Frequently Asked Questions
What is the respiratory care scope of practice?
Clinical respiratory therapists at Cincinnati Children’s have completed two to four years of college and are fully credentialed by the National Board for Respiratory Care and licensed by the State of Ohio.
Ohio law allows respiratory care practitioners, performing upon the prescription and under the supervision of a physician licensed to practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery, to render to individuals, groups, organizations or the public any service involving the:
- Evaluation of cardiopulmonary function
- Treatment of cardiopulmonary impairment
- Assessment of treatment effectiveness
- Care of patients with deficiencies and abnormalities associated with the cardiopulmonary system
What does the practice of respiratory care include?
- Obtaining, analyzing, testing, measuring and monitoring blood and gas samples in the determination of cardiopulmonary parameters and related physiologic data, including flows, pressures and volumes, and the use of equipment employed for this purpose
- Administering, monitoring, recording the results of, and instructing in the use of medical gases, aerosols, and bronchopulmonary hygiene techniques, including drainage, aspiration, and sampling and applying, maintaining and instructing in the use of artificial airways, ventilators and other life support equipment employed in the treatment of cardiopulmonary impairment and provided in collaboration with other licensed healthcare professionals responsible for providing care
- Performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation and respiratory rehabilitation techniques
- Administering medications for the testing or treatment of cardiopulmonary impairment upon the prescription and under the supervision of a physician licensed to practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery
