Celebrating Respiratory Therapists Week

This week is Respiratory Therapists Week!

Registered Respiratory Therapists (RRTs) are medical professionals who play a vital role in healthcare, both in and out of the hospital setting. The RRTs provide services and support patients of all ages, from premature babies to the elderly. Services and support are provided to all areas of the hospital. Some of these settings include:

• Intensive Care Unit

• Emergency Department

• Cardiopulmonary Department (Sleep/PFT/Stress Labs)

• Operating Rooms (Anaesthesia Assistants)

• Special Care Nursery

• Labour and Delivery

• Medicine/Surgical Wards

• Rehab

• COPD Clinic

• Endoscopy

• Post-Anaesthesia Care Unit

• Management

This past year, with the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, RRTs have been instrumental in collaborating on the development of QCH’s protected intubation and code blue Policy & Procedures, as well as the oxygen therapy guidelines for suspected and confirmed COVID-19 patients. These changes were made to reflect the unique challenges the hospital expected to face with higher patient volumes and acuity and to provide increased efficiency and safety for both the patient and healthcare providers during typical procedures such as intubation and oxygen administration.

RRTs have cared for many of our sickest patients. They have been critical interdisciplinary team members in managing patients with high oxygen needs, those requiring non-invasive and invasive ventilation, as well as supporting the various medical teams on many of the hospital units.

The hospital purchased an additional 10 ventilators, 10 high-flow oxygen devices, 12 Aerogen controllers, as well as a bulk stock of adjuncts to go with these devices, which will allow RRTs to support the respiratory needs of our patients, and get through supply chain issues, which are being experienced globally due to the pandemic.

Please join us in celebrating our wonderful group of RRTs this week!