Monday, November 7
8:30 am – 9:20 am
27th Phil Kittredge Memorial Lecture
This lecture provides a critical and incisive evaluation of an aspect of clinical respiratory care of emerging or increasing importance.
Bruce Rubin
Great Mistakes in Respiratory Care: How Evidence Has Changed Clinical Practice
Bruce K Rubin MD MEngr MBA FAARC, Richmond VA
What have been the “great mistakes” in Respiratory Care? This presentation will review respiratory therapies which were once the accepted “gold standard” and then were later abandoned. Many traditional clinical approaches have been demonstrated by research evidence to be ineffective or even dangerous. How can we learn from our experience? Has recent evidence really changed clinical practice such that similar errors can be prevented in the future? Strengths and limitations of an evidence-based medicine approach will be discussed.
9:30 am – 10:10 am
Respiratory Autonomy: Creating a Culture To Succeed
Scott Lofland RRT, Jackson MS
There are many reasons why some RT departments succeed where others fail. Some RTs work in an environment where they work autonomously under the auspices of therapist-driven protocols, where others struggle with respect, limited to task-driven procedures directed exclusively by physician order. What differentiates these two types of departments? How is culture established? What are the expected roles of the manager and medical director? These questions and others will be answered in this presentation, which will discuss the development of a political and clinical environment to support therapist autonomy. Presenter will provide a template to establish a pulmonary consult service.
9:30 am – 10:20 am
Hyperbaric Medicine
Clifford E Boehm MD RRT, Baltimore MD
The definition, indications, and contraindications for HBO therapy will be discussed. In addition to the basics presented at last year’s conference, we will be discussing mechanical ventilation in the hyperbaric environment, its use in CO poisoning, and in the treatment of scuba diving and other forms of decompression illness. The role of the respiratory therapists in providing HBO care will also be discussed.
9:30 am – 10:30 am
Lung Volume Assessment in the Mechanically Ventilated Patient: Techniques, Clinical Application, Practical Applicability
John J Marini MD, St Paul MN
Adept measurement of lung volumes and shifts in lung volume is important in the evaluation of chest mechanics in the critically ill patient, spirometrically based assessments however can give incomplete and potentially misleading information. Knowledge of the absolute lung volume could be the missing piece required to guage severity of disease, risk of ventilation choice, selection of PEEP and tidal volume, and response to therapy. Imaging information provided by electrical impedance tomography and sonic imaging promise to give us a handle on heterogeneity and response to therapy. This presentation will review spirometric, gas dilution, and imaging methods that can be used in an attempt to avoid ventilator-associated lung injury while tracking the course of disease and the lung's response to management.
9:30 am – 10:35 am
Communication Essentials for Safety and Success
9:30 am – 10:00 am
Assuring Safe and Effective Handoffs
Donna Clayton MBA RRT, St Louis MO
It has been well documented that adverse patient events occur when limited or no patient hand-off takes place. How can we substantially reduce defective handoffs? How does an RT department establish a culture of patient safety in which pertinent information is passed along during patient hand-off…every time? This presentation will review multiple handoff communication processes that meet The Joint Commission standard that can help reduce serious medical errors.
10:05 am – 10:35 am
Physician Partnering: Effective Communication Is Required!
Lisa Cracchiolo RRT, St Louis MO
Hand-offs don’t just occur during shift report. Nor are they limited to communications between RTs. Patient hand-offs occur every time there is an exchange of information between caregivers. For the pulmonary patient, there is no more important exchange of clinical information between caregivers than that between the RT and physician. This presentation will describe tools and methods required to ensure effective communication between these two entries and how to build a culture in which meaningful hand-offs are not just a luxury, but a requirement.
9:30 am – 11:10 am
Novel Uses for Patient Simulation
9:30 am – 10:00 am
Using Simulation To Diagnose Potential Bedside and System Errors
Roberta Hales MHA RRT-NPS RN, Collegeville PA
Simulation has been reported as a method to identify potential latent conditions (errors) or “accidents waiting to happen” that may predispose health care institutions to system failures and affect the quality and safety of patient care. The Joint Commission’s initiatives for patient safety encourage health care institutions to diagnose and correct latent conditions before they contribute to mishaps in patient care. Simulation is a protective tool that can be used to assess latent conditions in patient care environments, current protocols, and hospital systems. This presentation will demonstrate how simulation can be used to identify latent conditions.
10:05 am – 10:35 am
Using Simulation To Train for Low-Volume, High Risk Emergencies
Julianne S Perretta MSEd RRT-NPS, Eldersberg PA
Many of the therapies that RTs are trained to provide occur infrequently in the clinical environment. Emergencies also occur infrequently, but quick and decisive action is usually required to avoid patient harm. Simulation can be used to increase therapist exposure to these events allowing them the confidence and experience to respond appropriately during high-risk, low volume events. Participants will identify several low-volume, high-risk therapies in their institutions and discuss the process for designing a simulation for their low-volume, high-risk events.
10:40 am – 11:10 am
Simulation and Usability Testing
Roberta Hales MHA RRT-NPS RN
Technology and therapeutic modalities are ever evolving. It is often challenging for respiratory therapists to adequately evaluate them because it is time consuming and an inexact process. Simulation improvisation and usability can play an important role for evaluating new/old equipment, modes of ventilation, and clinical protocols in a simulated dynamic environment. Testing in simulated environments allows participants to experience and explore technology in life-like scenarios that can uncover subtle errors and protocol design flaws. The presenter will compare several methods of usability and equipment testing and examine the process for using simulation to evaluate new equipment and protocols.
9:30 am – 11:40 am
Managing Pulmonary Function Operation: Questions & Challenges in 2011
9:30 am – 10:10 am
Where Did All of Our Referrals Go? Strategies to Improve the Bottom Line
Matthew J O’Brien MS RRT RPFT, Madison WI
Does your pulmonary lab rely on a single physician group for the bulk of your outpatient referrals? Have you considered what would happen if this same physician group elected to open and staff their own lab? This presentation describes factors threatening hospital-based pulmonary function labs including; ambulatory competition, expenses, staff reductions and loss of expertise. Concepts are offered on how to differentiate your lab from others in your community and how to reverse the slow demise some labs are experiencing.
10:15 am – 10:55 am
Predicted Values in the PFT Lab: Past, Present and Future
Gregg L Ruppel MEd RRT RPFT FAARC, St Louis MO
This lecture looks at some of the issues surrounding selection and use of reference equations for pulmonary function tests. Some of the recent developments in statistical modeling will be described along with what these new methods might mean for interpretation of PFT results in the future.
11:00 am – 11:40 am
Lower Limit of Normal, 80% of Predicted, Misclassify
Gregg L Ruppel MEd RRT RPFT FAARC
The current debate about the lower limit of normal (LLN) is not completely resolved, and little information about the clinical impact of these different criteria is available. This presentation describes why the current recommendations for lower limit of normal values that are widely used in PFT labs can potentially misclassify patients. Alternative methods for expressing the lower limit or normal will be discussed.
9:30 am – 11:45 am
Hospital and Home Care RTs: Partnering for a Better Future (Part I)
9:30 am – 10:00 am
What Home Care RTs Need to Know About…The Hospital Discharge Planning Process
Dianne L Lewis MS RRT FAARC, Naples FL
From the perspective of the home care RT, it’s a simple concept…“If the patient has home going respiratory needs, the hospital-based RT should facilitate the discharge.” Unfortunately, it’s not quite that simple. This presentation will provide an overview of the complexity of the hospital discharge planning process. Limitations and barriers will be discussed as to why RT departments may (or may not) be involved in the discharge planning for patients with home respiratory needs. Examples will be provided of why the discharge-planning process varies from hospital to hospital and influenced by hospital size and scope of services provided.
10:05 am – 10:35 am
What Hospital RTs Need to Know About…Referring a Ventilator-dependent Patient for Discharge
Louis M Kaufman RRT-NPS AE-C FAARC, Olney MD
The process is much more involved than simply securing an order for discharge. When a ventilator-dependent patient is discharged from the hospital, there is much preparation that must take place on behalf of the hospital-based RT. This presentation will provide an overview of the requirements needed for a safe and effective transition of a ventilator-dependent patient from hospital to home or hospital to LTACH. Emphasis will be placed on the amount of lead-time, competence of transport team and pre-planning required to ensure caregiver familiarity will all primary and back-up equipment.
10:40 am – 11:10 am
What Home Care RTs Need to Know About…The Pending Impact of 30-day Readmissions Rate on Acute Care Hospitals
Douglas S Laher RRT MBA, Irving TX
This presentation will review the pending adverse impact of the implementation of CMS’ value-based reimbursement methodology and the proposed metrics under consideration. Home care RTs will gain a better understanding and appreciation for the financial pressures faced by their hospital-based counterparts. Contributing factors for COPD and other cardiopulmonary re-admissions will be identified and how this metric will alter the way hospital RTs will practice discussed. Want to differentiate your DME from others in your community? Attend this presentation and learn how you can better serve RTs working in the hospital so that, together, you can address this growing problem.
11:15 am – 11:45 am
What Hospital RTs Need to Know About…Discharging a COPD Patient with Co-Morbid Conditions
Dianne L Lewis MS RRT FAARC
Patients with co-morbid conditions are more likely to get readmitted to the hospital following discharge. This presentation will describe the challenges that COPD patients with co-morbid conditions present to the home care therapist and what the hospital-based RT can do to facilitate a successful and safe discharge of these at-risk patients to home. This is a “can’t miss” presentation for those working in a hospital with high readmissions rates. Your patients and hospital administrators will be glad you attended.
9:30 am – 11:45 am
Extracorporeal Life Support: What Are the Limits?
9:30 am – 10:00 am
ECMO: Today and Tomorrow
Heidi Dalton MD, Phoenix AZ
ECMO: What are the limits? What are the eligibility criteria for ECMO to continue to broaden? Patients who were previously considered ECMO candidates are being cannulated today. This presentation will review the recent trends in the clinical aspects of ECMO and will provide provocative speculation for the future.
10:05 am – 10:35 am
The Nuts and Bolts of ECMO
Walter L Williford RRT, Durham NC
The technical advances in the field of ECMO have been tremendous over the past few years. This presentation will review the recent technical advances in the field of extracorporeal life support, the role of the RT, and consideration for a specific patient population. Presenter will also provide insight on how he anticipates ECMO will evolve into the future…and whether RTs will go along for the ride.
10:40 am – 11:10 am
What If I Do Not Have an ECMO Program? Will You Really Transport My Patient?
Bradley A Kuch RRT, Pittsburgh PA
What if your critically ill patient requires ECMO and you’re hundreds of miles from the nearest center? What if your patient with congenital heart disease cannot be separated from cardiopulmonary bypass? ECMO transport is reality. Patient management, flight physiology, and operational hurdles will be discussed. This presentation will conclude with an evidence-based review that includes complications and outcomes.
11:15 am – 11:45 am
Update in Fetal Surgery: The EXIT to ECMO Procedure
Sundeep Keswani MD, Cincinnati OH
One of the most difficult scenarios for the clinician is the anticipated delivery of an infant with a known severe cardiopulmonary malformation in which separation from the utero-placental circulation will lead to immediate instability. In such cases, an EXIT-to-ECMO strategy may be life-saving. This presentation will describe this novel approach along with the available outcome data.
9:30 am – 11:45 am
Management Boot Camp—Part I
9:30 am – 10:00 am
Professionalism in a Changing Healthcare Environment
Toni L Rodriguez EdD RRT, Phoenix AZ
Frequent solicitations litter AARConnect and specialty section list serves with questions about how to gain respect and be viewed as professionals and patient advocate. Unfortunately, respect is not something to be freely given away, but rather earned through actions as a professional and patient advocates. The presenter, a past AARC President, will provide recommendations on how respiratory therapists can and must conduct themselves in order to be seen as a valued health care professional. Be inspired, feel empowered, and become motivated to be a true health care professional by one of the most passionate and engaged members of our profession.
10:05 am – 10:35 am
AARC Uniform Reporting Manual
Bill Dubbs MHA MBA RRT FAARC, Irving TX
The AARC Uniform Reporting Manual can assist managers in establishing a credible productivity system that can guide short and long-term staffing decisions based on service demand. An overview of this updated manual, its expanded application, and ways in which the RT manager can use this tool to influence staffing and productivity decisions will be presented.
10:40 am – 11:10 am
How to Lead from the Front Lines
Scott Reistad RRT CPFT, Centura CO
“How do I become a leader without a title after my name?” This is one of the most common questions asked by aspiring leaders. The role of the RT manager is certainly well established in terms of competencies, skill, and abilities to lead, however this presentation will provide the front line RT with these same skills that they can utilize to become a leader in their department.
11:15 am – 11:45 am
Update on AARC Leadership Institute
Toni L Rodriguez EdD RRT
Do you want to explore the exciting world of management, research, or education? Are you concerned about the lack of career pathways to prepare you for these roles? This presentation will share with you the foundation the AARC has laid to better prepare our future leaders of tomorrow. The presenter, a past AARC President, will provide an update on the newly minted AARC Leadership Institute, its goals, and timeline for implementation.
10:15 am – 10:55 am
Inspiring the Uninspired
Mark Vargas AAS RRT RCP, Edgewood KY
Ever walk into work in a pleasant mood only to find out you get to spend the rest of the day working with the most unmotivated, uninspired person in the department? For them, the job is a means to an end—for you it’s a passion. While it may not be possible to motivate the unmotivated, it is possible to inspire the uninspired. The presenter will provide a compendium of examples of how to inspire RT staff, both from the perspective of the manager and employee.
10:25 am – 12:05 pm
Inhaled Pharmacotherapy Update
10:25 am – 10:55 am
Nebulizers Are Not All Created Equal
Ruben D Restrepo MD RRT FAARC, San Antonio TX
Is there really a difference between a $0.50 nebulizer and another that costs ten times as much? Is the proof in the pudding or is it all marketing ploys? Aerosol deposition, output, and inspired mass are all critical characteristics that influence clinical outcomes. New generations of aerosol devices are associated with a greater deposition of medication. Attend this presentation to find out how your nebulizer measures up.
11:00 am – 11:30 am
Clinical Application of Inhalational Therapies for Infectious Processes
Marcos I Restrepo MD MSc, San Antonio TX
New clinical applications have significant benefits through unconventional therapeutic interventions. Vaccines and antimicrobials to treat or prevent infectious disease may now be inhaled and are frequently prescribed. Are they appropriate? Do they work? What is the role of the respiratory therapist and is delivery of these new medications within an RT’s scope of practice? These and other questions will be answered in this presentation.
11:35 am – 12:05 pm
Other Non-conventional Inhalational Therapies: Insulin, Gene Therapy, and Analgesics
Arzu Ari PhD RRT PT CPFT, Atlanta GA
New uses of inhalational therapies to manage a series of conditions are emerging topics of significant interest. This lecture will review some of these applications, including insulin, gene therapy, and analgesics. Do you and/or your department administer these non-conventional inhalation therapies? Are policies and procedures in place to protect the patient and caregiver? Are these new medications within an RT’s scope of practice? Attend this presentation to find out.
10:40 am – 11:40 am
Sleep Section Membership Meeting
Michael W Runge RRT FAARC/Presiding
Section members meet to determine their needs and priorities, as well as how to use AARC resources to accomplish them. All Congress attendees, including section non-members are invited to attend and participate.
10:40 am – 11:45 am
Social Networking in Health Care: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
10:40 am – 11:10 am
List Serve’s “Social Network or Near Live Consultation”
Keith Lamb RRT, Newark DE
In the new age of social networking and computer savvy practitioners, list serves have become a popular way to communicate with peers and professional colleagues. Are these list-serves just another social networking tool or are they legitimate ways of getting sound clinical advice? The AARC has its own social networking site for members—AARConnect. Before you accept list serve chatter as gospel, attend this presentation to learn pros and cons of these interactive ways of sharing information.
11:15 am – 11:45 am
Social Networking in the Workplace: Chatter or HR Disaster?
Colleen L Schabacker RRT FAARC, Cookeville TN
We cannot ignore social networking as being part of modern working life. Whether we choose to believe it or not, most employees utilize social networking sites while at work. Therefore, the focus should be not so much on that it happens but how we should manage it. Is it appropriate to use at work? When is it appropriate at work? What information is appropriate to share, and what policies should be in place to govern its use? This presentation will answer these questions and share real life examples you can take home with you to disseminate with your staff and co-workers.
11:00 am – 12:00 noon
Education Section Membership Meeting
Lynda Goodfellow EdD RRT FAARC/Presiding
Section members meet to determine their needs and priorities, as well as how to use AARC resources to accomplish them. All Congress attendees, including section non-members are invited to attend and participate.
11:15 am – 12:00 noon
Continuing Care/Rehab Section Membership Meeting
Debra Koehl MS RRT-NPS AE-C/Presiding
Section members meet to determine their needs and priorities, as well as how to use AARC resources to accomplish them. All Congress attendees, including section non-members are invited to attend and participate.
1:00 pm – 1:30 pm
Extreme Ventilation for Status Asthmaticus: Heliox and Inhaled Anesthetics
John S Emberger RRT FAARC, Newark DE
When conventional mechanical ventilation is failing for status asthmaticus, what can you do? This presentation will review the most current literature and evidence for the appropriate use of heliox and inhaled anesthetics. Presenter will use several case studies as a means to facilitate learning and exchange information on this therapeutic treatment option.
1:00 pm – 1:30 pm
Measuring Clinical Outcomes in Pulmonary Rehabilitation
Debra M Koehl MS RRT-NPS, Indianapolis IN
Your pulmonary rehabilitation program is a success. Patient volume that exceeds budget coupled with a favorable payer mix lead to strong financials. Operationally, your rehab clinic is doing fine, but how do you know if it’s of benefit to your patients? The speaker will discuss the types of clinical outcomes that should be measured in a pulmonary rehabilitation program. The discussion will cover outcome tools that can be used to measure the patient’s functional ability, quality of life, and degree of dyspnea.
1:00 pm – 2:40 pm
Pre-Operative OSA: One Hospital’s Experience
1:00 pm – 1:30 pm
The Hospitalist’s Role in the OSA Program
Scott Fitzgerald MD, Frisco TX
This presentation will describe the role of a hospitalist in the development, implementation and day-to-day management of the inpatient hospital OSA program. Rationale, challenges, and benefits of the program will also be discussed from the perspective of a physician. Attend this presentation to identify how you can engage your physician partners in creating an OSA program at your hospital.
1:35 pm – 2:05 pm
The Respiratory Department’s Role in the OSA Program
Sharon Trongaard RRT, Frisco TX
Awareness regarding obstructive sleep apnea in the hospital setting gains traction each day. By now, most departments have policies or procedures in place to address this patient population. This presentation will review the history of OSA in the pre-operative setting, and risks to be mindful of post-operatively. Presenter will describe how to create an inpatient OSA program, and how RTs can aid in issues of patient flow, post-operative patient management, and outcome measurements.
2:10 pm – 2:40 pm
The Sleep Medicine Physician’s Role in an OSA Program
Scott Fitzgerald MD
So you want to develop your own OSA program in your hospital but don’t have an affiliated on-site sleep center? Is it a requirement to have one, or can you partner with another facility? This presentation will answer these questions and highlight the role of the sleep medicine physician in the development, implementation and day-to-day management of an OSA program. Rationale, challenges, and benefits of the program will also be discussed.
1:00 pm – 2:40 pm
What’s New in Critical Care Transport
1:00 pm – 1:30 pm
On the Ground in an International Disaster
Bill L Hutchison RRT-NPS, Houston TX
This presentation will show the devastation that took place in Port Au Prince following a magnitude 7.0 earthquake. Absent of technological advances and no health care structures to speak of, the need for creativity, flexibility, and thinking outside the box to care for patients was at a premium. Attend this presentation and learn how volunteer respiratory therapists utilized their skills to meet the pulmonary needs of patients in a third world country. Find out how you too can serve during emergency medical disasters.
1:35 pm – 2:05 pm
Transportation of Patients Receiving Noninvasive Ventilation
Joe Hylton BSRT RRT-NPS NCEMT-B FAARC, Charlotte NC
This presentation will discuss the current challenges to transporting NIV patients as well as review transport requirements in various settings: pre-hospital, ED, inter-hospital, and intra-hospital. Presenter will highlight equipment options needed to provide care/support during transport that includes: high-flow oxygen, CPAP generators, BiPAPs for transport, and use of transport ventilators. A review of critical resources (battery options, gas consumption) will also be discussed.
2:10 pm – 2:40 pm
Advance Airway Pharmacology…Analgesics, Anesthetics, Sedatives/Hypnotics, and Paralytics…Oh My!
Scott Prater RRT-NPS CPFT NREMT-P, Charlotte NC
Protecting the airway is of paramount importance for the respiratory therapist. Assuming this responsibility during a patient transport is especially difficult. This presentation will discuss advanced airway pharmacology, to include the appropriate selection of analgesics, sedatives/hypnotics, and paralytics, based on patient presentation and co-morbidities. What role does the RT play and what information should they know when caring for patients with advanced airway emergencies?
1:00 pm – 2:45 pm
Automating Respiratory Care: Critical Considerations
1:00 pm – 1:50 pm
Optimizing Efficiency through Information Technology
Richard M Ford RRT FAARC, San Diego CA
Technology can improve productivity and operational efficiencies, but do so at a cost. The presenter will share valuable information on how an organization can make improvements in these areas, how to quantify them and what metrics should be considered when drafting an ROI to present to administration.
1:55 pm – 2:45 pm
Facilitating Protocols through Information Technology
Garner Faulkner RRT, San Diego CA
Protocols have been proven to be a valuable tool to provide evidence-based care to patients. Care is expedited by allowing the RT to serve as a physician extender while making autonomous clinical decisions. Unfortunately, protocols are only effective when followed consistently and accurately. This presentation will highlight the importance of incorporating electronic protocols into a hospital’s electronic medical record/information system using branching logic. Doing so will ensure adherence to the protocol, incorporate hard stop and start points, and keep the physician in the loop. Attend this presentation to learn how to incorporate your protocols into an electronic and digital format.
1:00 pm – 2:55 pm
Neonatal-Pediatrics Year in Review
1:00 pm – 1:25 pm
Neonatology
Thomas E Wiswell MD, Orlando FL
This lecture will provide a 2011 review of the top advances, management strategies, and evidence-based respiratory care practices in the neonatal intensive care setting.
1:30 pm – 1:55 pm
Neonatal-Pediatric Diagnostics
Timothy R Myers RRT-NPS, Avon OH
This lecture will provide a 2011 review of the recent literature regarding the advances, diagnostic and evidence-based respiratory care practices for infants and children with respiratory disorders in the diagnostic setting.
2:00 pm – 2:25 pm
Pediatric Pulmonology
Karen McDowell MD, Cincinnati OH
This lecture will provide a 2011 literature review of the advances, management and evidence-based care practices for children with respiratory disorders in the emergency and non-ICU settings.
2:30 pm – 2:55 pm
Pediatric Critical Care
Ira M Cheifetz MD FCCM, Durham NC
This lecture will provide a 2011 review of the top advancements in the pediatric critical care and cardiac critical care settings. Emphasis will be placed on evidence-based respiratory care technology and practices.
1:00 pm – 3:15 pm
Respiratory Care in 2011: the North American—European Perspective
1:00 pm – 1:30 pm
Approaches to Noninvasive Ventilation: The European Perspective
Michelle Chatwin PhD, London United Kingdom
This presentation will provide an overview of the approaches to noninvasive ventilation utilized in Europe. Patient selection, equipment used, and roles of various clinician groups will be discussed. Is the European model for NIV superior to the North American model? Attend this presentation to find out.
1:35 pm – 2:05 pm
Approaches to Noninvasive Ventilation: The North American Perspective
Dean R Hess PhD RRT FAARC, Boston MA
This presentation will provide an overview of the approaches to noninvasive ventilation utilized in North America. Patient selection, equipment used, and roles of various clinician groups including RTs will be discussed. Is the North American model for NIV superior to the European model? You may be surprised by the answer!
2:10 pm – 2:40 pm
Approaches to Liberation from Mechanical Ventilation: The European Perspective
Paolo Navalesi MD, Novara Italy
Is there one best way to liberate patients from mechanical ventilation? Is one mode of ventilation superior over another? Are nurses and physicians as adept at weaning patients as are RTs? This presentation will provide an overview of the approaches to liberation for mechanical ventilation in Europe. Specific approaches and roles of various clinician groups will be discussed. Is the European model for weaning mechanically ventilated patients superior to the North American model? Attend this lecture and formulate your own opinion.
2:45 pm – 3:15 pm
Approaches to Liberation from Mechanical Ventilation: The North American Perspective
Timothy R Myers RRT-NPS, Avon OH
Is there one best way to liberate patients from mechanical ventilation? Is one mode of ventilation superior over another? Are nurses and physicians as adept at weaning patients as are RTs? This presentation will provide an overview of the approaches to liberation for mechanical ventilation in North America. Specific approaches and roles of various clinician groups will be discussed. Is the North American model for weaning mechanically ventilated patients superior to the European model? Attend this presentation to find out.
1:00 pm – 3:25 pm
Tobacco, More Than Just Blowing Smoke! The History, Evolution and Health Policy of Tobacco in the U.S.
1:00 pm – 1:45 pm
The History of Tobacco: Know Thy Enemy
Jay Taylor RRT TTS, Fargo ND
Attendees will learn about the origins of tobacco in our country. Presentation will address how tobacco was once thought to be harmless, how large organizations embraced and promoted its use, and how disease evolved and developed over the years.
1:50 pm – 2:35 pm
Tobacco and the Evolution of Disease
Jay Taylor RRT TTS
The second part of this amusing but poignant presentation will continue to address the evolution of the tobacco movement and introduce the link to disease. Presenter will address the role and function of the respiratory therapist as a diagnostician and interventionalist, physician extender, a smoking cessation counselor, and support group facilitator.
2:40 pm – 3:25 pm
Health Policy Implications for Practitioners and Their Patients
Lynda T Goodfellow EdD RRT FAARC, Atlanta GA
This presentation will review current US and state health policy for tobacco control and the effectiveness of these current initiatives. A review of the literature for current medications used in treating tobacco dependence will also be included.
1:00 pm – 4:25 pm
Year in Review 2011
1:00 pm – 1:30 pm
Year in Review: Education
Kathy Rye EdD RRT FAARC, Little Rock AR
A review of papers published in 2011 related to respiratory care education.
1:35 pm – 2:05 pm
Year in Review: Management
Garry W Kauffman MPA FACHE RRT FAARC, Elizabethtown PA
A review of papers published in 2011 related to respiratory care management.
2:10 pm – 2:40 pm
Year in Review: Pulmonary Rehabilitation
Neil R MacIntyre MD FAARC, Durham NC
A review of papers published in 2011 related to pulmonary rehabilitation.
2:45 pm – 3:15 pm
Year in Review: Long-Term Oxygen Therapy
Patrick J Dunne MEd RRT FAARC, Fullerton CA
A review of papers published in 2011 related long-term oxygen therapy.
3:20 pm – 3:50 pm
Year in Review: Airway Management
Ulrich Schmidt MD PhD, Boston MA
A review of papers published in 2011 related to airway management.
3:55 pm – 4:25 pm
Year in Review: Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome
Carl F Haas MLS RRT AE-C FAARC, Ann Arbor MI
A review of papers published in 2011 related to the acute respiratory distress syndrome.
1:35 pm – 3:15 pm
Respiratory Therapy Competencies for COPD
1:35 pm – 2:05 pm
Competencies for COPD Management: the AARC COPD Educator Program
Thomas J Kallstrom RRT FAARC, Irving TX
This presentation will be an overview of the role of the respiratory therapist as a COPD educator. With much of the focus on the need for patients to be better self-managers of their disease as well as to decrease readmissions to the hospital, respiratory therapists can make a positive impact.
2:10 pm – 2:40 pm
Competencies for COPD Management: The Home Care Environment
Kim S Wiles RRT, Ford City PA
This presentation will provide the respiratory therapist with knowledge of the various competencies required to manage a COPD patient in their home care environment.
2:45 pm – 3:15 pm
Competencies for COPD Management: Pulmonary Rehabilitation
Brian W Carlin MD FAARC, Pittsburgh PA
This presentation will provide the respiratory therapist with knowledge of the competencies required as part of the management of the COPD patient who is undergoing pulmonary rehabilitation.
1:35 pm – 3:50 pm
Monitoring During Mechanical Ventilation
1:35 pm – 2:05 pm
Ventilator Graphics: New and Improved
Rory A Mullin RRT, Cleveland OH
Mechanical ventilator graphics are more than just “screen hoops and loops.” In today’s day-and-age, it’s practically impossible to effectively ventilate patients without the utilization of ventilator graphics. This presentation will review the history and recent developments in ventilator graphics. User interface and innovative designing will be highlighted by demonstrations.
2:10 pm – 2:40 pm
Esophageal Pressure Monitoring: What Can We Learn from Balloons?
Michael A Gentile RRT FAARC, Durham NC
Esophageal catheters provide substantial information that may aid in the management of mechanical ventilation. Separating information from the chest wall versus the lung is imperative to asses treatment strategy. Growing evidence suggests the information gathered by this technique may guide the administration of PEEP. This lecture will discuss the technology, techniques, and available literature for esophageal pressure monitoring.
2:45 pm – 3:15 pm
Current Clinical Concepts for Pulse Oximetry and Capnography during Mechanical Ventilation
Richard H Kallet MSc RRT FAARC, San Francisco CA
Over the past decade, advances in both oximetry and capnography, as well as their application in clinical practice, have opened the door to exciting new possibilities for ventilator management of patients with acute respiratory failure. This presentation reviews both the fundamental principles of each technology as well as interesting recent clinical studies. The implications for such discoveries in the emerging age of closed loop mechanical ventilation will be discussed.
3:20 pm – 3:50 pm
Hemodynamic Monitoring for the Critical Care Specialist
Mark S Siobal RRT FAARC, San Francisco CA
Cardiorespiratory interactions are an integral part of management for patients receiving mechanical ventilation. A comprehensive understanding of hemodynamic function in regard to preload, afterload, contractility, and rate control, provide a foundation for understanding cardiopulmonary physiology. This lecture will discuss the strategies for balancing the interrelationship between gas exchange and hemodynamic performance.
2:45 pm – 3:25 pm
A Lean Rapid, Improvement Process for a Hospital-based Pediatric Sleep Center
Michael McPeck RRT FAARC, Long Beach CA
This presentation will detail the Lean process, the benefits, and specifically the unique, yet surmountable, issues that can be overcome when striving to improve the operational efficiency of a pediatric sleep testing facility. Discussion will include details about the streamlined operating methodology that was developed, how barriers to efficiency were removed, and the environmental and patient/family improvements that were initiated. Potential cost reductions as well as outcome measurements will be presented.
2:45 pm – 4:25 pm
COPD Transition of Care: Reducing Re-hospitalization Rates—the Problem, the Plan and the Process
2:45 pm – 3:15 pm
The Plan and the Program–In the Home
Dan Easley, Ford City PA
Through no fault of our own, many RTs working in the home care setting have evolved into overpaid equipment transporters. Due to lack of reimbursement, many DMEs have either adopted this philosophy or closed their doors. This presentation will describe the discharge assessment and summary of a novel home care program that utilizes RTs the way they were intended—as clinicians and physician extenders. The presenter will discuss strategies for implementation of a similar home care management process anyone can incorporate.
3:20 pm – 3:50 pm
The Plan and the Program–In the Hospital
Matt VanCamp MBA RRT, Uniontown PA
While many hospitals incorporate respiratory therapists in discharge planning, many do not. As COPD readmissions become more rampant, RTs will likely play larger roles as case managers and discharge planners. This presentation will describe how to develop a discharge planning process in which the respiratory therapist will play a lead role. Attend this presentation to learn how RTs in your department can further evolve out of these nontraditional roles.
3:55 pm – 4:25 pm
COPD Gaps in Transition of Care
Brian W Carlin MD FAARC, Pittsburgh PA
What does the current process look like for the care of a COPD patient? What does the PERFECT process look like? This presentation will identify the gaps that currently exist in the care of a CODP patient who has been hospitalized with an exacerbation. Attend this presentation to close those gaps and provide better care to your COPD patients.
3:00 pm – 3:50 pm
Performance Appraisals: The Good, the Bad and The Ugly
Bill Cohagen RRT FAARC, Phoenix AZ
The presentation will demonstrate how to plan, prepare, and conduct performance appraisals that result in both an enhanced evaluation process as well as a planning tool to guide the employee. Presenter will highlight aspects of the performance evaluation process in which managers are notoriously good at, notoriously bad at, and notoriously ugly at. Attend this presentation to find out how to identify and close those gaps so that you can deliver performance appraisals that are meaningful, powerful, and mutually beneficial.
3:00 pm – 4:15 pm
Congenital Heart Disease: An RT Perspective
Sponsored by:
3:00 pm – 3:35 pm
Essentials of Congenital Heart Disease
Nancy Johnson RRT-NPS, Cleveland OH
The management of infants and children with congenital heart disease has become a speciality to itself. Whether you directly care for patients with congenital heart disease or not, a general knowledge of these various anomalies is essential for all neonatal-pediatric respiratory therapists. This presentation will provide an overview of the more common congenital heart lesions, including a systematic approach to the diagnosis of infants and children with desaturation and murmurs.
3:40 pm – 4:15 pm
Congenital Heart Disease: Post-operative Respiratory Management
Kathleen M Deakins RRT-NPS, Cleveland OH
Much of the post-operative management of infants and children with congenital heart disease involves the respiratory system. How does ventilatory management affect pulmonary blood flow? When is the optimal time for extubation? When should nitric oxide be utilized? These questions and others will be answered from the perspective of the RT.
3:20 pm – 4:55 pm
Extreme Hypoxia: Available Clinical Strategies
3:20 pm – 3:50 pm
Extreme Hypoxia: Available Clinical Strategies
John D Davies MA RRT FAARC, Durham NC
Is HFOV used routinely and appropriately in your institution or is it used exclusively in the last few futile hours of life? This lecture will describe the physiology and mechanical features of high-frequency ventilation, why it works, and what candidates respond best. Other various technologies to treat extreme hypoxia will be discussed as well. Attend this presentation and learn what other options you have at your disposal to reverse this debilitating condition.
3:50 pm – 4:20 pm
APRV: Lung Recruitment While Breathing
John S Emberger RRT FAARC, Newark DE
While not new, the use of APRV is gaining in popularity. This lecture will describe the physiology and mechanical features of APRV, why it works, and what candidates respond best. Several ARDS patient case studies will be revealed with a review of the most current literature evidence to justify its use. A practical guide on the use of APRV will be presented.
4:25 pm – 4:55 pm
Pro/Con: Adult ECMO: Ready for Primetime or Delaying Death?
Pro: Neil R MacIntyre MD FAARC, Durham NC
Con: Robert M Kacmarek PhD RRT FAARC, Boston MA
Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) has resurfaced as a strategy for the adult patient with severe hypoxia. The pro’s and con’s of this invasive technology will be debated.
3:20 pm – 5:10 pm
Ventilator Care Units: A Collaborative Approach to Care
3:20 pm – 3:50 pm
Collaborative Care Fostering Interdisciplinary Cooperation
Lorraine Bertuola RRT, Abingdon MD
This presentation will describe the roles and responsibilities of interdisciplinary team members involved in the provision of services to patients in a ventilator unit. Presenter will discuss the specific roles of respiratory therapists and speech language pathologist in patients with and without tracheostomies. Attend this presentation and learn how to establish a cohesive collaboration among interdisciplinary members caring for the mechanically ventilated patient.
3:55 pm – 4:25 pm
Speech Language Pathology: Giving Ventilator Patients a Voice
Erin Knoepfel MS CCC/SLP, Towson MD
Are care plans on your ventilator unit constructed in a vacuum or in collaboration with other interdisciplinary team members? This presentation will describe the collegial relationship that should take place between all care providers and will site real case examples in which RTs and speech language pathologists can work together to provide better care to the tracheostomy patient. Presenter will share examples of a collaborative assessment and the development of treatment plans for patients receiving mechanical ventilation.
4:30 pm – 5:10 pm
Setting the Standard for Long-Term Care Weaning
Kristy Wittlich RRT, St Louis MO
This presentation will describe the goals, expectations and advantages of implementing a clinician-driven long-term mechanical ventilator weaning protocol. Presenter will share case studies and lessons learned regarding a patient’s progression from tracheostomy to liberation from mechanical ventilation. Attend this presentation and shorten the ventilator course of your mechanically ventilated tracheostomy patient.
3:30 pm – 4:15 pm
The Curious Case of CPAP Noncompliance
Gary Jeromin MA RRT, Ann Arbor MI
This presentation will detail how CPAP compliance was not originally designed into most CPAP treatment regimens. The speaker will discuss current Medicare CPAP requirements as well as common compliance problems. Strategies and techniques to improve PAP compliance will be detailed, including the current focus on behavioral modification.
3:40 pm – 4:25 pm
Transitioning from Graduate Therapist to Specialty Practitioner
Lynda T Goodfellow EdD RRT FAARC, Atlanta GA
As the profession moves toward the recommendations, and adhering to the attributes of the 2015 and Beyond Conferences, the transition of graduate therapist to obtaining competence in the workforce may prove to be difficult for some. The significance of documenting competence and continued experience in a specialty area results from market-driven consumer forces. The focus of this presentation will be how to best navigate the transition from graduate therapist to specialty practitioner to meet expectations by obtaining specialty credentials in any area of respiratory care.
4:00 pm – 4:50 pm
Emergency Management: Critical Areas of Emergency Responses
Cheryl A Hoerr MBA RRT CPFT FAARC, Rolla MO
The presenter will address the type of support health care workers require to successfully manage a large scale disaster and explain the critical importance an employee’s level of home preparedness plays in emergency response planning. The speaker will also share the additional plans that health care organizations must have in place to ensure adequate preparation for disaster situations.
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
RT as Inventor: How To Invent, Analyze, Protect, and Develop New Product Ideas
Dan Grady MEd RRT FAARC, Asheville NC
Respiratory therapists are natural inventors because of their expertise in clinical problem-solving and adapting technology to clinical needs. This presentation will identify techniques for inventing new technology and discuss criteria to analyze marketability. Resources for research and development of new product ideas will also be discussed.
4:20 pm – 5:00 pm
Keys to Successful Noninvasive Ventilation for Children
Thomas J Cahill RRT, Erlanger KY
This presentation will discuss the specific challenges that occur in the pediatric population for the successful application of noninvasive ventilation. Disease states that typically require NIV will be reviewed along with an assessment of those which respond favorably to non-invasive approach. The technologic equipment and interface challenges of NIV for infants and children will be discussed.
4:20 pm – 5:00 pm
Screening for Sleep Apnea: Early Intervention for Inpatient OSA
Paul Selecky MD FAARC FAASM FACP FCCP, Newport Beach CA
Awareness of, and education about sleep apneas can make a huge difference in improving patient outcomes. This presentation will highlight the assessment of every admission using a standardized case-finding tool for OSA. The presenter will also discuss the facilitation of sleep study orders, interpretation of completed studies, and follow-up letters to the patient and the referring physician with an explanation of the results.
4:30 pm – 5:00 pm
An Advanced RCP with Prescriptive Rights—the Journey Begins
Denise LeBlanc RRT, Stony Brook NY
The respiratory care program at Stony Brook University is developing a masters degree curriculum with an emphasis on advanced clinical practice. At the same time, the New York State Department of Education is exploring the feasibility of creating a new profession—that of an advanced respiratory care practitioner with prescriptive rights for respiratory services. Given the anticipated shortage of primary care physicians and the increase in respiratory related illnesses, there is a critical need for physician extenders specifically trained in cardio-respiratory sciences. An outline of the journey to date will be presented and will include a draft curriculum, proposed scope of practice grant resources and stakeholder issues.
4:30 pm – 5:00 pm
The Winds of Change—When Disaster Strikes Home
Sherry Whiteman RRT, Neosho MO
We’ve all practiced disaster drills, but are we truly ready for a disaster to hit home? This presentation will discuss the first hours and days after the tornado struck Joplin, MO, and how the medical community responded. Hospital disaster polices/procedures will be compared with what actually occurred after the tornado. Presenter will also identify potential hazards and safety issues. Attend this presentation and identify how your state society might benefit from the “lessons learned” by the MSRC on how they responded to the disaster, how they assisted their members, and how they reinforced the value of being an AARC and MSRC member.