From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Respiratory therapy, also known as inhalation therapy, is an allied health field involved in the assessment and treatment of breathing disorders including chronic lung problems, such as asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and the respiratory components of acute multisystemic conditions such as heart attacks and stroke. Respiratory therapists (RT) are specialists in airway management, mechanical ventilation, and acid-base balance.

Work environment and duties

Respiratory therapists are commonly found in intensive-care units, emergency rooms, and operating room environments, as well as other areas of a hospital setting. Respiratory therapists treat virtually every patient population, and most often the most critically ill patients in the hospital. RTs are the only professionals other than nurses and physicians that are available to provide care to ICU and ER patients 24 hours a day. They may work in sleep diagnostic facilities, cardiac catheterization labs, cardiac stress testing labs, and pulmonary function testing labs. Respiratory therapists are also a critical part of the code team and assist in CPR, particularly in establishing a patent airway. The respiratory therapist's duties include delivery of oxygen via all types of oxygen delivery devices, administration of aerosolized drugs, suctioning, management of respiratory components of life support, weaning of ventilation or life support, insertion of arterial lines, management of tracheostomies, and drawing of arterial blood gas samples.

History of respiratory therapy

In the 1940s in Chicago, Illinois, a group of oxygen-tank technicians began meeting with doctors concerned with lung disease. This group named itself the Inhalational Therapy Association ("ITA") in 1946. They gradually put together a series of classes for people administering medical gases to patients. In December, 1950, 31 members of the Association were issued certificates for attending 16 lectures. This was the first certification of "inhalation therapists." (Burton, pp. 5-6) It was an on-the-job training system for so-called "oxygen jockies". They had little formal education, but did have a desire to do their jobs better and help patients in the process.

In 1953 the American College of Chest Physicians agreed to sponsor the ITA. By this year the ITA was holding an annual convention, with attendees from 14 states and Canada. In 1954 they changed the name to American Association of Inhalation Therapists, electing a board of directors. They elected Sister Borromea as president and appointed Jimmy Young as executive director. By this time the AAIT was putting out a monthly Bulletin, and state chapters began to form. (Burton p. 7)

During the next few years better equipment and more advanced therapy techniques were introduced. Those practicing in the profession began to adopt the title "inhalation therapist." Their main function was to ensure safe oxygen use, to administer intermittent positive pressure breathing (IPPB) treatments, to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and to operate negative pressure (iron lung) ventilators.

Alvin Barach, a leader in discovering the role oxygen therapy played in breathing and health, led a group in publishing in 1950 "Minimum Standards for Inhalation Therapy." In 1957 the New York delegation to the AMA's House of Delegates introduced a resolution to develop schools of inhalation therapy, and soon after some schools were set up. In 1960 Articles of Incorporation were filed with the State of Illinois for the American Registry of Inhalation Therapists. Twelve examinees were registered in 1961. In 1972 the Association changed its name to the American Association of Respiratory Therapy (about this time the field of NICU RT was beginning), and this was later changed to the American Association of Respiratory Care. By 1983 about 16,000 respiratory therapists had been registered. (Burton, pp. 9-10). About 1969 the organization devised a system for credentialing entry-level practitioners, which became the National Board of Respiratory Care's system of certifying technicians.

With the advent of positive pressure mechanical ventilators, the more widespread hospital provision of neonatal and pediatric care, more sophisticated pulmonary function testing (PFT), a need for thoroughly trained clinical practitioners presented itself. Respiratory Therapists are practically doctors.

Over the years "respiratory technicians" have evolved to being college- and university-trained clinicians.

References

External links

• American Association for Repiratory Care (AARC)
• National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC)
• Canadian Society of Respiratory Therapists (CSRT)
• The Respiratory Therapy Society of Ontario (RTSO)
• YouTube - Life and Breath, Respiratory Care Overview
• Respiratory Therapy - The Michener Institute for Applied Health Sciences, Toronto, Ontario
• Advance for Respiratory Care Practitioners
• Advance for Managers of Respiratory Care
• RT Space, Global Community for Respiratory Therapist
• Respiratory Care & sleep disorder
• Canadian Respiratory Therapist Job Profile — analysis of job outlook and wage information for Canada.
• Critical Care News is a peer-to-peer forum for intensive care clinicians throughout the world to share experiences in ventilation therapies with each other.
• United States Occupational Outlook Handbook for Respiratory Therapists — Job outlook and wage information for The United States
• RT Magazine (bimonthly professional publication)
• RT Corner (Educational Site for RT's and Nurses)
• RESPIRATORY CARE: The Science Journal of the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC)
• Respiratory Care Forum