Respiratory Therapy Week 2022
The work of respiratory therapists (RTs) and the essential care they provide to people living with chronic conditions such as asthma or COPD, as well as those with acute respiratory illnesses such as influenza, is widely recognized both by people who they care as if for the colleagues they have. work alongside But for the general public, the specialized skills and support that RTs provide to patients who have difficulty breathing have been thrust into the spotlight in large part because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As experts in airway management, RTs provide respiratory treatments and support for people with chronic and acute lung disease, but also manage the airway for anyone who needs mechanical ventilation. They are a critical support in all health care settings: in hospitals, long-term care facilities, community settings, and as part of interprofessional emergency critical care and transport teams. In response to COVID-19, the expertise of RTs has been in high demand.
“Unless you were there, it’s hard to describe the experience of the past few years,” said Perry Komonko, an advanced practice RT and founding member of the Adult Patient Transport Team who has been involved in the safe transport of patients who require respiratory support for more than 22 years.
“Wearing full PPE, sweat running down our backs, transferring very difficult and critically ill patients and constantly worrying about COVID patients whose condition could change, often without warning.”
COVID is not the first time RTs have been asked to commit their skills to a pandemic response. RTs are highly trained to carry out respiratory tests, monitor oxygen levels and support patients who require specialist equipment and are regularly called upon during outbreaks of respiratory viruses, be it influenza, SARS, H1N1 and now COVID-19 , to help people breathe.
It is a role that does not have a “typical” day, with treatments and tasks largely determined by the healthcare environment and the patient population it supports.
“In our heads, we are constantly going over all the scenarios of what lies ahead, what could happen and then what we would do, how we would react and intervene,” Komonko said. “Predicting and reacting are key skills that RTs develop over time. Regular skills days in the simulation lab are so important to an RT’s ability to anticipate and react, while keeping up to date and evolving our practice.”
Komonko supports the continuing education of a range of colleagues in his role as head of clinical services, supporting RTs in practice scenarios with conditions not often encountered, enabling them to update their training in teams and with the skills they may require when caring for a patient.
“I hope my experience and story can support the team and provide a voice of reason or guidance to help them manage their patients,” added Komonko.
It’s this supportive environment, where experiences are shared and continuous learning is prioritized, that has kept Todd Mortimer, Head of Advanced Practice RT and Head of Clinical Services with the Children’s Health Transport Team, energized and invested in his work as an RT for over 33 years. .
“It’s a bit more of an obscure allied health profession, but it’s a fascinating field with huge opportunities to work in so many different areas, whether it’s acute, critical care, long-term or chronic,” Mortimer said. “It doesn’t matter what area you work in, however, you have to be agile, a problem solver, able to adapt and able to collaborate. We work with many other members of different health professions”.
COVID-19 is not Mortimer’s first pandemic. In 2009, he worked on the front lines of Manitoba’s response to H1N1, supporting the care of children admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit at HSC Children’s Hospital Winnipeg. His expertise and the role of respiratory therapists in “Helping Children Breathe Easier” helped inspire the next generation of RTs, including John Huynh.
“I became an RT about nine years ago after watching a feature on the role of RTs at HSC Children’s during the H1N1 virus,” said Huynh, an RT and member of the Interfacility Patient Transport Team shared “Obviously the RTs were making a huge difference to all those children, supporting their breathing. I researched the role further and am so glad to this day that I stumbled upon this profession.”
“Respiratory therapy is the perfect profession for anyone who wants to work in a career that involves close human connections and has a commitment to lifelong learning. Every day you will make a difference and learn something new,” added Huynh.
The next generation of RT includes new graduates like Hannah Chale, who has only been on the job for a few months since completing her training at Manitoba Rady University’s Faculty of Health Sciences.
“I finished my studies, but I have my whole life to learn about the role of RT and how we can improve the quality of care for our patients,” said Chale, who works as a member of the RT team for adults in HSC. “I can’t say enough how much I love that this profession continues to evolve, increase my skills and change over time. Learning doesn’t stop when you finish school.”
“RTs play a critical role in the hospital and in the community helping with the treatment of respiratory conditions and improving the quality of life of the large population of people with respiratory problems,” Chale added. “To be able to contribute your skills and knowledge and then see how much your work can improve someone’s outcomes and quality of life is very rewarding.”
This week, as we celebrate the contributions of respiratory therapists not just this year, but every year, we invite RTs, their healthcare colleagues and patients across the province to reflect on the difference this group of professionals makes every day in the lives of Manitobans. Send us your stories at communications@sharedhealthmb.ca or tag @sharedhealthmb in your social media posts.
From October 24 to 28 is Respiratory Therapy Week. For more information, visit the Canadian Society of Respiratory Therapists website.