Terms of Reference
Accountability and Focus
The RTSO Leadership Committee is accountable to the RTSO Board of Directors. The Chair/Co-Chair sits on and reports to the RTSO Board of Directors. The RTSO Board of Directors will provide focus and direction within the scope of the Leadership mandate – i.e. Hospital-Based Leadership focus.
Membership
Members of the RTSO Leadership Committee must be a “Practicing”, “Student” or “Associate” member of the RTSO.
The RTSO Leadership Committee should include members from several practice/non-practice areas based on the assigned focus (e.g. small, regional, teaching, specialty hospital-based leaders and stakeholder representatives). Geographical representation is also important. Strategic liaisons with other RTSO committees and outside stakeholder groups is advantageous. Leadership experience is an asset.
A group of 8 to 12 members will compose the RTSO Leadership Committee including the Chair/Co-Chair. Additional interested parties with specific areas of interest may be added as Ad Hoc members to the committee. Ad Hoc members are invited to join committee meetings when the circulated agenda includes a subject in their area of interest or as the invitation of the chair/co-chair. The RTSO Executive Director is an ex-officio member of the committee
A Chair/Co-Chair will lead the activity of the Leadership Committee. The Chair/Co-Chair will be elected from within the Leadership Committee. The Chair/Co-Chair will be responsible to:
- Draft the agenda and minutes Leadership Committee meetings.
- Develop and implement a succession plan to be endorsed by the Committee.
- Facilitate the development of the annual Leadership Committee work plan aligned with the mission, goals and objectives of RTSO.
- Present a summary of Leadership Committee activity to the membership at the Annual General Meeting, and to the RTSO Board or other committees of the RTSO as required.
- Facilitate the development of quarterly committee reports to the RTSO Airwaves for distribution to the RTSO membership.
Conflict of Interest
RTSO Committee members are expected to declare if they believe themselves to be in an actual, potential or perceived personal, monetary or influential conflict of interest related to the respective Committee’s function or activities. If the Committee assesses that the member is in a conflict of interest, the member must recuse him/herself from a function or activity that presents the conflict. The Committee may adapt the process being undertaken to accommodate the situation, for example, replacing the person with an RTSO member who has the expertise and/or experience to contribute to the decision, review, other without conflict. The RTSO reserves the right for any Committee to refer any concern about any actual, potential or perceived conflict in question to the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors for resolution.
Orientation and Support
All new members will be provided with an orientation to the RTSO Leadership Committee.
Term
Members serve two-year terms with an option to renew.
Frequency of Meetings
The Leadership Committee meets face-to-face once a year in conjunction with the Annual Educational Forum. In addition, teleconference meetings will be held monthly to review policies and procedures, plan and coordinate mission-appropriate activities. (Monthly meetings may be deferred in July, August and December.)
The Chair/Co-Chairs will attend the RTSO Board meetings as scheduled.
Functions of the Committee
The overarching goal of the Committee is
To support respiratory therapy leadership in effecting excellent respiratory patient services by providing education and networking opportunities for RTSO leaders and by sharing relevant information such as bench marking and best practice guidelines.
The Committee proposes to achieve this goal by establishing a Framework that will support management and front line respiratory therapists in providing care in line with evidence based best practice. The Framework will align with the RTSO’s strategic plan. The elements of the Framework, which are intended to be accessible through web-based access and interactive communication, include:
- Best Practice Guidelines
- Generic policy and procedures
- Generic respiratory therapist job description(s)
- Knowledge Dissemination & Translation
- Administrative Activities
Approved by the RTSO Board of Directors: September 26, 2017