468.357  Licensure by examination.--

(1)  A person who desires to be licensed as a respiratory care practitioner may submit an application to the department to take the examination to be administered by the department.

(a)  The department shall examine each applicant who is determined by the board to have:

1.  Completed the application form and remitted the applicable fee set by the board;

2.  Submitted required documentation as required in s. 468.355; and

3.  Remitted an examination fee set by the board.

(b)  The department shall conduct examinations for licensure of respiratory care practitioners no less than two times a year in such geographical locations as are deemed advantageous to the majority of the applicants.

(c)  The examination given for respiratory care practitioners shall be the same as that given by the National Board for Respiratory Care for entry-level certification of respiratory therapy technicians. However, an equivalent examination may be accepted by the board in lieu of that examination.

(2)  Each applicant who passes the examination shall be entitled to licensure as a respiratory care practitioner, and the department shall issue a license pursuant to this part to any applicant who successfully completes the examination in accordance with this section. However, the department shall not issue a license to any applicant who is under investigation in another jurisdiction for an offense which would constitute a violation of this part. Upon completion of such an investigation, if the applicant is found guilty of such an offense, the applicable provisions of s. 468.365 will apply.

(3)  Any person who was employed in this state on or before September 30, 1983, as a respiratory therapy technician or respiratory therapist, and who has performed services in such professional capacity for 4 years or more by October 1, 1987, under the supervision of a licensed physician or in a hospital or licensed health care facility, shall be issued a license without examination, if such person provides acceptable documentation of performance of such services to the board. Such documentation shall include certification by a physician licensed pursuant to chapter 458 or chapter 459 who has direct knowledge of the practice of, or who has supervised, the person. If such person is not determined to have performed critical care respiratory services for at least 4 years, the board may limit the license of such person to the performance of noncritical care respiratory services.