Respiratory Care

The Respiratory Care department is staffed by full-time licensed respiratory care practitioners (RCP). Medical direction is provided by a board-certified pulmonologist. Inpatient respiratory care services are available twenty-four hours per day 365 days per year. Outpatient respiratory diagnostics are available through the Pulmonary Function Laboratory Monday through Friday.

Outpatient diagnostics provided through the Pulmonary Function Laboratory include pre and post bronchodilator spirometry, thoracic gas volume and airway resistance determinations, diffusion studies, bronchial provocation testing, cardiopulmonary exercise testing, sputum induction, and the full range on diagnostic bronchoscopy procedures.

Inpatient respiratory care services include the full range of routine therapeutics, including bronchodilator therapy, oxygen therapy, and chest physical therapy. Respiratory Care staff are responsible for all invasive and non-invasive mechanical ventilation per physician approved protocol. Patient weaning (withdrawal from mechanical ventilation) from the ventilator is also the responsibility of the RCP per protocol. The RCP are members of the cardiopulmonary resuscitation team (CODE 99) and the Rapid Response Team (medical emergencies not involving a cardiopulmonary arrest). The Rapid Response Team physician approved interventions for the RCP include medication administration, initiation of non-invasive ventilation and emergency diagnostics.  Inpatient diagnostics include arterial blood gas sampling and analysis, bedside pulmonary function testing, oximetric and end-tidal C02 monitoring, and emergency bronchoscopy procedures.