Respiratory Therapy Research Paper

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Respiratory Therapist Brooke Nyman Introduction to Nursing Sherrie Williams RN, BSN February 22, 2012 Respiratory Therapist Breathing is an involuntary process of taking air into the lungs and pushing it out again. Without being able to breathe, either by oneself or with the help of a machine, a person could not live. Respiratory therapists or RTs are there to “evaluate, treat, document, and care for patients with pulmonary disorders” (Karg, Bubulj, Esche, Geiseler, Bonnet, & Mäder, 2008). Before choosing this exciting, demanding career a person should know the education and license requirements, practice settings, specific roles and responsibilities, skills, and the average salary and career projections…show more content…
Because there are such a variety of illnesses and injuries that can effect the respiratory system, respiratory therapists see patients of all ages. These patients can range from “premature infants whose lungs are not fully developed to elderly people whose lungs are diseased” (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2009). Patients who suffer from chronic asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are just a few of the people that may have interaction with a RT. “Patients who are victims of a heart attack, stroke, drowning, or shock may also require an evaluation by a respiratory therapist” (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2009). Respiratory therapists do a variety of tasks. They “interview patients, perform limited physical examinations, and conduct diagnostic tests” (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2009). RTs can evaluate a patient’s lung capacity by having them breathe into an instrument that measures the volume and flow of oxygen during respiration. They can also analyze oxygen, carbon dioxide, and blood pH levels by testing an arterial blood sample. “To treat patients, respiratory therapists use oxygen or oxygen mixtures, chest physiotherapy, and aerosol medications” (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2009). Physiotherapy is performed on patients to remove mucus from their lungs and make it easier for them to breathe. Patients that cannot breath on their own are connected to ventilators which deliver oxygen to their lungs. The responsibilities of RTs are starting to broaden even more in some hospitals. “Therapists are becoming involved in areas such as pulmonary rehabilitation, smoking-cessation counseling, disease prevention, case management, and polysomnography - the diagnosis of breathing disorders during sleep” (Bureau of Labor Statistics,

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