RTs need to be able to recognize lung abnormalities in chest imaging, because they are important tools in diagnosing lung disease in patients. When reading the chest imaging results, the RT must first check that the film is correctly labeled, to ensure that the correct patient is being evaluated. The quality of the actual film… Continue reading Chest Imaging in Respiratory Care

Respiratory therapists can monitor a patient’s ongoing physiological processes through noninvasive and invasive procedures. Determining which type of procedure to utilize should be based on the importance of measurement accuracy 1. Pulse oximeters are devices that utilize spectrophotometry and photoplethysmograghy to measure arterial saturated oxygen and pulse rate noninvasively. Spectrophotmetry measures the amount of hemoglobin… Continue reading Noninvasive and Invasive Procedures in Respiratory Care

The gas laws help explain the changes in gas behavior, by looking at the relationship of the gas temperature, mass, volume, and pressure. Boyle’s law defines the inverse relationship between gas volume and absolute pressure when temperature is constant. As pressure increases, the volume decreases1,2. This relationship is necessary for the mechanics of breathing. When… Continue reading Gas Laws and Fluid Dynamics

There is a current trend to transition patients as soon as it is feasible from acute care settings to other settings, including home healthcare 1. Many home healthcare patients use some type of respiratory equipment including nasal cannulas, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), oxygen concentrators, and ventilators 2.  Respiratory equipment can be categorized as critical,… Continue reading Preventing Infection through Effective Communication

The earliest forms of “ventilatory assistance” has been traced back to 800 B.C., where there was a reference to “mouth-to-mouth” resuscitation1. In 1744, Forthergill supported mouth-to-mouth resuscitation especially for victims of drowning 2. While many health organizations have shifted towards a “hands only” CPR approach, it is still fascinating that even back in the biblical… Continue reading Early Forms of Resuscitation and Mechanical Ventilation