1. The performance of respiratory care shall be in accordance with the prescription of a licensed physician or surgeon or a qualified health care professional prescriber and includes but is not limited to the diagnostic and therapeutic use of the following:

 a. Administration of medical gases, aerosols, and humidification, not including general anesthesia.
 b. Environmental control mechanisms and paramedical therapy.
 c. Pharmacologic agents relating to respiratory care procedures.
 d. Mechanical or physiological ventilatory support.
 e. Bronchopulmonary hygiene.
 f. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
 g. Maintenance of the natural airways.
 h. Insertion without cutting tissues and maintenance of artificial airways.
 i. Specific diagnostic and testing techniques employed in the medical management of patients to assist in diagnosis, monitoring, treatment, and research of pulmonary abnormalities, including measurement of ventilatory volumes, pressures, and flows, collection of specimens of blood, and collection of specimens from the respiratory tract.
 j. Analysis of blood gases and respiratory secretions.
 k. Pulmonary function testing.
 l. Hemodynamic and physiologic measurement and monitoring of cardiac function as it relates to cardiopulmonary pathophysiology.
 m. Invasive procedures that relate to respiratory care.

Terms Used In Iowa Code 152B.3

  • following: when used by way of reference to a chapter or other part of a statute mean the next preceding or next following chapter or other part. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • practitioner: means a person who meets all of the following:
     a. See Iowa Code 152B.1
  • Qualified health care professional prescriber: means a physician assistant operating under the prescribing authority granted in section 147. See Iowa Code 152B.1
  • Respiratory care: includes "respiratory therapy" or "inhalation therapy". See Iowa Code 152B.1
 2. A respiratory care practitioner may transcribe and implement a written or verbal order from a licensed physician or surgeon or a qualified health care professional prescriber pertaining to the practice of respiratory care.
 3. This chapter does not authorize a respiratory care practitioner to practice medicine, surgery, or other medical practices except as provided in this section.
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