Respiratory Care at Licking Memorial Hospital

Mission: "Improving Quality of Life One Breath at a Time" 

The Respiratory Therapy Department at Licking Memorial Hospital is staffed with respiratory care professionals licensed by the State of Ohio.  Respiratory care professionals work under the direction of a physician and assist in the diagnosis, treatment and management of patients with pulmonary disorders.  We provide care 24 hours a day, every day to patients of all ages.

What Is a Respiratory Therapist?

There are two levels of respiratory therapists: the certified respiratory therapist (CRT) and the registered respiratory therapist (RRT).  CRTs must complete a two-year associate's degree or complete three years in a four-year program and then pass an entry level examination.  An individual must complete a four-year program and pass a higher level examination to become an RRT.

Respiratory therapists may specialize in different areas:

• Critical care
• Neonatal care
• General care
• Emergency care
• Pulmonary function technology
• Home care
• Rehabilitation

Diagnosis:

• Assess the person's overall cardiopulmonary (heart and lung) condition, which includes medical history, physical needs and social status.
• Obtain arterial blood gases.  This tells us how well the lungs are ridding themselves of carbon dioxide and how much oxygen they are producing for the body.  We can also measure carbon monoxide for those who smoke or are being treated for smoke inhalation.
• Check lung capacity and lung function with a pulmonary function and/or peak flow assessment.
• Conduct exercise stress testing to see how well the lungs function during exercise.
• Assist with bronchoscopies, where a physician puts a scope in the lungs to take specimens to help diagnose lung disease.  Also, help rid the lungs of excess mucus.

Treatment

• Provide oxygen to those in need (from newborn babies to older adults).
• Administer aerosolized medications for the treatment of asthma, emphysema and pneumonia.
• Conduct ventilator management; we initiate and make changes to the machine and monitor the response via blood gases and heart monitors.
• Attend all Code Blues.  We are responsible for airway management.  We provide breathing assistance and oxygen for the patient.  We obtain blood to monitor progress.
• Monitor patient's oxygen levels and trend through pulse oximetry.
• Provide end tidal carbon dioxide monitoring for patients with diagnoses of suspected sleep apnea.

Patient Education

• Pulmonary Rehabilitation—provide monitored exercise and education twice per week to people of all ages with lung disease.
• Tobacco cessation—educate and help others to quit smoking.