Transforming and Supporting Patient Care - Health Professions ...

380Chapter 16 - Profession of Respiratory TherapyMandatory Professional Liability InsuranceUnder the CRTO’s registration regulation, it is a condition of everycertificate of registration that members provide the College withsatisfactory evidence of professional liability insurance coverage in theamounts and coverage set out in CRTO policies. Currently, the CRTOrequires that active members carry minimum liability insurance coverage of$2 million for each occurrence.Quality AssuranceCRTO has developed a number of documents to support RTs in theirprofessional practice, including papers on the eleven fields of minimumknowledge, skills and judgment required for entry to practise. A Standardsof Practice document outlines the requirements for meeting andmaintaining the CRTO’s ethical and legal requirements of professionalpractice. Professional practice guidelines define appropriate professionalstandards of practice for respiratory therapy in Ontario, includingcertification programs for advanced prescribed procedures below thedermis, conflict of interest, interpretation of authorized acts, delegation ofcontrolled acts, orders for medical care, responsibilities under consentlegislation and other matters.Position statements have been released by CRTO on bloodborne pathogens,French-language services, medical directives and the ordering of controlledacts, RTs as anaesthesia assistants, and skills development. The CRTOrequires skills development for members who have limitations placed ontheir certificate of registration or who have determined they are notcompetent to perform a specific procedure. The development opportunitiesmay be included in in-service education through a supervised trainingprocess provided by a regulated health professional competent to performthe procedure.CRTO requires members to complete an annual four-step ProfessionalPortfolio to document continuous quality improvement including twelvelearning activities each year. A random selection of members must submitportfolios for assessment by reviewers who present reports to the QualityAssurance Committee. A recently introduced Professional StandardsAssessment (PSA) is the main tool under the Assessment module of theQuality Assurance Program. It is an online (web-based) open-bookassessment consisting of 50 multiple-choice questions requiring membersto apply their knowledge of College legislation, regulations, standards andguidelines.What the CRTO has ProposedCurrently RTs are permitted to administer oxygen as part of the controlledact of administering a substance by injection or inhalation. However, with theexception of suctioning, RTs are not authorized to administer medication,including oxygen, without an order from an authorized professional. Theyare also not authorized to prescribe drugs, including oxygen.HPRAC Critical Links January 2009