1997 Minnesota Statutes

     147C.15 Registration requirements. 

    Subdivision 1.    General requirements for registration. 
  To be eligible for registration, an applicant, with the 
 exception of those seeking registration by reciprocity under 
 subdivision 2, must: 

    (1) submit a completed application on forms provided by the 
 board along with all fees required under section 147C.40 that 
 includes: 

    (i) the applicant's name, social security number, home 
 address and telephone number, and business address and telephone 
 number; 

    (ii) the name and location of the respiratory care 
 education program the applicant completed; 

    (iii) a list of degrees received from educational 
 institutions; 

    (iv) a description of the applicant's professional training 
 beyond the first degree received; 

    (v) the applicant's work history for the five years 
 preceding the application, including the average number of hours 
 worked per week; 

    (vi) a list of registrations, certifications, and licenses 
 held in other jurisdictions; 

    (vii) a description of any other jurisdiction's refusal to 
 credential the applicant; 

    (viii) a description of all professional disciplinary 
 actions initiated against the applicant in any jurisdiction; and 

    (ix) any history of drug or alcohol abuse, and any 
 misdemeanor or felony conviction; 

    (2) submit a certificate of completion from an approved 
 education program; 

    (3) achieve a qualifying score on a credentialing 
 examination within five years prior to application for 
 registration; 

    (4) submit a verified copy of a valid and current 
 credential, issued by the National Board for Respiratory Care or 
 other board-approved national organization, as a certified 
 respiratory therapy technician, registered respiratory 
 therapist, or other entry or advanced level respiratory care 
 practitioner designation; 

    (5) submit additional information as requested by the 
 board, including providing any additional information necessary 
 to ensure that the applicant is able to practice with reasonable 
 skill and safety to the public; 

    (6) sign a statement that the information in the 
 application is true and correct to the best of the applicant's 
 knowledge and belief; and 

    (7) sign a waiver authorizing the board to obtain access to 
 the applicant's records in this or any other state in which the 
 applicant has completed an approved education program or engaged 
 in the practice of respiratory care. 

    Subd. 2.    Registration by reciprocity.  To be eligible 
 for registration by reciprocity, the applicant must be 
 credentialed by the National Board for Respiratory Care or other 
 board-approved organization and have worked at least eight weeks 
 of the previous five years as a respiratory care practitioner 
 and must: 

    (1) submit the application materials and fees as required 
 by subdivision 1, clauses (1), (4), (5), (6), and (7); 

    (2) provide a verified copy from the appropriate government 
 body of a current and unrestricted credential for the practice 
 of respiratory care in another jurisdiction that has initial 
 credentialing requirements equivalent to or higher than the 
 requirements in subdivision 1; and 

    (3) provide letters of verification from the appropriate 
 government body in each jurisdiction in which the applicant 
 holds a credential.  Each letter must state the applicant's 
 name, date of birth, credential number, date of issuance, a 
 statement regarding disciplinary actions, if any, taken against 
 the applicant, and the terms under which the credential was 
 issued. 

    Subd. 3.    Temporary permit.  The board may issue a 
 temporary permit to practice as a respiratory care practitioner 
 to an applicant eligible for registration under this section if 
 the application for registration is complete, all applicable 
 requirements in this section have been met, and a nonrefundable 
 fee set by the board has been paid.  The permit remains valid 
 only until the meeting of the board at which a decision is made 
 on the respiratory care practitioner's application for 
 registration. 

    Subd. 4.    Temporary registration.  The board may issue 
 temporary registration as a respiratory care practitioner for a 
 period of one year to an applicant for registration under this 
 section if the application for registration is complete, all 
 applicable requirements have been met with exception of 
 completion of a credentialing examination, and a nonrefundable 
 fee set by the board has been paid.  A respiratory care 
 practitioner with temporary registration may qualify for full 
 registration status upon submission of verified documentation 
 that the respiratory care practitioner has achieved a qualifying 
 score on a credentialing examination within one year after 
 receiving temporary registration status.  Temporary registration 
 may not be renewed. 

    Subd. 5.    Practice limitations with temporary 
 registration.  A respiratory care practitioner with temporary 
 registration is limited to working under the direct supervision 
 of a registered respiratory care practitioner or physician able 
 to provide qualified medical direction.  The respiratory care 
 practitioner or physician must be present in the health care 
 facility or readily available by telecommunication at the time 
 the respiratory care services are being provided.  A registered 
 respiratory care practitioner may supervise no more than two 
 respiratory care practitioners with temporary registration 
 status. 

    Subd. 6.    Registration expiration.  Registrations 
 issued under this chapter expire annually. 

    Subd. 7.    Renewal.  (a) To be eligible for 
 registration renewal a registrant must: 

    (1) annually, or as determined by the board, complete a 
 renewal application on a form provided by the board; 

    (2) submit the renewal fee; 

    (3) provide evidence every two years of a total of 24 hours 
 of continuing education approved by the board as described in 
 section 147C.25; and 

    (4) submit any additional information requested by the 
 board to clarify information presented in the renewal 
 application.  The information must be submitted within 30 days 
 after the board's request, or the renewal request is nullified. 

    (b) Applicants for renewal who have not practiced the 
 equivalent of eight full weeks during the past five years must 
 achieve a passing score on retaking the credentialing 
 examination, or complete no less than eight weeks of advisory 
 council-approved supervised clinical experience having a broad 
 base of treatment modalities and patient care.  

    Subd. 8.    Change of address.  A registrant who changes 
 addresses must inform the board within 30 days, in writing, of 
 the change of address.  All notices or other correspondence 
 mailed to or served on a registrant by the board at the 
 registrant's address on file with the board shall be considered 
 as having been received by the registrant. 

    Subd. 9.    Registration renewal notice.  At least 30 
 days before the registration renewal date, the board shall send 
 out a renewal notice to the last known address of the registrant 
 on file.  The notice must include a renewal application and a 
 notice of fees required for renewal.  It must also inform the 
 registrant that registration will expire without further action 
 by the board if an application for registration renewal is not 
 received before the deadline for renewal.  The registrant's 
 failure to receive this notice shall not relieve the registrant 
 of the obligation to meet the deadline and other requirements 
 for registration renewal.  Failure to receive this notice is not 
 grounds for challenging expiration of registered status. 

    Subd. 10.    Renewal deadline.  The renewal application 
 and fee must be postmarked on or before July 1 of the year of 
 renewal or as determined by the board.  If the postmark is 
 illegible, the application shall be considered timely if 
 received by the third working day after the deadline. 

    Subd. 11.    Inactive status and return to active status. 
  (a) A registration may be placed in inactive status upon 
 application to the board by the registrant and upon payment of 
 an inactive status fee.  

    (b) Registrants seeking restoration to active from inactive 
 status must pay the current renewal fees and all unpaid back 
 inactive fees.  They must meet the criteria for renewal 
 specified in subdivision 7, including continuing education hours 
 equivalent to one hour for each month of inactive status, prior 
 to submitting an application to regain registered status.  If 
 the inactive status extends beyond five years, a qualifying 
 score on a credentialing examination, or completion of an 
 advisory council-approved eight-week supervised clinical 
 training experience is required.  If the registrant intends to 
 regain active registration by means of eight weeks of advisory 
 council-approved clinical training experience, the registrant 
 shall be granted temporary registration for a period of no 
 longer than six months. 

    Subd. 12.    Registration following lapse of registration 
 status for two years or less.  For any individual whose 
 registration status has lapsed for two years or less, to regain 
 registration status, the individual must: 

    (1) apply for registration renewal according to subdivision 
 7; 

    (2) document compliance with the continuing education 
 requirements of section 147C.25 since the registrant's initial 
 registration or last renewal; and 

    (3) submit the fees required under section 147C.40 for the 
 period not registered, including the fee for late renewal. 

    Subd. 13.    Cancellation due to nonrenewal.  The board 
 shall not renew, reissue, reinstate, or restore a registration 
 that has lapsed and has not been renewed within two annual 
 registration renewal cycles starting July 1997.  A registrant 
 whose registration is canceled for nonrenewal must obtain a new 
 registration by applying for registration and fulfilling all 
 requirements then in existence for initial registration as a 
 respiratory care practitioner.  

    Subd. 14.    Cancellation of registration in good 
 standing.  (a) A registrant holding active registration as a 
 respiratory care practitioner in the state may, upon approval of 
 the board, be granted registration cancellation if the board is 
 not investigating the person as a result of a complaint or 
 information received or if the board has not begun disciplinary 
 proceedings against the registrant.  Such action by the board 
 shall be reported as a cancellation of registration in good 
 standing. 

    (b) A registrant who receives board approval for 
 registration cancellation is not entitled to a refund of any 
 registration fees paid for the registration year in which 
 cancellation of the registration occurred. 

    (c) To obtain registration after cancellation, a registrant 
 must obtain a new registration by applying for registration and 
 fulfilling the requirements then in existence for obtaining 
 initial registration as a respiratory care practitioner.  

    HIST: 1997 c 120 s 5