In my paramedical professional life, I have come across many individuals who want to take up Respiratory Therapy as their chosen profession. They are amongst the many who are not doctors but urge to be in the service of mankind. Respiratory therapists are individuals who provide treatment to patients with diseases or infections in the cardiopulmonary system.
Medical conditions that need a respiratory therapist are –
- COPD – Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
- Asthma, Bronchitis, Emphysema, and diseases of the like
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea
- Babies born prematurely without ‘fully matured’ lungs
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Accidents and trauma that prevent victims from breathing on their own
Read also: Oxygen Therapy -Truths You Should Be Aware of Before Getting into it
Various job roles held by an RT professional
The job of a respiratory therapist includes a lot ranging from administering treatment to the cardiopulmonary patients to counseling them on issues like regular lung exercises, 'quit smoking', etc. They conduct chest exams, handles machines, and other treatment devices dexterously to treat patients with care! To enlist the duties and responsibilities of RT professionals, here's a list of all they manage to do –
- Managing ventilator machines or the life support systems in the hospitals
- Analyzing the level of oxygen saturation in the blood from the inpatient’s blood samples
- Administering medications that are aerosol-based
- Checking the chest X-Rays of inpatients
- Analyzing sputum specimen of patients as well
- Monitoring and managing the artificial airways
- Taking part in rehabilitation activities as well
- Conducting tests related to the cardiopulmonary health of patients and analyzing them (e.g.: stress tests)
You may by now have understood that Respiratory Therapy is a vast domain and one individual cannot do it all. RT has specializations – the ones discussed below are some of the ‘emergency room therapies.’ They alleviate patients out of lung failure or help them recover after heart surgery! Such respiratory therapists work in close association with doctors and nurses in OTs, maternity wards, emergencies, therapy units, and also at the residences of patients.
The specializations that RT professionals in the hospitals are equipped with are –
Pediatric Respiratory Therapy
Often babies are born with cardiopulmonary issues. These infants are administered respiratory treatment in the neonatal intensive care unit of the hospitals. Some children develop one kind of od asthma in their growing years. RT caregivers also offer outpatient care for these children and adolescents.
Geriatric Respiratory Therapy
With time we age, and so does our lungs. With aging comes pulmonary dysfunction issues and breathing problems. Diseases like COPD, pneumonia, RTI (Respiratory Tract Infection) attack aged persons, and therapists cater to such geriatric needs both in the hospitals (outpatients) as well as at residences.
Emergency Respiratory Therapy
A large part of emergency respiratory therapy involves the use of ventilators or life supports. Respiratory therapists are well trained to manage patients on ventilators and/or regulate the ventilator and the life support system. In the emergency rooms of hospitals, such therapists help patients to recover from heart surgery or lung failure. Therefore, a considerable part of emergency patient dealing is done with the aid of RT professionals.
Final Thoughts…
While discussing respiratory therapy, all of it remains incomplete without a clear idea of what exactly a respiratory therapist does. So, what does the primary job of a respiratory therapist involve?
Oxygen therapy, breathing treatments, and/or exercises, mechanical ventilation, pulmonary drainage processes, humidity-aerosol therapy, pulmonary resuscitation, etc. are all parts of a respiratory therapist's primary job.
From handling neonatal babies to geriatric patients, these professionals make a considerably large and important contribution to the healthcare sector.
Comments