INTRODUCTION

The Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 (RHPA) identifies fourteen controlled acts

that pose a significant risk of harm to the public of Ontario.

These acts may only be performed by regulated healthcare professionals who are authorized by their profession-specific Acts (e.g., Respiratory Therapy Act).

There are several authorizing mechanisms, such as an order, initiation, directive, or delegation, as specified in legislation, whereby Respiratory Therapists obtain the authority to perform a procedure.

If a procedure involves controlled acts that are not authorized to Respiratory Therapists, then the authority to perform those controlled acts can only come from two places:

• delegation from another authorized, regulated health care professional

OR

• exception under the RHPA. For a comparison of the controlled acts (RHPA), authorized acts (RTA) and acts that Respiratory Therapists may accept delegation for, please refer to the Interpretation of Authorized Acts PPG .

This Professional Practice Guideline (PPG) provides information regarding the standards of practice related to the delegation of controlled acts.