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October 22, 2012
In observance of National Respiratory Care Week, on Wednesday, October 24, 2012 at 10:00 a.m., Kewanee Hospital will be hosting a free educational program for individuals and their family members or caretakers who suffer from COPD. COPD, or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, is a lung disease that makes it hard for an individual to breathe.The program will be held in the Hospital’s East Conference Room and refreshments will be provided.
The hands-on education will teach attendees how to properly use inhalers. Free pulse oximetry screens will also be available. Holly Hicks, Director of Cardiopulmonary Services, will present a short program, COPD: Learn More, Breathe Better.
“People living with COPD can minimize their symptoms,” Hicks says. “Proper use of medications and making an action plan with your healthcare provider will help you manage your disease.”
Respiratory Care has been around since the late 1940s and has increasingly grown in prominence and importance in the nation’s health care system. Respiratory therapists (RTs) play a significant role in diagnosing and treating patients with breathing problems. They work with physicians to evaluate and treat their patients.
Respiratory therapists examine patients, report findings, and work with physicians in recommending the best course of therapy. They also manage life support systems, respond to emergency situations, and help educate patients and families on how to better care for themselves.
Most RTs work in hospitals, but a growing number also work in homecare, long-term care facilities, pulmonary function laboratories, doctor’s offices, and sleep laboratories. A few therapists even utilize their airway management and life support skills on specialized ground and air transport teams, in ambulances and helicopters.
Preparation for the respiratory care profession is flexible. Respiratory care programs are found at community colleges and universities throughout the U.S. There are two-year Associate’s and four-year Bachelor’s degrees.
For more information on respiratory care, call Kewanee Hospital Cardiopulmonary Services at 309.852.7575.
