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It's the thought the counts. During Respiratory Care Week 2009, this phrase does not only refer to the kind tributes and small tokens of appreciation that respiratory therapists receive. It also means that hospital administrators and colleagues now think of RTs as competent, effective patient caregivers.
It was not always that way, said Doug Wilder, RRT, RPFT, RCS, director of cardiopulmonary and cardiac monitoring services at Memorial Medical Center, Livingston, Texas. When he entered the profession 19 years ago, his scope of practice was mainly handing out nebulizer treatments.
"Today, we are much more involved in patient care and decisions," Wilder said. "We're considered conscientious partners in the health care team."
At Memorial Medical Center, they will celebrate RC Week with the traditional banners, T-shirts, and tote bags. But what generates the most excitement among the department is a daily prize drawing that includes gift certificates donated by local grocery stores, movie theaters, and department stores. Although, everyone keeps their fingers crossed for the grand prize - a gas grill perfect for those renowned Texas-style barbeques.
Wilder spends about four months soliciting businesses and gathering 46 prizes in time for RC Week so that every department member receives one. Why does he make the effort? "Every year we're expanding our role in the hospital," Wilder said. "We're highly respected and have become a vital part of the health care profession. I feel we're the best department in this hospital. That's why we do it."
Gaining responsibilities
Taking a pause to recognize RTs goes a long way in helping morale, said Al Heuer, PhD, MBA, RRT, RPFT, associate professor of the respiratory care program at the University of Dentistry and Medicine of New Jersey, Newark. He still remembers fondly his first RC Week 14 years ago when he received a windbreaker jacket. "I used it sparingly, and it's still special to me," Heuer said.
As an educator, Heuer said, technology has expanded the breadth and depth of knowledge that an RT needs in order to function proficiently at the bedside. Another major change is the increased amount of documentation - in written and computerized form - that aim to prevent medical errors but also can take time away from direct patient care.
In addition, Heuer said, RTs have demonstrated their departments can be cost-effective when used properly. For example, at Morristown Memorial Hospital, Morristown, N.J., where Heuer also works as a per diem RT, the therapists perform emergency intubations in most cases, instead of nurse anesthetists or anesthesiologists. RTs also are a big part of implementing the hospital's ventilator-associated pneumonia bundle, which has been shown to shorten length of stay and vent days.
It is inspiring to be recognized for these increasing responsibilities during RC Week, Heuer said. He was especially touched last year when many departments from Morristown Memorial sent "thank you" cards that were posted in the RT conference room. "That was really a morale booster," Heuer said, "and it's something that I'll absolutely remember."
Reaching out
At Hartford Hospital, Conn., the most memorable part of RC Week for the RTs and their colleagues is a huge bake sale that everyone looks forward to all year long. In 2008, they raised $2,000 in a single day that they donated to the Connecticut Society for Respiratory Care's scholarship fund.
They recruit RT students to get involved in community service projects such as helping with the bake sale and performing pulmonary function test screenings in the hospital lobby. Also, Hartford Hospital is going smoke-free on Nov. 18, so they will be giving out literature on smoking cessation and offering carbon monoxide tests during RC Week.
"The students really like it, and it helps them to feel like a part of the RC community," said Geri Bernacki, MHA, RRT, manager of allied health care education. In addition to the in-house staff recognition, she said RC Week is a great opportunity for RTs to be noticed by the public. "It helps us a lot with recruitment for our profession and drum up interest."
In her 25 years as an RT, Geri said one of the most obvious changes is a shift toward patient-centered care, an approach that treats patients like individual customers not as a bed number. She recalled a time in her career when she worked in a long-term care ventilator unit that served many residents with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. They had an informal breathers club, and everyone gathered for their nebulizer treatments like it was a social hour.
"One day during RC Week, we just had a big party and celebrated our patients," Bernacki said. "We had games, balloons, and hats. Instead of celebrating us, we celebrated our patients. I'll always look back and remember how much joy we brought to them."
Contact Sharlene George at sgeorge@advanceweb.com.
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