INTRODUCTION

Administration (of a medication): the direct application of a drug to the body of a specific patient or research subject by injection, inhalation, ingestion, or any other means.

Authority: the right to act, as outlined in the legislation, usually related to terms, conditions or limitations imposed on a certificate of registration.

Controlled act: one of the 13 acts defined in the RHPA [section 27(2)]

Compounding: the act of combining two or more elements to create a distinct pharmaceutical product. Compounding is not authorized to Respiratory Therapists. Delegation is not required when combining elements to prepare a drug for administration. For example: mixing liquid bronchodilators in normal saline for aerosolized therapy.

Competence: having the requisite knowledge, skills and judgement/abilities to perform safely, effectively and ethically; and applying that knowledge, skills and judgement/abilities to ensure safe, effective and ethical outcomes for the patient/client.

Delegation: the transfer of the legal authority to perform a procedure within a controlled act to a person not otherwise authorized to perform the procedure.

Drug: as defined in the Drug and Pharmacies Regulation Act.

Labelling: the process of preparing and affixing a label to any drug container. Any such label shall include all information required by provincial regulations. In this context, labelling does not include the labelling by the manufacturer, packer or distributor of a non-prescription drug or commercially packaged drug or device.

Order: An “order” is the authority to undertake an intervention if the circumstances are appropriate and, in your professional judgement, it is appropriate to undertake the intervention. For more information of what constitutes a valid order, please see the Orders for Medication Care PPG.

Pharmacy: a premise in or in part of which prescriptions are compounded or dispensed for the public.

Prescriber: a person authorized to give a prescription within the scope of his or her practice of a health discipline or profession.

Prescription: an authorization from a prescriber permitting the dispensing of any drug or mixture of drugs for a designated person or animal.

Regulated health care professional — a health care provider who is a member of a CRTO and is regulated by the RHPA (e.g., nurse, physician, dentist, massage therapist, physiotherapist, dietitian, occupational therapist, etc).

Respiratory Therapists: Members of the CRTO (RRT, GRT, PRT).