Technologies, professions de santé et réformes publiques : les projets professionnels des techniciens ambulanciers paramédics et des inhalothérapeutes au Québec, 1990–2022.

This article examines the professional evolution of two technical healthcare occupations in Quebec—paramedics and respiratory therapists (inhalothérapeutes)—from 1990 to 2022, focusing on how public reforms shaped their professional projects and clinical roles. After 1995, both groups shifted away from emphasizing their use of technology and machines, instead seeking expanded responsibilities in clinical evaluation and first-line patient care, aligning with new legislative frameworks such as the introduction of "reserved acts" that grant specific clinical privileges. Paramedics redefined their identity by adopting the term "paramedic" and advocating for advanced prehospital care beyond ambulance transport, while respiratory therapists pursued expanded evaluation roles and sought to elevate their initial training from college to university level. The study highlights how Quebec's health system reforms and professional regulations influenced these technical professions to reposition themselves toward more autonomous clinical functions, reducing their traditional association with technology.