My Role as an Critical Care Respiratory Therapist in the Canadian Health System

Presently, my role as a respiratory therapist in the Canadian Health System is to deliver essential services funded by the government. These services include assessment of cardiovascular, respiratory, and associated disorders, and therapeutic interventions with equipment used to restore, maintain or promote cardio-respiratory health (Tingey, Chisholm, McBain, 2002).

My profession is currently unregulated in British Columbia. This means that I am not obligated by the BC Society of Respiratory Therapists to adhere to any particular standards of practice (Tingey, et al, 2002). Interior Health Authority (IHA), is my employer, and it is through my employment with this organization that I can define my standards of practice. IHA encourages continuing education through equipment in-services, lunch and learns, and invitations to talks on respiratory related therapies. I use slow times to read up on current research related to my field. IHA has outlined my scope of practice with policies and procedures. There is also an employee code of conduct that I am required to follow (IHA, 2018). In addition to the policies from my employer, I am a member of the Canadian Society of Respiratory Therapists, which also has a code of ethics I must follow as an RT.

In the recommendations report from the health professions council in BC, there was significant concern about the lack of consistency in standards of practice throughout B.C, in the field of respiratory therapy (Tingey, et al., 2002). In the councils view, an institution usually cannot be relied upon to supervise and/or regulate standards of practice for independent health professionals (Tingey, et al, 2002). It has been sixteen years since this report was created, and the BC Society of Respiratory Therapist’s has reported that BC respiratory therapists will most likely have a regulatory college by the end of 2018, or the beginning of 2019. The regulation of the profession will protect the public by insuring safe and ethical standards of practice (Tingey, et al, 2002). As well, it will insure ongoing education, and monitoring of continuing competency (Tingey, et al, 2002).

When respiratory therapy becomes a regulated profession, R.T.’s will work under a legislative framework that includes the Health Profession’s Act, the Regulations, and the Bylaws (College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC, 2016). This framework contains legislation that describes the scope of practice, and a list of activities that R.T.’s are allowed to do (College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC, 2016). It also contains details about how the regulatory college will operate, and what kind of qualifications will be required for registration and licensing (College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC, 2016).

References

College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC. (November 30, 2016). About the Health Professions Act. Retrieved on September 18, 2018 from https://www.cpsbc.ca/about-us/laws-legislation/about-HPA

Government of Canada. (February 26, 2018). Canada’s Health Care System. Retrieved on September 25, 2018 from https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/health-care-system/reports-publications/health-care-system/canada.html

Interior Health Authority. (June, 2018). Standards of Conduct for Interior Health Employees. Retrieved on September 30, 2018 from https://www.interiorhealth.ca/AboutUs/Policies/Documents/Standards%20of%20Conduct%20for%20IHA%20Employees.pdf