Ms. Marie Michelle Fouch CRT

A coordinated plan of care to help dying patients and their families handle the burden of terminal care. Effective secretion management and relief of dyspnea are paramount in caring for patients with end-stage pulmonary disease.

The immediate availability of diagnostic and therapeutic cardiopulmonary services in the assessment and management of trauma victims, patients requiring airway management and others requiring emergency care.

Care of older patients who have age and/or disease related decremental pulmonary changes. Diagnosis and treatment is very important for this group since chronic lung disease is the major cause of morbidity and mortality among them. Furthermore, as this segment of the population increases, life expectancy is being extended.

Included in the area of pulmonary diagnostics are the following; collection and analysis of physiological specimens, interpretation of physiological data, administration of tests of the cardiopulmonary system, and the conduct of both neurophysiological and sleep disorders studies.

The focus of patient and family education activities is to promote knowledge of disease process, medical therapy, and self help. Respiratory therapists are uniquely qualified to provide this service in regard to cardiopulmonary diseases and injury.

A Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) is a an entry level therapist who has passed a standardized written examination administered by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC). CRTs provide diagnostic testing, therapeutics, monitoring, rehabilitation, and education to patients with disorders of the cardiopulmonary system. They provide these respiratory care services in all health care facilities and in the home. A CRT is a graduate of an associate degree program approved by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Educational Programs (CAAHEP) and where applicable, is licensed by the state and is practicing within the scope of the license.

The respiratory therapist can assist the chronic pulmonary patient in returning to an optimal role in society by providing an effective program. It includes bronchopulmonary drainage, exercise therapy, and patient education.

Respiratory emergencies are commonplace in the treatment of critical care patients. Included in the assessment measurements conducted by the respiratory therapist in the critical care settings are arterial blood gas puncture and analysis, intrarterial monitoring, bedside measurements of lung mechanics, hemodynamic monitoring, and inspired and expired gas measurements. This is coupled with the initiation and management of mechanical ventilation patients.

This level of care includes diagnostics testing, therapeutics, monitoring, rehabilitation of patients with disorders of the cardiopulmonary system, as well as, education of the patient and family in regard to those disorders.

Source: NUCC, CMS