As I get closer to graduating I find myself thinking about how the direction of a respiratory therapist's role is evolving and what all the future the career holds. Just like any other medical profession, respiratory care is constantly changing and more is being expected from therapist is order to deliver safe and effective care to patients. For instance, just to mention a few; new advance equipment is constantly evolving, several new aerosol drugs are starting to hit the market, and many new protocols and treatment plans for diseases such as COPD are being put into practice.
All of these things are very exciting but also require further credentials and continuing education to acquire new competencies. In addition, being involved in up to date research and evidence-based medicine plays a crucial role in mastering these competencies. The strive for advancement has become evident from The American Association of Respiratory Care (AARC) currently advocating a shift to baccalaureate degrees from the traditional associate program. I personally believe that this transition holds a promising role for respiratory therapist. The more clinical experience I gain I notice that there great potential to broaden the responsibilities and capabilities of a respiratory therapist. Personally, I love learning and one of the main reasons I decided to pursue a career in the medical field because it is impossible to know everything and medicine is constantly evolving. I have high hopes to get my masters in respiratory care in the future.
In addition to expanding education and clinical skills, whether you are a RRT currently practicing or you are a student we all should be proactive in advocating the importance of respiratory therapist and the value that we bring to the table in order to be viewed as a vital member of the medical community. If you think about it a majority of respiratory care is provided in the ICU and ED dealing with critical and life-saving conditions which places a huge responsibility on the respiratory therapist. Shouldn't we be pushing to broadcast our skills and develop and expand our role in the medical team?
All of these things are very exciting but also require further credentials and continuing education to acquire new competencies. In addition, being involved in up to date research and evidence-based medicine plays a crucial role in mastering these competencies. The strive for advancement has become evident from The American Association of Respiratory Care (AARC) currently advocating a shift to baccalaureate degrees from the traditional associate program. I personally believe that this transition holds a promising role for respiratory therapist. The more clinical experience I gain I notice that there great potential to broaden the responsibilities and capabilities of a respiratory therapist. Personally, I love learning and one of the main reasons I decided to pursue a career in the medical field because it is impossible to know everything and medicine is constantly evolving. I have high hopes to get my masters in respiratory care in the future.
In addition to expanding education and clinical skills, whether you are a RRT currently practicing or you are a student we all should be proactive in advocating the importance of respiratory therapist and the value that we bring to the table in order to be viewed as a vital member of the medical community. If you think about it a majority of respiratory care is provided in the ICU and ED dealing with critical and life-saving conditions which places a huge responsibility on the respiratory therapist. Shouldn't we be pushing to broadcast our skills and develop and expand our role in the medical team?
My advise to current students:
1.) If you are not already, I highly suggest becoming a member of the AARC and keeping up with the website to stay involved in respiratory care trends. The respiratory care magazine also has tons of new articles discussing everything that is going on within respiratory care.
2.) There is a website called pubmed.com _ where you can find just about anything on any topic in the medical world. This is a great resource to learn about new evidence-based medicine. Check it out!
1.) If you are not already, I highly suggest becoming a member of the AARC and keeping up with the website to stay involved in respiratory care trends. The respiratory care magazine also has tons of new articles discussing everything that is going on within respiratory care.
2.) There is a website called pubmed.com _ where you can find just about anything on any topic in the medical world. This is a great resource to learn about new evidence-based medicine. Check it out!