08/12/2025
Not all oxygen administration is the same, and where it happens makes a big difference.
🏠 In community settings like long-term care homes or private residences, Registered Respiratory Therapists (RRTs) can independently assess and administer oxygen without a physician’s order, under Controlled Act #5. This autonomy allows for faster, more responsive care outside the hospital.
🏥 But in hospitals, it’s a different story. The Public Hospitals Act requires an authorizing mechanism, usually a doctor’s order, regardless of the therapist’s qualifications.
🎓 And for Graduate Respiratory Therapists (GRTs), the rules are even more specific: they can only administer oxygen under Controlled Act #4 (by inhalation) and always with an order, no matter the setting.
Understanding the differences helps ensure safe, effective, and legally authorized care across all environments.
Have questions about home oxygen therapy or how our RTs can help? We're just a call away: (613) 938-2626
