Illinois Statutes Chapter 225. Professions,Occupations and Business Operations § 106/15. Exemptions

(a) This Act does not prohibit a person legally regulated in this State by any other Act from engaging in any practice for which he or she is authorized.

(b) Nothing in this Act shall prohibit the practice of respiratory care by a person who is employed by the United States government or any bureau, division, or agency thereof while in the discharge of the employee's official duties.

(c) Nothing in this Act shall be construed to limit the activities and services of a person enrolled in an approved course of study leading to a degree or certificate of registry or certification eligibility in respiratory care if these activities and services constitute a part of a supervised course of study and if the person is designated by a title which clearly indicates his or her status as a student or trainee. Status as a student or trainee shall not exceed 3 years from the date of enrollment in an approved course.

(d) Nothing in this Act shall prohibit a person from treating ailments by spiritual means through prayer alone in accordance with the tenets and practices of a recognized church or religious denomination.

(e) Nothing in this Act shall be construed to prevent a person who is a registered nurse, an advanced practice registered nurse, a licensed practical nurse, a physician assistant, or a physician licensed to practice medicine in all its branches from providing respiratory care.

(f) Nothing in this Act shall limit a person who is credentialed by the National Society for Cardiopulmonary Technology or the National Board for Respiratory Care from performing pulmonary function tests and respiratory care procedures related to the pulmonary function test. Individuals who do not possess a license to practice respiratory care or a license in another health care field may perform basic screening spirometry limited to peak flow, forced vital capacity, slow vital capacity, and maximum voluntary ventilation if they possess spirometry certification from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, an Office Spirometry Certificate from the American Association for Respiratory Care, or other similarly accepted certification training.

(g) Nothing in this Act shall prohibit the collection and analysis of blood by clinical laboratory personnel meeting the personnel standards of the Illinois Clinical Laboratory Act. 1

(h) Nothing in this Act shall prohibit a polysomnographic technologist, technician, or trainee, as defined in the job descriptions jointly accepted by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the Association of Polysomnographic Technologists, the Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologists, and the American Society of Electroneurodiagnostic Technologists, from performing activities within the scope of practice of polysomnographic technology while under the direction of a physician licensed in this State.

(i) Nothing in this Act shall prohibit a family member from providing respiratory care services to an ill person.

(j) Nothing in this Act shall be construed to limit an unlicensed practitioner in a licensed hospital who is working under the proximate supervision of a licensed health care professional or other authorized licensed personnel and providing direct patient care services from performing basic respiratory care activities if the unlicensed practitioner (i) has been trained to perform the basic respiratory care activities at the facility that employs or contracts with the individual and (ii) at a minimum, has annually received an evaluation of the unlicensed practitioner's performance of basic respiratory care activities documented by the facility.

(k) Nothing in this Act shall be construed to prohibit a person enrolled in a respiratory care education program or an approved course of study leading to a degree or certification in a health care-related discipline that provides respiratory care activities within his or her scope of practice and employed in a licensed hospital in order to provide direct patient care services under the direction of other authorized licensed personnel from providing respiratory care activities.

(l) Nothing in this Act prohibits a person licensed as a respiratory care practitioner in another jurisdiction from providing respiratory care: (i) in a declared emergency in this State; (ii) as a member of an organ procurement team; or (iii) as part of a medical transport team that is transporting a patient into or out of this State.