33-43-117. Exceptions.

(a) No person shall practice respiratory care or represent himself to be a respiratory care practitioner unless he is licensed under this act, except as otherwise provided by this act.

(b) This act does not prohibit:

(i) The practice of respiratory care which is an integral part of the program of study by students enrolled in a respiratory care education program recognized by the committee on accreditation for respiratory care (CoARC) or its successor. Students enrolled in a respiratory therapy care education program shall be identified as "student-respiratory care practitioner" and shall only provide respiratory care under direct clinical supervision;

(ii) Self-care by a patient, or gratuitous care by a friend or family member who does not represent or hold himself out to be a respiratory care practitioner;

(iii) Respiratory care services rendered in the course of an emergency;

(iv) Respiratory care rendered by persons in the military services or working in federal facilities when functioning in the course of their assigned duties;

(v) The respiratory care practitioner from performing advances in the art and techniques of respiratory care learned through formalized or specialized training;

(vi) An individual, other than a respiratory care practitioner, employed by a home medical equipment company, from installing and maintaining home respiratory equipment, provided he does not perform patient assessment or patient care relating to home respiratory care.

(c) Nothing in this act is intended to limit, preclude or otherwise interfere with the practices of other persons and health providers licensed by appropriate agencies of the state of Wyoming.

(d) An individual who, by passing an examination which includes content in one (1) or more of the functions included in this act, offered by a testing body certified by the national commission for health certifying agencies or its equivalent, shall not be prohibited from performing procedures for which they were tested.

(e) Nothing in this act shall be construed to permit the practice of medicine.