1. (1) Professional respiratory care content areas shall mean didactic courses accompanied by supervised clinical experiences which include, but are not limited to, the following curricular areas:

   1. (i) respiratory therapy procedures and protocols;
   2. (ii) cardiopulmonary sciences, diagnostics, interpretation, monitoring, rehabilitation, and resuscitation;
   3. (iii) ethics of respiratory care;
   4. (iv) infection control;
   5. (v) general patient care; and
   6. (vi) pediatrics and perinatology.

2. (2) Equivalent shall mean substantially the same, as determined by the department.

   (b) Respiratory therapy.

   In addition to meeting all applicable provisions of this Part, to be registered as a program recognized as leading to licensure in respiratory therapy which meets the requirements in section 79-4.2(a) of this Title, it shall be a program in respiratory therapy leading to an associate degree or higher academic credential, except that respiratory therapy programs which do not lead to an associate degree or higher credential and which were accredited on or before June 1, 1993 by an acceptable accrediting agency as defined in Subpart 79-4 of this Title may be registered pursuant to this Part through June 1, 1999. Further, as to program content:

3. (1) An associate degree program in respiratory therapy shall contain at least 62 semester hours, or the equivalent, including a minimum of 30 semester hours in professional respiratory care content areas, or the equivalent, and additional semester hours in appropriate related basic sciences and clinical sciences.
4. (2) A baccalaureate degree program in respiratory therapy shall contain a minimum of 40 semester hours of professional respiratory care content areas, or the equivalent, and additional semester hours in appropriate related basic sciences and clinical sciences.

5. (3) Clinical facilities. A written contract or agreement shall be executed between the educational institution conducting the respiratory therapy program and the clinical facility or agency which is designated to cooperate in providing the clinical experience, which shall set forth the responsibilities of each party, and shall be signed by the responsible officer of each party.

   (c) Respiratory therapy technician.

6. (1) In addition to meeting all applicable provisions of this Part, to be registered as a program recognized as leading to licensure in respiratory therapy technician which meets the requirements in section 79-4.2(b) of this Title, it shall be a one-year respiratory therapy technician program leading to a certificate, or the equivalent, shall contain a minimum of 20 semester hours in professional respiratory care content areas, or the equivalent, and additional course work in appropriate related basic sciences and clinical sciences.
7. (2) Clinical facilities. A written contract or agreement shall be executed between the educational institution conducting the respiratory therapy technician program and the clinical facility or agency which is designated to cooperate in providing the clinical experience, which shall set forth the responsibilities of each party, and shall be signed by the responsible officer of each party.

(a) Definitions.

As used in this section: