) prior to July 1, 1999. |
| (ii) |
Entry level Certified
Respiratory Therapy (CRT) offered by the NBRC prior to January 1,
2015. |
| (iii) |
Therapist
Multiple Choice (TMC) offered by the NBRC prior to January 1, 2019;
or |
| (iv) |
TMC and Clinical
Simulation Examination (CSE) offered by the NBRC after January 1,
2019; |
|
| (5) |
have
three months of experience working under the supervision of a
licensed physician; and |
| (6) |
provide an original letter of
recommendation on a form provided by the Board, signed by a physician
licensed to practice medicine in Georgia, who serves as a local
medical director or advisor under whom the applicant will practice;
reference forms shall be valid for six-months from the date of
signature. If the application is not approved during the six-month
period, the Board may require a new and more current
reference. |
| (7) |
In order
to qualify as a medical director or advisor under whom the applicant
will practice, such person must:
| (a) |
hold a current Georgia medical license; |
| (b) |
have experience in and
knowledge of respiratory care; and |
| (c) |
be readily available to the
applicants in his/her workplace. |
|
| (1) |
The application form shall be
completed according to the instructions provided in the
application. |
| (2) |
Applications must be complete, including all required documentation,
signatures and seals. Application files are not considered completed
until all information, including fees, have been received by the
Board. |
| (3) |
Applicants
shall inform the Board in writing within 10 days of a change of
address while an application is pending. |
| (4) |
Application fees are
nonrefundable. |
| (5) |
No
application will be considered by the Board until the application is
complete. |
| (6) |
Incomplete
applications that have been on file with the Board for more than one
year shall be deemed invalid. No further action will take place on
applications that have been incomplete for more than a year until a
new application is received in accordance with the provisions of this
chapter with the appropriate application fee. |
| (7) |
Any applicant who has not
received from the Board a valid temporary permit or valid certificate
to practice respiratory care shall not engage in the practice of
respiratory care or represent himself or herself as a certified
respiratory care professional until such time as the Board has
approved his or her application for a temporary permit or
certification. |
| (1) |
An applicant who is eligible
provided below may submit an application for a temporary permit. A
temporary permit may be granted to applicants for a period of twelve
months to:
| (a) |
an applicant for
certification under O.C.G.A. § 43-34-148
who provides the Board with written evidence, verified by oath, that
the applicant was certified, licensed or practicing respiratory care
in another state, or |
| (b) |
an applicant who is a graduate
of a respiratory therapy program accredited by the Commission on
Accreditation of Allied Health Programs, or the equivalent thereof as
accepted by the Board, pending the completion of all other
requirements for certification under the Respiratory Care Practices
Act. |
|
| (2) |
Any
individual applying for a temporary permit must submit a notarized
statement of reference either from a physician in the state where the
applicant has been practicing or from the medical director of the
academic program from which the applicant has graduated, attesting to
the fact that the applicant is qualified to practice respiratory
care, or |
| (3) |
must submit
a notarized statement of reference from the medical director of the
academic program from which the applicant has graduated, or is about
to graduate, attesting to the fact that the applicant is qualified to
practice respiratory care. |
| (4) |
Applications may be submitted
60 days prior to the applicant's graduation date. |
| (5) |
All persons issued a temporary
permit under this chapter shall have until the expiration date of
such temporary permit to become fully certified under this
chapter. |
| (6) |
Temporary
permits issued pursuant to this paragraph may not be
renewed. |
| (7) |
The holder
of a temporary permit shall cease practicing respiratory care upon
expiration of the temporary permit, unless such person has been fully
certified by the Board to practice respiratory care. |
| (8) |
To upgrade a temporary permit
to a permanent license, please see Rule
360-13-.01 "Requirements
for Board Certification." |
| (1) |
Any person who has been granted
certification, registration, licensure or other to practice
respiratory care in another state whose requirements for such to
practice are substantially equal to or exceed the requirements for
certification in this state may petition the Board for reciprocity in
this State. |
| (2) |
Verification by oath of certification, registration, licensure or
other to practice respiratory care must be submitted directly to the
Board from the appropriate state attesting to the fact that the
applicant seeking certification by reciprocity is currently
certified, licensed or otherwise authorized to practice respiratory
care in that state. |
| (3) |
Any applicant for certification by reciprocity must submit a
notarized statement of reference from a physician, currently licensed
in the state where the applicant has been practicing attesting to the
fact that the applicant is qualified to practice respiratory
care. |
| (4) |
Reciprocity
applicants who have not been practicing respiratory care in another
state for a period of 12 months or more shall be required to
establish to the Board's satisfaction that the applicant maintained
current knowledge, skill and proficiency in the practice of
respiratory care. |
| (1) |
A certificate holder shall
notify the Board in writing within 30 days after the certificate
holder's name is legally changed. At the time of notification, the
certificate holder shall submit a certified copy of the official
document evidencing the name change. If the name change occurred
during naturalization, the application must also include the
naturalization number, the name and address of the court, the date of
naturalization, and the name change. After receipt of the required
notification and documentation, the Board will issue a duplicate
certificate in the new name. |
| (2) |
A certificate holder shall
notify the Board in writing within 30 days after a change in the
certificate holder's address of record. Failure to so notify the
Board of an address change may be deemed to be noncompliance with
O.C.G.A. § 43-34-146
and may be grounds for disciplinary action pursuant to O.C.G.A.
§ 43-34-149. |
| (3) |
A certificate holder who
utilizes a post office box as the address of record shall also
provide a street address where the Board may contact the certificate
holder. |
| (1) |
Duplicate certificates may be
issued upon approval by the Board if the original certificate is
lost, stolen, or destroyed, or if the certificate holder has had a
legal change of name. |
| (2) |
To request a duplicate certificate, the certificate holder must
submit a notarized application stating the reason the duplicate
certificate is requested. If the application is based on a name
change, the certificate holder must provide the documentation
required by Rule
360-13-.05. |
| (3) |
All applications must include
the duplicate certificate fee. The duplicate certificate fee shall be
designated in the fee schedule. |
| (1) |
Certificates will expire on the
last day of the month in which the applicant's birthday
falls. |
| (2) |
Approximately
60 days prior to the expiration date, the Board may, as a courtesy,
email a notice for renewal of certificate to the certificate holder's
last email address on file in the Board's records. |
| (3) |
Failure to receive such
notification shall not relieve the certificate holder of the
obligation to renew the certificate and pay the required fee prior to
the expiration date of the certificate. Deposit of the renewal fee by
the Board does not indicate acceptance of the renewal application or
that any licensing requirements have been fulfilled. |
| (4) |
To be eligible for renewal and
recertification, a certificate holder must answer questions on their
biennial renewal form, which establish satisfaction of Board approved
continuing education requirements. The Board shall not renew the
certificates of applicants who failed to comply with Board approved
continuing education requirements. |
| (5) |
To be eligible for renewal and
recertification, a certificate holder must also furnish satisfactory
evidence that he or she continues to work under the supervision of a
physician who meets the requirements of Rule
360-13-.01(d).
This evidence must be furnished on a form prescribed by the Board.
The Board shall not renew the certificates of applicants who are not
working under the supervision of a physician who meets the
requirements of Rule
360-13-.01(d). |
| (6) |
Failure to renew a certificate
by the designated expiration date shall result in a penalty for late
renewal as required by the Board. Certificates that are not renewed
within 3months of expiration shall be revoked for failure to renew
and may be reinstated only as provided in Rule
360-13-.09. |
| (7) |
A certificate holder with an
expired certificate shall not engage in the practice of respiratory
care or to represent himself or herself as a certified respiratory
care professional until such time as the Board has approved his or
her application for renewal or reinstatement. |
| (8) |
Notwithstanding the provisions
of paragraph (6) of this rule, any service member as defined in
O.C.G.A. § 15-12-1
whose license to practice medicine expired while on active duty
outside the state shall be permitted to practice in accordance with
the expired license and shall not be charged with a violation
relating to such practice on an expired license for a period of six
(6) months from the date of his or her discharge from active duty or
reassignment to a location within the state. Such service member
shall be entitled to renew such expired license without penalty
within six (6) months after the date of his or her discharge from
active duty or reassignment to a location within this state. The
service member must present to the Board a copy of the official
military orders or a written verification signed by the service
member's commanding officer to waive any charges. |
| (9) |
All renewal applicants must
provide an affidavit and a secure and verifiable document in
accordance with O.C.G.A.
50-36-1(f).
If the applicant has previously provided a secure and verifiable
document and affidavit of United States citizenship, no additional
documentation of citizenship is required for renewal. If the
applicant for renewal is not a United States citizen, he/she must
submit documentation that will determine his/her qualified alien
status. The Board participates in the DHS-USCIS SAVE (Systematic
Alien Verification for Entitlements or "SAVE") program for purpose of
verifying citizenship and immigration status information of non-U.S.
citizens. If the applicant for renewal is a qualified alien or
non-immigrant under the Federal Immigration and Nationality Act,
he/she must provide the alien number issued by the Department of
Homeland Security or other federal agency. |
| (1) |
A person who wishes to maintain
his or her certificate as a Respiratory Care Professional, but who
does not intend to practice respiratory care may apply to the Board
for inactive status by submitting an application and the fee. An
individual with an inactive certificate may not practice respiratory
care in this State. |
| (2) |
In order to reinstate a certificate to practice respiratory care, an
applicant must complete an application and pay a reinstatement fee.
The applicant must be able to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the
Board that he or she has maintained current knowledge, skill and
proficiency in the practice of respiratory care and that he or she is
mentally and physically able to practice respiratory care with
reasonable skill and safety. |
| (3) |
Reinstatement of the
certificate is within the discretion of the Board. |
| (1) |
A minimum of two (2) years
shall pass from the date of any revocation of a certificate before
the Board will consider an application for reinstatement. This
requirement shall only apply to those instances in which the
certificate in question was revoked for reasons other than failure to
renew. For purposes of this rule, a voluntary surrender shall be
considered a revocation for reasons other than failure to
renew. |
| (2) |
Applicants for
reinstatement who have not practiced within two (2) years prior to
making application with the board must obtain the following
continuing education hours to be eligible for reinstatement:
| (a) |
Thirty hours (or 3 CEUs) of
approved continuing education credits are needed in which 15 hours or
1.5 CEUs must come from critical care. Critical care topics are
generally considered to be topics that include in the title such
words or abbreviations as ICU, NICU, PICU, ventilator, modes of
ventilation, ventilator weaning, VAP, PEEP, BiPAP(®), CPAP, ARDS,
NAVA, Capnography, ALI, mechanically ventilated patients, Mass
casualty care, HFOV, or HFV. |
|
| (3) |
In order to reinstate a
certificate to practice respiratory care, an applicant must complete
an application, pay a reinstatement fee as shall be designated in the
fee schedule, provide satisfactory evidence that the certificate
holder will work under the supervision of a physician who meets the
requirements of Rule
360-13-.01(d)
and provide verification of completion of continuing education
requirements as provided in Rule
360-13-.10 for each
biennial period that the applicant was not certified. However, the
maximum number of contact hours required may not exceed 60. The
applicant must be able to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the
Board that he or she has maintained current knowledge, skill and
proficiency in the practice of respiratory care with reasonable skill
and safety. |
| (4) |
Reinstatement of the certificate is within the discretion of the
Board. |
| (5) |
The Board may
require the passage of an examination. The Board, in its discretion,
may impose any remedial requirements deemed necessary. |
| (6) |
The Board may deny
reinstatement for failure to demonstrate current knowledge, skill and
proficiency in the practice of respiratory care or for being mentally
or physically unable to practice respiratory care with reasonable
skill and safety or for any ground set forth in O.C.G.A. § 43-34-149. |
| (7) |
The denial of reinstatement is
not a contested case, but the applicant shall be entitled to an
appearance before the Board. |
| (1) |
An applicant for renewal of a
certificate to practice Respiratory Care who has been initially
licensed by the Board by examination for less than two years shall
not be required to complete the continuing education hours in order
to renew the certificate for the first time. However, for the next
renewal must obtain 30 hours of continuing education. |
| (2) |
Except as provided in paragraph
(1), to be eligible to renew a certificate, each certificate holder
must complete 30 contact hours, or 3 continuing education units, of
approved continuing education during the two years preceding
certification renewal. One continuing education unit shall be equal
to 10 contact hours of instruction. Certificate holders shall not
receive contact hours or continuing education units for teaching
continuing education courses. Each certificate must be renewed
biennially by the last day of the month in which the applicant's
birthday falls and the certificate holder must establish satisfaction
of at least thirty (30) contact hours of Board-approved continuing
education requirements to be eligible for renewal. |
| (3) |
Each certificate holder shall
be required to answer questions on their renewal application form
that establish compliance with Board approved continuing education
requirements. Certificate holders will not be required to send
documentation of compliance with continuing education requirements
for renewal, unless requested by the Board pursuant to Rule
360-13-.10(4). False statements regarding satisfaction of continuing
education on the renewal form or any other document connected with
the practice of respiratory care may subject the certificate holder
to disciplinary action by the Board. |
| (4) |
Each certificate holder who
must meet the requirements of this chapter must maintain record of
attendance and supporting documents for Board approved continuing
education for a period of 5 years from the date of attendance. At a
minimum, the following information must be kept:
| (c) |
hours of continuing education
units completed; and |
|
| (5) |
The Board will audit a fixed
percentage of randomly selected renewal applications to monitor
compliance with the continuing education requirements. Any
certificate holder so audited shall be required to furnish
documentation of compliance including name of provider, name of
program, hours/continuing education units completed and date of
completion. Any certificate holder so audited that has been found to
be out of compliance with the Board's continuing education
requirements may be subject to disciplinary action. |
| (6) |
If the certificate holder has
not complied with the continuing education requirement by the
expiration of the certificate, his/her certificate shall not be
renewed and the certificate holder shall not engage in the practice
of respiratory care. A certificate holder may late renew during the
three months following the expiration date of his or her certificate
by presenting satisfactory evidence to the Board of completion of the
contact hours or continuing education units of Board approved
continuing education required by paragraph (2) of this Rule and the
late renewal fee. Certificates not renewed within 3 months following
the expiration date of the certificate shall be revoked for failure
to renew. In order to obtain a valid certificate after revocation for
failure to renew, an applicant must apply for reinstatement in
accordance with Rule
360-13-.09. |
| (7) |
Continuing education hours that
are used to satisfy a deficiency may not be used for purposes of
renewal of the certificate holder's certificate for the next
biennium. |
| (8) |
Any
certificate holder seeking renewal of a certificate without having
fully complied with the Board's continuing education requirements who
wishes to seek a waiver or variance of this rule shall file with the
Board.
| (a) |
a renewal application and
fee and |
| (b) |
a statement
that complies with the provisions of O.C.G.A. § 50-13-9.1
setting forth the specific facts of substantial hardship which would
justify a variance or waiver, including the alternative standards
which the person seeking a waiver or variance agrees to meet and a
showing that such alternative standards will afford adequate
protection for the public health, safety and welfare; and the reason
why the variance would serve the purpose of the underlying
statute. |
|
| (9) |
The following courses are approved by the Board as meeting the
continuing education requirements:
| (a) |
Courses approved by the
American Association for Respiratory Care or its successor
organization. |
| (b) |
Courses
approved by the Georgia Society for Respiratory Care or its successor
organization. |
| (c) |
Courses
approved by the American Thoracic Society. |
| (d) |
Courses approved by the
American College of Chest Physicians. |
| (e) |
Effective July 1, 2006, courses
approved by the American Association of Critical-Care
Nurses. |
| (f) |
Effective
July 1, 2006, the following programs of the American Heart
Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics; however, these
programs shall constitute no more than 25% of the total acceptable
continuing education units required.
| 2. |
Basic Life Support
Recertification |
| 3. |
Advanced Cardiac Life Support |
| 4. |
Advanced Cardiac Life Support
Recertification |
| 5. |
Basic
Life Support Instructor |
| 6. |
Basic Life Support Instructor
Trainer |
| 7. |
Basic Life
Support Instructor Trainer Recertification |
| 8. |
Advanced Cardiac Life Support
Instructor |
| 9. |
Advanced
Cardiac Life Support Instructor Update (Certification) |
| 10. |
Basic Trauma Life
Support |
| 11. |
Basic Trauma
Life Support Recertification |
| 12. |
Pediatric Basic Life
Support |
| 13. |
Pediatric
Advanced Life Support |
| 14. |
Pediatric Advanced Life Support Recertification |
| 15. |
Neonatal Resuscitation
Program |
| 16. |
Neonatal
Recertification. |
|
| (g) |
Effective July 1, 2006, courses
approved by the American Society for Anesthesia |
| (h) |
National Board for Respiratory
Care Self-Assessment Exams |
| (i) |
National Board for Respiratory
Care Credential Exams |
| (j) |
American Medical Association Category I programs |
| (k) |
Effective July 1, 2006, courses
approved by the College of American Pathologists provided the courses
are related to pulmonary pathology or acid base balance and
constitute no more than 25% of the acceptable continuing education
units required. |
| (l) |
Effective July 1, 2006, Respiratory specific courses approved by the
Georgia Nursing Association; however, courses approved by the Georgia
Nursing Association shall constitute no more than 25% of the total
acceptable continuing education units required. |
|
Any person practicing respiratory care, or
representing himself or herself as a certified respiratory care
professional, who does not possess a valid certificate or temporary
permit from the Board, and who is not exempt under O.C.G.A.
43-34-151(b),
shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to other injunctive
relief by the Board pursuant to O.C.G.A. §§ 43-1-20.1
and
43-34-39.
| (1) |
Unless certified pursuant to
O.C.G.A. Title 43, Chapter 34, Article 6, no person shall:
| (a) |
Practice respiratory care;
or |
| (b) |
Represent himself
or herself to be a respiratory care professional who is certified
pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 43-34-151. |
|
| (2) |
The prohibition in
subsection (1) does not apply to:
| (a) |
The delivery of respiratory
care by health care personnel who have been formally trained in these
modalities and who are duly licensed to provide that care under any
other provision of Title 43; |
| (b) |
The practice of respiratory
care which is an integral part of the program of study by students
enrolled in a respiratory care education program recognized by the
Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (COARC) and the
American Medical Association Committee on Allied Health Education and
Accreditation (CAHEA) or the equivalent thereof as accepted by the
Board. Students enrolled in respiratory therapy education programs
shall be identified as "Student-RCP" and shall only provide
respiratory care under direct clinical supervision; |
| (c) |
Self-care by a patient or
gratuitous care by a friend or family member who does not represent
or hold himself or herself out to be a respiratory care
professional; |
| (d) |
Respiratory care services rendered in the course of an emergency
disaster; |
| (e) |
Persons in
the military services or working in Federal facilities when
functioning in the course of their assigned duties; |
| (f) |
The performance of respiratory
care diagnostic testing by individuals who are certified or
registered as pulmonary function technologists by the National Board
for Respiratory Care, or equivalent certifying agency, as recognized
by the Board; |
| (g) |
The
delivery, assembly, setup, testing, and demonstration of oxygen and
aerosol equipment upon the order of a physician licensed under Art. 2
of Chapter 34, Title 43. Provided, however, that no person providing
such services shall be authorized to assess patients, develop care
plans, instruct patients in taking treatment, or discuss the hazards,
administration, or side effects of medications with
patients. |
| (h) |
Persons who
perform limited respiratory care procedures under the supervision of
a certified respiratory care professional in a hospital or nursing
home when the Board has defined the competencies required to perform
such limited respiratory care procedures.
| 1. |
The Board has defined the
following class of persons as having the competencies required to
perform such limited respiratory care procedures: |
|
| (i) |
Students of an
accredited Respiratory Care Program who perform limited respiratory
care procedures under the supervision of a certified respiratory care
professional in a hospital or nursing home, if the student's
competency has been validated through an accredited education program
and by the hospital or nursing home for whom he or she is employed.
| (I) |
Upon completion of the
educational program, the student must then apply for a temporary
permit as specified in Chapter 34. In addition, pending the granting
or denial of a certificate or permit, graduates of an accredited
respiratory care program who have applied for certification or a
permit shall only perform limited respiratory care procedures where
their competency has been validated in writing to the Board through
the accredited program and by the hospital or nursing home for whom
they are employed. |
| (II) |
Any student who performs limited respiratory care procedures without
complying with the requirements listed in the above paragraphs of
Rule 360-13-.12(2)(b) is engaging in the practice of respiratory care
without certification, which is prohibited by O.C.G.A. § 43-34-151.
Any certified respiratory care professional who supervises a student
prior to compliance with the above listed paragraphs of Rule
360-13-.12(b) is aiding and assisting an uncertified person engage in
the practice of respiratory care and may be subject to disciplinary
action. |
|
|
| (1) |
The Respiratory Care Advisory
Committee shall be comprised as follows:
| (a) |
At least four (4) individuals
who are certified in this State to engage in the practice of
respiratory care and such other individuals as the Board, in its
discretion, may determine.
| 1. |
All
appointees to the Advisory Committee shall have on file with the
Executive Director of the Board, or his/her designee, a resume and
three letters of recommendation, (one of which may be from a
physician familiar with the appointee's practice of respiratory
care). |
| 2. |
In order to
preserve continuity on the Advisory Committee, two (2) appointees
shall serve a four-year term and two (2) appointees shall serve a
two-year term which will be considered a partial term. At the time of
the appointment, each appointee will be notified in writing by the
Executive Director of the Board as to the beginning and ending dates
of their respective appointment terms. Each may reapply to the full
Board to serve an additional term, but may not serve more than two
(2) consecutive two-year terms. |
| 3. |
In the event an Advisory
Committee member is replaced during a term, the replacement member
will serve the remaining time of that term as a partial term. An
Advisory Committee member who serves a partial term will, after the
completion of the partial term, be eligible to serve two (2)
consecutive two-year terms. |
| 4. |
Appointees shall serve without
compensation from the State of Georgia for their time and
expenses. |
|
| (b) |
One individual who is a physician licensed to practice medicine in
the State of Georgia who:
| 1. |
Specializes or is board certified in pulmonary medicine; |
| 2. |
Shall serve a two (2) year term
and may be reappointed for an additional two year term by a majority
vote of the Board, but may not serve more than two (2) consecutive
terms. |
|
|
| (2) |
The Advisory Committee shall
advise the Board on matters pertaining to the appointment of the
Advisory Committee members and on all matters within the purview of
the Respiratory Care Practices Act. The Board, in consultation with
the Advisory Committee, shall:
| (a) |
Determine the qualifications and fitness of applicants for
certification, renewal of the certificate, and reciprocal
certification; |
| (b) |
Adopt
and revise rules consistent with the laws of the State of Georgia
that are necessary to conduct its duties and administer the
Act; |
| (c) |
Examine,
approve, issue, deny revoke, suspend and renew the license of
applicants and certificate holders and conduct hearings in connection
with all duties to be performed pursuant to the Act. |
|
| (3) |
Advisory Committee
members, who are not members of the Board, must be available to meet
on as an needed basis and may not miss more than three (3)
consecutive meetings of the Advisory Committee, or four (4) meetings
in a calendar year, without an excused absence from either the
Executive Director of the Board or the Board President.
| (a) |
The Advisory committee may
recommend to the Board the removal of a member for violation of the
attendance rule. Such a recommendation shall be by majority vote of
the Advisory Committee. |
| (b) |
Upon receipt of a
recommendation for removal, the Board may remove a member of the
Advisory Committee by a majority vote. |
|
| (4) |
Advisory Committee vacancies
may be filled by the Board upon recommendation from the Advisory
Committee. All applicants must meet any deadline set by the Board and
shall have on file with the Executive Director of the Board, or with
his/her designee, a resume and three (3) letters of recommendation,
(one of which may be from a physician familiar with the applicant's
practice of respiratory care. |
Any certificate or temporary permit holder shall
notify the Board within 30 days of becoming unable to practice
respiratory care with reasonable skill and safety by reason of
illness or the use of alcohol, drugs, narcotics, chemicals or any
other type of material.
| (1) |
In order to maintain
certification, a respiratory care professional must continue to work
under the supervision or direction of a person holding a Georgia
medical license who has experience in and knowledge of respiratory
care and who is readily available to the certificate holder in
his/her workplace to provide personal supervision. |
| (2) |
Immediately upon termination of
the medical director/respiratory care professional relationship, the
Respiratory Care professional is required to give notice and the date
of termination to the Board by certified mail. Failure to notify the
Board immediately may result in disciplinary action against the
respiratory care professional. The respiratory care professional
shall not engage in the practice of respiratory care unless he/she is
working under the supervision or direction of person holding a
Georgia medical license who meets the requirements of paragraph
(1). |
| (3) |
The respiratory
care professional shall immediately notify the Board by certified
mail, on a form approved by the Board of a change in the medical
directors. |
| (4) |
Failure to
comply with the requirements of this rule may result in disciplinary
action against the respiratory care professional's
certificate. |
All respiratory care professionals certified to
practice in the State of Georgia shall comply with the Consumer
Information and Awareness Act, O.C.G.A. Section
43-1-33,
in all advertisements and interactions with patients. For purposes of
this rule and the Consumer Information and Awareness Act, the
approved identifier shall be "Respiratory Care Professional" or
"RCP."
