This section simply states the official name of the chapter, which is the “Respiratory Care Practice Act.”

This law explains that respiratory care in California is important for public health and must be regulated to ensure that only qualified people practice it. The law recognizes that respiratory care is constantly evolving with new techniques and treatments. It also acknowledges that there are shared responsibilities among various healthcare professionals, like doctors and nurses, when it comes to patient care. Licensed healthcare organizations, such as hospitals and clinics, can allow respiratory care workers to perform a wide range of duties, even those not specifically related to respiratory care, if they are qualified. This sharing of duties helps to improve patient care across different health services.

This law explains what respiratory care involves in California. It defines respiratory care as work that helps patients with lung and heart-related issues under the direction of a doctor. This care includes providing safe and preventive treatments, delivering medicine, observing patient reactions, and running tests as prescribed by a doctor. Respiratory care practitioners might use gases, machines, or specific techniques to help with breathing or collect samples for testing. They can also carry out doctor’s instructions both in writing and verbally. The law clarifies that care extends to heart and circulation issues and specifies the development of respiratory care protocols working with health professionals.

This law explains what practices are considered part of respiratory care in California. It includes providing ventilatory or oxygen support through different devices, administering medical gases and drugs for sedation under a doctor's supervision, and performing any form of extracorporeal life support like ECMO. It also involves educating people about respiratory care and dealing with sleep and wake disorders.

This law explains where respiratory care can be provided and how it should be managed. Respiratory care can take place in various healthcare settings such as hospitals, clinics, and even at home or in the community. It can also be given during patient transport and emergencies. Importantly, this care must be supervised by a medical director and follow a doctor's prescription or specific respiratory care protocols.

This section explains the specific meanings of terms used in a chapter related to respiratory care in California. 'Board' refers to the Respiratory Care Board of California, which oversees the field. 'Department' is the Department of Consumer Affairs. A 'Medical director' is a physician knowledgeable in respiratory care within a healthcare facility. 'Respiratory care' involves activities like respiratory or inhalation therapy. A 'Respiratory therapy school' is a program approved by the board, and 'State agency' covers various state entities.

This law clarifies that respiratory care practitioners cannot perform medical or surgical tasks or any other healing practices unless they are specifically allowed to do so under this chapter.

If you're a licensed professional and you help someone in an emergency that happens outside your job, you won't be held responsible for any civil damages caused by your actions, as long as you're acting in good faith. However, this protection doesn't apply if you act with extreme carelessness or gross negligence.