Respiratory TherapyRespiratory Therapy

A Life and Breath Career for You!A Life and Breath Career for You!

Careers in Allied Careers in Allied HealthHealth

Diagnostic/Brief EncounterDiagnostic/Brief Encounter • Nuclear Medicine Tech• Medical Technologist• Perfusionist• Ultrasound Tech• Radiography Tech• Invasive Cardiology Tech• Nurse Anesthetist

Extended RelationshipExtended Relationship • Nursing• Physician’s Assistant• Respiratory TherapistRespiratory Therapist• Physical Therapist• Occupational Therapist

What is Respiratory Therapy?

Respiratory therapists have an in-depth knowledge ofRespiratory therapists have an in-depth knowledge of• Cardiopulmonary physiology and pathophysiologyCardiopulmonary physiology and pathophysiology• Patient assessment and cardiopulmonary diagnosticsPatient assessment and cardiopulmonary diagnostics• Pulmonary diseasePulmonary disease• Advanced life support and critical careAdvanced life support and critical care• PharmacologyPharmacology• Biomedical engineering and technology Biomedical engineering and technology

Respiratory therapists effectivelyRespiratory therapists effectively• AssessAssess• Educate and Educate and • Treat patients with heart and lung problemsTreat patients with heart and lung problems

What Do Respiratory Therapists

Do?• Respiratory therapists:

– Develop implement and modify patient care plans– Apply patient driven protocols and clinical pathways– Implement asthma and COPD disease management programs– Perform therapeutic and diagnostic procedures– Evaluate patients’ home environments– Employ evidence-based clinical practice– Conduct freedom from nicotine programs/counselling

In Summary…

Respiratory Therapists work as physician extenders to evaluate, treat, and care for patients with lung and heart disorders.

What Breathing Disorders Do Respiratory

Therapists Treat?• Asthma• Bronchitis• Emphysema• COPD• Cystic Fibrosis• Chest Trauma• Pneumonia

What Kinds of Patients Do Respiratory Therapists

Treat?• Lung disease patients• Cardiac patients• Neuromuscular patients• Accident victims• Premature babies• Children• Adults• The elderly

Respiratory Therapists Perform Patient

Assessment• Patient InterviewPatient Interview

• Cough and sputumCough and sputum• Breathlessness and wheezingBreathlessness and wheezing• Chest illnessChest illness• SmokingSmoking• Occupational historyOccupational history• Home environmental conditionsHome environmental conditions

Respiratory Therapists Perform Physical

Assessment• Physical AssessmentPhysical Assessment

• General appearanceGeneral appearance• Vital signsVital signs• Chest inspectionChest inspection• Breath soundsBreath sounds• Percussion / palpationPercussion / palpation• Bedside assessment of cardiopulmonary functionBedside assessment of cardiopulmonary function

• Respiratory Care Plan Development & ImplementationRespiratory Care Plan Development & Implementation

Respiratory Therapists Perform Diagnostic and Therapeutic

Procedures• Arterial blood gas analysisArterial blood gas analysis• Pulmonary function studiesPulmonary function studies• Sleep studiesSleep studies• EKGs and cardiac testsEKGs and cardiac tests• Sputum specimensSputum specimens• Stress and exercise testingStress and exercise testing• Gas therapyGas therapy• Medication administrationMedication administration• Secretion managementSecretion management• Chest physiotherapyChest physiotherapy• Lung expansion therapyLung expansion therapy• Pulmonary rehabilitationPulmonary rehabilitation

Where Do Respiratory Therapists Work?

• Acute care hospitalsAcute care hospitals• Diagnostic laboratoriesDiagnostic laboratories• Rehabilitation and skilled nursing facilitiesRehabilitation and skilled nursing facilities• Patient’s homesPatient’s homes• Patient transport servicesPatient transport services• Physician officesPhysician offices• Convalescent and retirement centersConvalescent and retirement centers• Educational institutions, including colleges Educational institutions, including colleges

and universitiesand universities• Government and industryGovernment and industry

How Does the Job Market Look for Respiratory Therapists?

• The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) lists The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) lists Respiratory Therapy as among the fastest growing Respiratory Therapy as among the fastest growing professions.professions.

• BLS projects a 28% increase in demand for BLS projects a 28% increase in demand for respiratory therapists for the period 2004-2014.respiratory therapists for the period 2004-2014.

• Family Money Magazine lists Respiratory Therapy among Family Money Magazine lists Respiratory Therapy among the top 50 careers for the 21st century (January/February the top 50 careers for the 21st century (January/February 2000, p. 52)2000, p. 52)

How Does the Job Market Look for Respiratory

Therapists?The need for RTs is growing due to:The need for RTs is growing due to:

– large increase in the elderly populationlarge increase in the elderly population– environmental impact on diseases such as environmental impact on diseases such as

asthmaasthma– smoking and COPDsmoking and COPD– technological advances in treatment of technological advances in treatment of

cardiopulmonary diseasecardiopulmonary disease– advances in treatment of premature babiesadvances in treatment of premature babies– retirementsretirements

How Much Do Respiratory Therapists

Make?• Salary varies with educational Salary varies with educational

degree and years of experience.degree and years of experience.• Supervisors, clinical specialists, and Supervisors, clinical specialists, and

department managers tend to have department managers tend to have higher salaries.higher salaries.

• Median Median startingstarting salaries for MU salaries for MU graduate respiratory therapists = graduate respiratory therapists = currently currently $49,535$49,535. .

• Sign-on incentives range from Sign-on incentives range from $3,000$3,000 - - $15,000$15,000..

My Aptitudes & Strengths?My Aptitudes & Strengths?

• Critical ThinkingCritical Thinking• Interpersonal Relationship SkillsInterpersonal Relationship Skills• DedicationDedication• Manual DexterityManual Dexterity• AccuracyAccuracy• Focused Under Pressure Focused Under Pressure • Integrity Integrity • Commitment to Life-Long LearningCommitment to Life-Long Learning

Is Respiratory Therapy For Me?• A career as a respiratory therapist can provide:A career as a respiratory therapist can provide:

– the ability to make a difference in peoples livesthe ability to make a difference in peoples lives– interesting and meaningful workinteresting and meaningful work– a high tech and exciting career a high tech and exciting career – a people oriented profession a people oriented profession – the opportunity to become a respected member of the opportunity to become a respected member of

the health professionsthe health professions• Imagine yourself helping Charlie Adams!Imagine yourself helping Charlie Adams!

Charlie Adams – 55yo MVA

• Head and chest trauma ED admissionHead and chest trauma ED admission• Secure airway - intubate and ventilateSecure airway - intubate and ventilate

• Transfer to ICUTransfer to ICU• Establish and manage mechanical ventilationEstablish and manage mechanical ventilation

• Step-down unitStep-down unit• Airway hygiene, aerosolized meds and OAirway hygiene, aerosolized meds and O22 therapy therapy

• Discharge to LTAC or homeDischarge to LTAC or home

What is Best About Practicing as a Respiratory

Therapist?““Our work is very gratifying in that we serve people of all Our work is very gratifying in that we serve people of all

ages who are greatly appreciative of what we do for them. ages who are greatly appreciative of what we do for them. When they are having difficulty breathing, relief is what When they are having difficulty breathing, relief is what primarily matters to them. We often work with our primarily matters to them. We often work with our patients from the time of their admission through to their patients from the time of their admission through to their discharge, so we get to see the change that results from discharge, so we get to see the change that results from what we do for them. When we go home at the end of the what we do for them. When we go home at the end of the day we carry a sense of satisfaction that is uncommon in day we carry a sense of satisfaction that is uncommon in many careers because when we treat and manage our many careers because when we treat and manage our patients there is immediate and measurable improvement. patients there is immediate and measurable improvement. We are also highly respected by physicians, nurses, and We are also highly respected by physicians, nurses, and others with whom we practice.”others with whom we practice.”

How Do I Become aStudent Respiratory

Therapist?• BS Degree in Biology and BS Degree in Biology and

Respiratory TherapyRespiratory Therapy– Highly respected 4-year Highly respected 4-year

program program – Option in the MU Biology Option in the MU Biology

curriculum since 1982curriculum since 1982– 16-month Professional Phase16-month Professional Phase– Post BS Option for you!Post BS Option for you!

Bachelor of

Science Degree

How Do I Apply to the Respiratory Therapy Program?

1.1. Transfer & designate Bio/Resp majorTransfer & designate Bio/Resp major2.2. Apply as a graduate - deadline – Apply as a graduate - deadline –

March March – Transcripts Transcripts – RecommendationsRecommendations– VisitsVisits

What Courses Do I Need to Prepare for the

Program as a Graduate?• Biology, Human A&P, Biology, Human A&P,

Chemistry, Microbiology, Chemistry, Microbiology, Physics, Math, and General Ed Physics, Math, and General Ed coursework . coursework .

• Students benefit from a strong Students benefit from a strong

background in Math and background in Math and Science.Science.

Is Respiratory Therapy For Me?

• A career as a respiratory therapist can provide:A career as a respiratory therapist can provide:– a great job at a good salarya great job at a good salary– job securityjob security– the opportunity to help othersthe opportunity to help others– recognition, respect, and appreciationrecognition, respect, and appreciation– a sense of accomplishment a sense of accomplishment

• A rewarding career for lifeA rewarding career for life

Respiratory Therapists Make a Difference

You can too!!!You can too!!!Contact:Contact:

Website: Website: http://muweb.millersville.edu/~rtphttp://muweb.millersville.edu/~rtpEmail:Email: muprt@comcast.netmuprt@comcast.net

Millersville University Millersville University Program in Respiratory TherapyProgram in Respiratory Therapy

P.O. Box 1002P.O. Box 1002Millersville, PA 17551Millersville, PA 17551

(717) 291-8457(717) 291-8457