Advances in technology make it possible to help patients get well in ways that were impossible years ago. Respiratory therapists work with sophisticated medical equipment like mechanical ventilators that breathe for people who can’t breathe on their own and other devices that require a knowledge and love of technology.
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Respiratory therapists are considered the go-to experts in their facilities for respiratory care technology. But their high tech knowledge isn’t just limited to the equipment they use in their jobs. They also understand how to apply high tech devices in the care and treatment of patients, how to assess patients to ensure the treatments are working properly, and how to make the care changes necessary to arrive at the best outcome for the patient.
The combination of these skills—hands on technical know-how and a solid understanding of respiratory conditions and how they are treated—is what sets respiratory therapists apart from the crowd and makes them such a crucial part of the health care team.
Images courtesy of Nellcor Puritan Bennett Inc., Pleasanton, CA.
