Wendy Ayscue

Miranda Baumgartner

Stu McVicar

Charlie Friderici

Dan Knue

Gretchen May-Fendo

Cheryl DeFalco

• Wendy Ayscue and Callie Burgess comment on a two-day training exercise their RT program participated in at a local medical school in this article on the Pitt Community College website out of Greenville, NC. “I viewed the evaluations immediately following the simulation day and there were many, many positive comments about our students,” Wendy was quoted as saying. “Many of the doctors did not feel that they were students because they performed at the level of licensed therapists.” (Click on the link to see a great slide show of the training day in action.)

• Miranda Baumgartner comments on the care she delivered to a CF patient prior to his lung transplant in this article and video on the NBC-TV affiliate out of Bismarck, ND. The young man’s lung function had dropped to 9% of predicted before the surgery.

• Stu McVicar is pictured in this article in the Wisconsin State Journal about his hospital’s mission work in Ethiopia. “I went over to help teach airway management as well as an intro to vent management,” Stu told us. “In a nutshell it was one of the most amazing things I have seen or done in my RT career.”

• Kathy Hastings is noted as the contact person for free lung health screenings being offered by her department on World COPD Day in this article in the News-Gazette out of Central Illinois.

• Nate Keogh and Valorie Stalcup talk about their participation in a Scrubs Camp for high school students in this article in the Black Hills Pioneer out of South Dakota. “I come because I want to make them aware of respiratory care as an option,” Valorie was quoted as saying. “Most people who haven't had experience with respiratory care, don't even realize we exist and we are a good option. A very, very good option.”

• Diane Haskell advocates for clean air in this letter to the editor in the Kennebec, ME, Journal. “I see the direct impact of unhealthy air and for many, especially children, it is very real and very frightening,” she was quoted as saying. “And with rising health care premiums, it is very costly for all of us.”

• Charlie Friderici’s upcoming talk on winter preparedness is featured in this article on the WYNT website out of New York. Charlie was planning to focus on power outages, car and home safety, and the supplies everyone should have on hand at home, in the car, and at work.

• Ken Bryson and his students, Sheri Hughes, Justin Jones, Alyssa Ortega, Chris Woods, and Ryan Rives were in our last Good Press for their plans to compete in the AARC Sputum Bowl in Tampa. They’re back this week with this article in the Yucaipa/Calimesa, CA, News Monitor noting their 2011 National Championship!

• Craig Rapp explains the value of renting rather than purchasing home oxygen equipment for Medicare patients in this article in the Colorado Springs, CO, Gazette. “If you buy an oxygen concentrator, you’re on your own; whereas under a rental agreement with the insurance company, we are on call to service your concentrator 24/7,” the home care therapist was quoted as saying.

• Mallory Wipf comments on a health fair hosted by she and her fellow students at a local hospital in this article on the NBC-TV affiliate out of Bismarck, ND. The event was designed to educate the community on both COPD and sleep apnea.

• Dan Knue and Don Studt are featured along with their students in this great article about the respiratory care profession in the Muskegon, MI, News. The story zeros in on one young man who decided to pursue an RT degree at the community college level to keep from going into debt to pay for his college education—and why he believes that was the right choice for him. Many other students are pictured as well.

• Tracy Cagan touts the career opportunities available to students who enroll in her RT program in this article in the East Valley Tribune out of Arizona. "The role of a respiratory therapist is expanding more into case management, disease prevention, emergency care and early detection of pulmonary disorders, which expands the opportunities available to medical professionals," she was quoted as saying.

• Gretchen May-Fendo talks about the non-chemical factors involved in smoking addiction in this article in the Stamford, CT, News Times. “Lots of people say they can’t quit smoking because of stress,” she was quoted as saying. “So we have to teach people other ways to manage their stress.”

• Cheryl DeFalco is noted for her participation in a pediatric nursing education program in Jamaica in this press release on PR.com. The program is being supported by funds from the Issa Trust Foundation.

• Dave Dunlap comments on fall respiratory infections in this article on Cincinnati.com.

• And lastly, LifeCare Hospitals of Dallas notes its receipt of the AARC’s Quality Respiratory Care Recognition in this press release on recent business developments. (QRCR enrollment/reenrollment opens up in January, so learn more about the program and see how it can help your facility demonstrate quality care to its communities of interest too.)