2006 Louisiana Laws - RS 37:3357 — Issuance and renewal of license; temporary license; student license

§3357.  Issuance and renewal of license; temporary license; student license

A.  The board shall issue a respiratory therapist license or respiratory therapy technician license to any person who meets the qualifications provided for in this Chapter and who pays the respective license fees fixed by the board.

B.  Any person who is issued a license as a respiratory therapist under the provisions of this Chapter may use the words "licensed respiratory therapist" or may use the letters "LRT" in connection with his name to denote his licensure.

C.  Any person who is issued a license as a respiratory therapy technician under the provisions of this Chapter may use the words "respiratory technician", "respiratory therapy technician", "licensed respiratory therapy technician", or may use the letters "LRTT" in connection with his name to denote his licensure.

D.(1)  A license issued under the provisions of this Chapter shall be subject to annual renewal and shall expire unless renewed in the manner prescribed by the board.  Any respiratory care practitioner who submits a license renewal application after July 1, 1997, shall have completed in the prior twelve months at least ten hours or units of continuing education courses sanctioned by the American Association of Respiratory Care, the Respiratory Care Advisory Committee to the State Board of Medical Examiners, or their successor organizations.

(2)  The board shall revise appropriate rules and application forms to reflect the annual continuing education requirement.  The board shall further conduct regular audits to verify that applicants have fulfilled the continuing education requirement.  Any applicant found to have submitted insufficient or false information relative to this requirement, within ninety days after being requested to do so, shall submit documentation verifying that he has fulfilled this requirement.  The board shall revoke the license of any respiratory care practitioner who fails to provide such documentation within such time.

E.(1)  The board may issue an eighteen month temporary license as a respiratory therapist or respiratory therapy technician to persons who have completed the appropriate American Medical Association approved program and have applied for and are awaiting examination.  The temporary license shall be valid until the date on which the results of the qualifying examination have been known and acted on by the board.  The temporary license shall be renewable only once if the applicant fails the examination or if the applicant fails to take the qualifying examination.  Exceptions may be made at the discretion of the board based upon an appeal identifying extenuating circumstances.

(2)  The board shall grant one two-year temporary license as a respiratory therapy technician to other persons who do not meet the qualifications for licensure set forth under R.S. 37:3354, and who, upon the effective date of this Chapter, are currently employed in the practice of respiratory therapy under the qualified medical direction and supervision of a licensed physician.

(3)  The board shall grant a one-year temporary license as a respiratory therapy technician to any person having held a temporary license issued under R.S. 37:3357(E)(2) and who, on June 26, 1989, is enrolled in a respiratory therapy technician program approved by the American Medical Association.  The temporary license shall be renewable only once.  The temporary license shall be forfeited if the person at any time is no longer enrolled in the program.

(4)  The board shall grant a sixty-day permit to practice to a National Board of Respiratory Care credentialed respiratory care practitioner who moves into the state from out of state and who has filed an application for licensure with the board.

(5)  The board shall grant a sixty-day permit to practice to any graduate of an American Medical Association approved respiratory care educational program who has filed an application for licensure with the board.

Acts 1985, No. 408, §1; Acts 1989, No. 211, §1, eff. June 26, 1989; Acts 1995, No. 802, §1.