Who are called respiratory therapist?
Respiratory therapist also called as respiratory care practitioners are paramedical professionals who basically deals with the problems related to lungs and airways of an individual from their first breath till the very last breath i.e., all age group of patients who has a simple cough or someone who require I.C.U care. The Respiratory Therapist can help them as an individual or as a part of multidisciplinary team to improve the health related quality of the patient.
Where can respiratory therapist work inside a hospital?
Respiratory Therapist can work in coordinate with physicians in order to formulate individual care for patients depending upon their respective disease condition i.e., in co-ordination with Pulmonologist, Pediatricians, Anesthetist, Critical Care Medicine, Emergency Medicine, or even in pre and post operative care as a backup for Surgeons to restore ventilation. In a hospital, they can work in outpatient department, inpatient department, critical care unit, pulmonary rehabilitation centre and pre or post operative care unit.
What is the role of respiratory therapist ?
The vital role of Respiratory Therapist is to assess, aid in diagnose or treat and care for patients with cardiopulmonary disorders. They play a vital role as a member in Code blue team (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation) to restore ventilation to the lungs, which includes a vast category of patients from newborns to elderly.
Under Pulmonology / Critical Care Medicine or Emergency Medicine
Respiratory therapist takes a brief history of patients, perform some physical examination and also help in diagnosis of the patient’s disease with the help of certain equipments.
- Respiratory Therapist may use oxygen alone or in combination with other gases and chose appropriate device for their delivery depending upon the patients need.
- Provide aerosol medication with medical devices such as nebulizers for patient with breathing difficulty depending on patient need and understanding in coordination with the physician
- For patients who are unable to clear their secretion or who cannot cough well, the respiratory therapist will provide Chest Physiotherapy which has various methods.
- Diagnostic tools such as Spirometry are used to measure the lung capacity. So that treatment plan can be made accordingly.
- Ventilator management: Disease like pneumonia may require extra concentration of oxygen with or without pressure to improve breathing. Respiratory Therapist aids the patient by providing them the right amount of oxygen with the appropriate device.
- Pressured oxygen can be delivered to the lung with a help of endotracheal tube which directly enters the lung via windpipe/ trachea and is connected to a pressured oxygen delivery device called ventilator. This can be also given through simple face mask which is called non invasive ventilator. Alteration are made with the help of blood analysis which will be done every now and then by Rt’s also with regular check on patient condition and their equipment used in accordance with physicians order.
- They also help victim in special scenarios like heart attack, choking, drowning or shock. In home care setting, Respiratory therapists teach patients and their family members to use their respiratory care equipments in the correct way. In addition, they also have scheduled visits to check the patient in home to modify the plan in accordance with their status of disease.
- Respiratory Therapists have expanded their area of work by involving them self in multidisciplinary team and work with physicians in case management, pulmonary rehabilitation, and counseling for smoking cessation, Disease prevention and also trained in Polysomongraphy (diagnostic tool for sleep diseases).
- In newborn care, the respiratory therapists has to aid in flushing out the fluid from the lungs either by stimulation or with the use of artificial ventilation devices which results in lung function of newborns.
How long will they work and how much is their salary?
Respiratory Therapist generally work around 35-40 hours a week. Depending upon their work place this time may vary. Average salary ranges around Rs 18,000- 25,000/ month depending field of interest and work area.
Conclusion
Most of the Respiratory therapists must complete a 2-4 year program of study and can register in IARC (Indian Association of Respiratory Care). In short Respiratory Therapists provide both temporary relief and permanent solution to patients suffering from disorders related to lung and airways of all age group. The goal of the respiratory therapist is to help the patient to breathe with comfort.
