I am deciding between a non-nurse to DNP program or an MD(or DO) program.
I feel like I need to do something else. They've been cutting our jobs and cutting our hours and it makes me nervous for the future.
A blog about Respiratory Care by a Respiratory Therapist
9 things I wish I could say to a candidate.
1. I want you to be likable.
2. I'm taken aback when you say you want the job right away.
3. I want you to stand out....
4. ...But not for being negative.
5. I want you to ask lots of questions about what really matters to you...
6. ...But only if the majority of those questions relate to work.
7. I love when you bring a "project."
8. I want you to ask for the job... and I want to know why. (I wouldn’t literally say “Can I have the job, but tell me WHY you want it.”
9. I want you to follow up... especially if it's genuine.
To read the full article by Jeff Haden click the link below.
Job Description: Respiratory Therapist
Respiratory Therapists serve as a specialist in Respiratory Care and provide
examination, diagnostic and treatment services for patients who have
medical problems characteristic of this specialty, and including the
more complex cases where symptoms are difficult to identify, treatment
regimens involve use of prolonged or complicated procedures or new
techniques, or where patient's condition is critical.
Serves as consultant in the field for physicians, nurses and other providers in this and other specialties.
Examine patients and provide care as prescribed or by established protocol.
Provide appropriate documentation.
Serves as consultant in the field for physicians, nurses and other providers in this and other specialties.
Examine patients and provide care as prescribed or by established protocol.
Provide appropriate documentation.
transillumination
performed an emergency transillumination for the second time ever and first time alone today.
confirmed pneumothorax
inserted chest tube into 5th intercostal space
pneumothorax corrected.
confirmed pneumothorax
inserted chest tube into 5th intercostal space
pneumothorax corrected.
Before you yell at a Respiratory Therapist...
one line stories
I have a very intimate relationship with ketamine. Trust me when I tell you those sighs are normal. I am proud of you for recognizing them, no one has noticed them for the past 100 sedations.
The Ten Commandments of Respiratory Care
- Thou shalt answer all STAT pages within one (1) hour.
- Night shift workers shall end their naps at least five (5) minutes before day shift arrives.
- Stand not before the open ET tube, lest the wrath of glob be upon you.
- Thou shalt refuse to perform anything termed "pulmonary toilet".
- Thou shalt not take the name of ones obnoxious patients, coworkers or supervisors in vain.
- Thou shalt never rush to fulfill a STAT incentive spirometry order.
- Thou shalt not suggest Bi-PAP or serial ABGs on DNR patients.
- Thou shalt always show up to work with a pen, stethoscope, watch and clean lab coat.
- Thou shalt alays have someone "bag" during circuit changes, no matter how fast thy thinks thy are.
- Thou shall not answer to "Hey Respiratory", or otherwise adulterate thyself.
Get the flu shot
Don't be a dingus.
Please act like you have the academic degree you're supposed to have.
Lets review the literature.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22463979
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20971112
Please act like you have the academic degree you're supposed to have.
Lets review the literature.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22463979
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20971112
Scope of Practice FAQ
This is a general FAQ for the Scope of Practice of a Respiratory Therapist. Obviously some states do not allow some RTs to do things and allows others to, and some states allow RTs to do literally anything. Scope of Practice hinges on Education Preparation/Personal Competency, Legal Allowance and most importantly for an RT is the 3rd part which is institution allowance. An RT may not be permitted to perform these skills at their institution but this list is a demonstration of what is a standard scope for an RT.
Respiratory Therapists:
Respiratory Therapists:
- Administer medications including narcotics.
- Diagnose acute emergencies using diagnostic tools (ie pneumothorax)
- Insert chest tubes
- Perform a chest decompression
- Maintain a patent airway by the most appropriate means (Intubate, etc)
- Start IV, Arterial or central accesses (all access, including IO)
im still here
I am still here. Studying for my MCAT.
I need to tell more stories, but I am sleepy.
Maybe I will think of one to tell today.
I need to tell more stories, but I am sleepy.
Maybe I will think of one to tell today.
an excerpt from a cover letter
In an application for a Registered Respiratory Therapist availability this was the second line:
"My Associate of Applied Science in Respiratory Care will benefit me in my job as a Respiratory Therapist"
Good job slugger. I wouldn't call the minimum degree something that will add "benefit" your practice.
Bridge Programs
I have seen this topic come up over and over and I wanted to share with you bridge programs for advancing your career.
Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine
Associate of Applied Science in Nursing (Bridge)
Dallas County Community College District
NREMT-P
Physician Assistant to MD Bridge Program
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic MedicineDoctor of Osteopathic Medicine
Respiratory Therapist to Nurse Practitioner
coming soonRespiratory Therapist to Physician Assistant
coming soonRespiratory Therapist to Registered Nurse
Miami-Dade CollegeAssociate of Applied Science in Nursing (Bridge)
Respiratory Therapist, Registered Nurse, Physician Assistant to Paramedic
Brookhaven CollegeDallas County Community College District
NREMT-P
Lets change the world.
I think that I think too much. I have always had a problem trying to make everything I am involved in better or more efficient or more fair or cleaner or whatever. I always try to improve things. I can't help but do it, I dont know why.
So it has been a very interesting time in this profession. Respiratory Care and all that. I think we have a problem with trying to copy other structure without really even looking at our own.
This is targeted toward Respiratory Therapists, so I am assuming you already understand our structure.
I think our new structure should be
Respiratory Therapist.
end of structure.
It is silly to have a hierarchy. I think that the RRT examination should be entry-level from here on out. All CRTs and RRTs should be consolidated into RT and CRT/CRTTs should be grandfathered into the program. We will require the RRT to become called an RT at all but those currently in practice should just be lumped in with the RRTs.
Doing this will help clarify our roles, since they aren't much different. It will help streamline legislation and policy.
We could change our entire title to Respiratory Practitioner, insinuating a clinical emphasis and direct practice.
We could still have alphabet soup if we wanted to, but it might be cleaner. John Smith, RP, SDS or Jan Smith, RP, NPS
Also, with this I would suggest the requirement of a Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care as the additional minimum entry-level. Obviously all of the Associate Degrees would be grandfathered in as well.
This helps ensure quality of practice and as a beneficial side effect it stops the over-saturation of our profession and stops it being viewed as a temporary job that's easy to get certified for.
So it has been a very interesting time in this profession. Respiratory Care and all that. I think we have a problem with trying to copy other structure without really even looking at our own.
This is targeted toward Respiratory Therapists, so I am assuming you already understand our structure.
I think our new structure should be
Respiratory Therapist.
end of structure.
It is silly to have a hierarchy. I think that the RRT examination should be entry-level from here on out. All CRTs and RRTs should be consolidated into RT and CRT/CRTTs should be grandfathered into the program. We will require the RRT to become called an RT at all but those currently in practice should just be lumped in with the RRTs.
Doing this will help clarify our roles, since they aren't much different. It will help streamline legislation and policy.
We could change our entire title to Respiratory Practitioner, insinuating a clinical emphasis and direct practice.
We could still have alphabet soup if we wanted to, but it might be cleaner. John Smith, RP, SDS or Jan Smith, RP, NPS
Also, with this I would suggest the requirement of a Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care as the additional minimum entry-level. Obviously all of the Associate Degrees would be grandfathered in as well.
This helps ensure quality of practice and as a beneficial side effect it stops the over-saturation of our profession and stops it being viewed as a temporary job that's easy to get certified for.
a quick story
I was giving a baby a breathing treatment with a dragon-nebulizer mask last night and she made a raptor roar and I said "aww you're a little dinosaur baby, rawrrrr!" and her dad said "No, she's not."
I let out an awkward giggle and then finished up, when I did my followup assessments I was happy her dad was asleep. How awkward.
Maybe he didn't realize why I said that and he thought I was being really weird and rude.
I let out an awkward giggle and then finished up, when I did my followup assessments I was happy her dad was asleep. How awkward.
Maybe he didn't realize why I said that and he thought I was being really weird and rude.
Pulmonological Terminology
I have a nasty habit of giving things names that are unconventional. I think I either developed it because I work in pediatrics, or I had it already and it made me better suited for pediatrics. I thought I'd share with you some of my official terminology.
- Wiggs - Chest Wiggle Factor, High Frequenty Oscillator Ventilation wiggle
"We've got good wiggs" - O's - Oxygen FiO2
"Slammin' him with O's!" - Boogz - Secretions
"I got out some nasty yellow thick boogz" or "Do you think he might need suctioned more?" "nah, I havent gotten a single boog out all night" - Cards - Cardiology
- Surf - Surfactant
- Poop-face - The angry face a baby makes as it brady's itself down having a poop
- Brewing-a-poop - tummy grumbles prior to a poop.
- Tummy-grumps - Tummy grumbles!
- Grumps - Grumpy kid!
- Pterodactyl - a certain angry sound neonates make
- Raptor roar - another type of angry sound neonates make
Code in Unit B
I received a text page on my pager "Code in Unit B". Usually they hit the code button which calls RT and the MD. I suppose it wasnt working, so they text paged us.
Oh how weird to get that text page and see the doctor running full throttle passed our office.
Oh how weird to get that text page and see the doctor running full throttle passed our office.
Home nebulizer
A Resident calls me and says "Hey, so I have this kiddo in room 8 who sounds pretty bad, could you take a listen and see what you think? If you agree we can probably start him on a continuous albuterol or something. I don't know if you can but the Mom also asked if you could look at her home nebulizer because it wasn't working earlier"
I say "Yeah, I will go ahead and take the stuff in there for the albuterol neb. I don't know if I can help with the home nebulizer, thats really something she needs to ask her pharmacist or home-supply company about"
He replies "Yeah, I figured, but maybe its something simple"
"Okay, Ill be right over there"
I go over, this kid is having such a hard time I give him almost a max-respiratory-distress score, start the continuous nebulizer and then look at the home nebulizer machine.
I plug everything in, put some normal saline in and it immediately begins misting.
Mom says "Wow! I didn't know there was a button on the side to turn it on!"
I handle the situation gracefully and full of tact and then go talk to the resident about positive pressure for the kiddo and let him know I fixed the home nebulizer.
I say "Yeah, I will go ahead and take the stuff in there for the albuterol neb. I don't know if I can help with the home nebulizer, thats really something she needs to ask her pharmacist or home-supply company about"
He replies "Yeah, I figured, but maybe its something simple"
"Okay, Ill be right over there"
I go over, this kid is having such a hard time I give him almost a max-respiratory-distress score, start the continuous nebulizer and then look at the home nebulizer machine.
I plug everything in, put some normal saline in and it immediately begins misting.
Mom says "Wow! I didn't know there was a button on the side to turn it on!"
I handle the situation gracefully and full of tact and then go talk to the resident about positive pressure for the kiddo and let him know I fixed the home nebulizer.
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