Breathing Life into Healthcare: The Role and Rewards of Respiratory Care
As the world of healthcare continues to evolve, there are numerous fields that offer fulfilling and impactful career opportunities. One such field is respiratory care. Often overshadowed by more familiar healthcare occupations, respiratory care is a profession that embodies compassion, expertise, and the remarkable ability to help people breathe with ease.
With the rise of the pandemic, the world became more familiar with respiratory therapists (RT) and the critical role they play in healthcare, but as the pandemic winds down, the need for RTs remain. Employment opportunities for RTs are expected to increase faster than average over the coming years, and students are being drawn to the profession for a variety of reasons.
“When you can’t breathe, nothing else matters.”
The Role of Respiratory Therapists
There is nothing more automatic and instinctive to the human body than breathing. From the moment we are born our respiratory system knows exactly what to do. So, what happens when that automatic function is disrupted and breathing becomes difficult?
Alisa French, Respiratory Care chair and associate professor says, “When you can’t breathe, nothing else matters. No matter what age the patient is, from the extremely preterm infant to the elderly frail adult, — we help people of all ages breathe.”
Professor French points out, it is a relatively new profession that began in the 1960s as new technologies were developed specifically for breathing. RTs work in a variety of environments including sleep medicine, hospital units such as NICU, long-term care facilities, ambulance transport, pulmonary diagnostic labs, and many more based on individual interests. There truly is no limit to the environment in which an RT can choose to make a career.
Why Choose Respiratory Care?
Many students are drawn to the respiratory care program because of their innate desire to care for others and work in the field of medicine. Some, says Professor French, have personal experiences where they or their loved ones have been treated by a respiratory therapist, witnessing firsthand the importance of their work. Professor Nick Johnson adds that some students also choose the field because it aligns better with their level of comfort while still allowing them to work in a healthcare setting. The profession, after all, deals with patients from the waist up only.
French says, “Breathing is the most important thing a person can do.” And while RTs help patients breathe, it’s important to note that their role extends far beyond administering medications or operating ventilators. Professors French, Applebaum, and Johnston explained RTs serve as compassionate educators, teaching patients proper breathing techniques and providing vital care, support, and education to patients and their families. They are advocates for their patients, working closely with healthcare teams to develop comprehensive care plans tailored to individual needs, and they empower their patients to take control of their respiratory health and find comfort in the breaths they once struggled to take.
A Highly Rewarding Career Path
More than an occupation, respiratory care can be a highly rewarding calling. Hope Appelbaum, associate professor, recounts her own journey into the field by stating that only after being waitlisted for her desired program did she look at respiratory care as a career option. She said, “I believe God intervened, and I sat next to a student that was in the respiratory care program. He and I talked, and I switched programs that day.” She continued, “I have never regretted that decision… this profession is rewarding on many levels. Seeing a patient that was critically ill go home is extremely rewarding.”
“Breathing is the most important thing you can do.”
Professors French, Applebaum, and Johnston, have all made a difference in the lives of the patients and families they have encountered as RTs themselves. Now, as educators, they continue to breathe excitement into the field by using their passion to prepare the next generation of respiratory therapists for a career of dedication and service.
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