Respiratory Care Services As Skilled Therapy Services

The Michigan Society for Respiratory Care (MSRC), a chartered affiliate of the American Association for Respiratory Care, is committed to ensuring that the quality of respiratory care provided in the State of Michigan will conform to the highest standards of clinical practice based upon evidence-based medicine, and that the art and practice of respiratory care will comply with both the language and intent of the statute enabling licensure of respiratory therapists. It is the position of the MSRC that: 

1. Respiratory Therapists, and other qualified individuals performing procedures within the respiratory care scope of practice, shall perform only those acts, tasks, or functions which they have been demonstrated to be individually competent to perform, which are within the scope of accepted and responsible practice, for which competency is assessed and demonstrated to be appropriate, and which are authorized and permitted by statute. 

2. The elements cited in the respiratory care licensure scope of practice constitute skilled respiratory care services because those activities and processes require the skills of a respiratory therapist to meet the patient’s needs, promote recovery, and ensure medical safety. Respiratory care services are of such a level of complexity and sophistication, and the medical condition of respiratory care patients is such that the respiratory care services required can be safely and effectively performed only by a qualified licensed respiratory therapist, or under his or her supervision.

3. A licensed respiratory therapist may delegate to a licensed or unlicensed individual who is otherwise qualified by education, training, or experience the performance of selected acts, tasks, or functions where the acts, tasks, or functions fall within the respiratory care scope of practice and will be performed under the licensed respiratory therapist’s supervision.

4. A licensed respiratory therapist shall not delegate an act, task, or function if the act, task, or function, under standards of acceptable and prevailing practice, requires the level of education, skill, and judgment required of a licensed respiratory therapist.