Standard 15 - Supervision

Standard

Respiratory Therapists (RTs) must employ appropriate strategies and professional behaviours for working under supervision and when supervising others in order to support the delivery of safe, competent, ethical patient/client-centred care.

Performance Requirements

Respiratory Therapists Providing Supervision

RTs:

1. Provide an environment that is conducive to learning and provide support and appropriate feedback as required.
2. Only provide supervision for those tasks for which the supervising individual has the competency to perform and that fall within their professional scope of practice and/or scope of employment.
3. Assess and monitor the skills of those working under their supervision (including, but not limited to, RT students, Graduate Respiratory Therapists (GRTs), and other healthcare team members requiring supervision) in accordance with legislative, regulatory, and employer requirements to ensure safe patient/client care.
4. Ensure that the level of supervision provided is appropriate for those working under their supervision.
5. Comply with relevant regulatory requirements related to supervision.
6. Intervene as required to support safe, competent, ethical patient/client care.
7. Educate and supervise students and non-regulated healthcare professionals where necessary; delegate appropriately, recognizing shared responsibility.
8. Must not supervise others in the performance of any intervention that is part of a controlled act not authorized to RTs.

Respiratory Therapists Under Supervision

RTs:

• Only receive supervision for those tasks which the supervising individual has the competency to perform and that fall within the supervising individual’s professional scope of practice and scope of employment.
• Comply with relevant regulatory requirements related to supervision.
• Ensure that their employer and those supervising the RT are fully aware of their supervision requirements.
• Adhere to the supervision requirements included as part of any Restrictions or Conditions imposed on their certificate of registration.

Patient/Client Expected Outcome

Patients/clients can expect that those working under the supervision of RTs are appropriately supervised to support the delivery of safe, competent, ethical patient/client-centred care.

Related Standards

• Communication
• Consent
• Documentation & Information Management
• Patient/Client Assessment & Therapeutic Procedures
• Professional Boundaries/Therapeutic & Professional Relationships

Related Resources

• College of Respiratory Therapists of Ontario. (2022). Supervision Policy. Available at: https://www.crto.on.ca/pdf/Policies/Policy.PP-110.pdf.
• College of Respiratory Therapists of Ontario. (2023). Abuse Awareness and Prevention. Professional Practice Guideline. Available at: https://abuse.crto.on.ca.
• College of Respiratory Therapists of Ontario. (2021). Respiratory Therapists Providing Education. Professional Practice Guideline. Available at: https://education.crto.on.ca.
• College of Respiratory Therapists of Ontario. (2017). Working with Non-Regulated Health Care Providers (Website). Available at: http://www.crto.on.ca/members/professional-practice/understanding-non-regulated-healthcare-providers-2.
• National Alliance of Respiratory Therapy Regulatory Bodies. (2016). National Competency Framework for the Profession of Respiratory Therapy. Part 1. National Standards for Entry-to-Practice. Available at: https://nartrb.ca/download/ncf-part-i-entry-to-practice-2016.
• National Alliance of Respiratory Therapy Regulatory Bodies. (2024). National Competency Framework. Available at: https://nartrb.ca/national-competency-profileframework.
• Nova Scotia Regulator of Respiratory Therapy. (2008) NSRRT Code of Ethical Conduct. Available at: https://nsrrt.ca/professional-practice/code-of-ethics

Glossary

Appropriate refers to in accordance with ethical, legal, technical and/or clinical requirements of professional practice.

Competent refers to “the ability to consistently and effectively apply the requisite knowledge, skills, clinical judgment, and professional behaviour to provide safe, ethical, and effective patient care".^[1]

Healthcare team refers to “peers, colleagues, and other healthcare professionals (regulated and non-regulated).^[2]

Patient/client refers to “individual, group, community or population who is the recipient of respiratory therapy services and, where the context requires, includes a substitute decision-maker for the recipient of respiratory therapy services”.^[3]

 ^[1] Open AI. (2025). ChatGPT (May 14 version) [Large language model]. https://chatgpt.com

^[2] College of Respiratory Therapists of Ontario. (2021). A Commitment to Ethical Practice. Available at:  https://ethics.crto.on.ca/

^[3] Nova Scotia Government. Regulated Health Professional Act. (2023) Available at: https://nslegislature.ca/sites/default/files/legc/statutes/regulated%20health%20professions.pdf