Unicorns of Care
Jen Sparks & Kristin Ryan
Jen Sparks and Kristin Ryan have been respiratory therapists at QCH for years. Considering that COVID-19 is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome, respiratory therapists have been quite busy this year.
The importance of respiratory therapy during a pandemic cannot be overstated. Those who require treatment often require it immediately. Unfortunately, when patients are hesitant to come into the hospital, their delay in seeking medical attention often necessitates a more aggressive treatment.
“The patient is still the #1 priority. We see and hear that every day when patients express their gratitude.”
One of the things keeping respiratory therapists going during the day-to-day is being able to find a quiet space where they can talk to each other and support each other. They try their best to find the humor in things and to highlight the positives in their lives. Being a fairly small department, this reliance has created strong bonds within the team, making them more like a family than a team.
Despite the complications of the pandemic, Jen says QCH hasn’t changed.
“The patient is still the #1 priority. We see and hear that every day when patients express their gratitude.”
Interestingly, due to the nature of respiratory therapy, many patients aren’t familiar with their respiratory therapist after weeks of treatment because patients are often unconscious. Jen and her team joke that they are the unicorns of the hospital as they are often in and out and rarely seen after they’re done their job.