Respiratory History

Field of development for respiratory care

Pulmonary medicine.

Precursor profession to respiratory care

Anesthesiology/anesthesiologists.

Area of expertise for respiratory therapists

Lung disease.

Decades when respiratory care became established as a profession

The 1960s and 1970s.

When positive-pressure ventilation first appeared

The 1950s.

When positive-pressure ventilation became widely implemented

The 1960s and 1970s.

Under whose direction do respiratory therapists work?

A physician.

Types of disorders evaluated and treated by respiratory therapists

Breathing and other cardiopulmonary disorders.

Three broad actions summarizing the RT role

Evaluate, treat, and care for patients.

Type of treatments respiratory therapists assume responsibility for

Respiratory care therapeutic treatments.

What procedures do respiratory therapists perform or assist with?

Diagnostic procedures.

Diagnostic role of RTs

Help diagnose lung and breathing disorders.

What RTs may recommend after evaluating a patient's disorder

Treatment methods.

Patient-interviewing responsibility of an RT

Interview patients to gather information and help determine appropriate therapy.

Physical examination performed by an RT

A chest physical examination.

Purpose of a chest physical examination by an RT

To help determine the best therapy.

Who do respiratory therapists consult for treatment?

Physicians.

Specimen types respiratory therapists analyze

Breath, tissue, and blood specimens.

Major life-support device managed by respiratory therapists

Mechanical ventilators.

Airway-related devices managed by respiratory therapists

Artificial airway devices.

Emergency role of respiratory therapists

Respond to emergency situations and urgent-care calls.

Educational responsibility of RTs

Educate patients and families about lung disease.

Who may receive respiratory education from an RT?

Patients and their families.

Six RT activities emphasized in lecture notes

Diagnose/diagnostics, interview, consult, analyze, respond, and educate.

National professional association for respiratory care

AARC.

What does AARC stand for?

American Association for Respiratory Care.

Type of organization AARC is

The national professional association for respiratory care.

Approximate number of AARC members

More than 40,000 members.

Meaning of critical thinking in respiratory care

Taking information and applying it to an intervention.

What critical thinking helps an RT determine

An appropriate intervention.

Respiratory treatments begin with what?

A diagnostic test.

Importance of diagnostic tests in respiratory care

They provide information used to determine treatment or intervention.

AARC definition of respiratory therapy

Promotes optimum function of the cardiopulmonary system.

Besides cardiopulmonary function, what else does respiratory therapy promote?

Health and wellness.

Professional description of respiratory therapists by AARC

Educated, trained, and licensed professionals.

Practiced principles used by respiratory therapists

Scientific principles.

Types of cardiopulmonary dysfunction RTs identify, treat, and prevent

Acute and chronic dysfunction.

Specialization of respiratory therapists

Dysfunction of the cardiopulmonary system.

Scientific areas important to respiratory therapy

Cardiopulmonary physiology and pathophysiology.

Engineering-related field in AARC's RT knowledge

Biomedical engineering.

Major area of knowledge for modern respiratory care

Technology and its application.

Broad types of patient-care services provided by respiratory therapists

Direct and indirect patient care.

Where respiratory therapists provide patient-care services

Across all care settings.

Reasoning skill emphasized by the AARC for RTs

Critical thinking.

Assessment skills mentioned in AARC position statement

Patient assessment and environmental assessment.

Type of clinical practice used by RTs according to AARC

Evidence-based clinical practice.

What can RTs develop using critical thinking and assessment skills?

Effective care plans.

Type of protocols respiratory therapists may develop

Patient-driven protocols.

Type of clinical pathways RTs may participate in

Disease-based clinical pathways.

Type of management programs RTs may participate in

Disease management programs.

Early title for respiratory-care workers in the 1940s

Oxygen technicians.

Decade when oxygen technicians were prominent

The 1940s.

Title used for respiratory-care workers in the late 1940s

Inhalation therapist.

When inhalation therapist term became prominent

The late 1940s.

When formal respiratory/inhalation therapy training began

1950.

Professional title established in the late 1960s

Respiratory therapist.

Year associated with the title RT

1974.

Chronological order of professional titles

Oxygen technician → inhalation therapist → respiratory therapist.

Which title came first historically?

Oxygen technician.

Which title came later historically?

Respiratory therapist.

Organization formed in 1947 for respiratory care

The Inhalation Therapy Association.

Abbreviation for the Inhalation Therapy Association

ITA.

Year the ITA was formed

1947.

What ITA became in 1954

AAIT.

Year ITA became AAIT

1954.

What AAIT became in 1973

AART.

Year AAIT became AART

1973.

What AART became in 1984

AARC.

Year AART was renamed AARC

1984.

Organization immediately preceding the AARC

AART.

Chronological organization progression for respiratory care

ITA → AAIT → AART → AARC.

Year associated with ITA

1947.

Year for ITA-to-AAIT transition

1954.

Year for AAIT-to-AART transition

1973.

Year for AART-to-AARC transition

1984.

Year guidelines for respiratory care educational programs were published

1956.

Accreditation organization incorporated in 1970

JRCITE.

Year JRCITE was incorporated

1970.

What JRCITE became in 1977

JRCRTE.

Year JRCITE became JRCRTE

1977.

What JRCRTE eventually became

CoARC.

Year JRCRTE became CoARC

1998.

What CoARC stands for

Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care.

Primary role of CoARC

Accrediting respiratory care education programs.

Organization that is the accrediting body for respiratory care programs

CoARC.

What does CoARC enforce in respiratory care education?

Standards for respiratory care education.

Major goal of CoARC accreditation

To ensure high-quality programs prepare competent respiratory therapists.

Organization that preceded CoARC immediately

JRCRTE.

Chronological order of accreditation organizations

JRCITE → JRCRTE → CoARC.

Year for the establishment of JRCITE

1970.

Year for JRCRTE

1977.

Year for CoARC in accreditation timeline

1998.

Historical credentialing organization existing in 1968

American Registry of IT.

National respiratory credentialing board formed in 1974

NBRT.

Year NBRT was formed

1974.

What NBRT later became

NBRC.

What NBRC stands for

National Board for Respiratory Care.

Primary role of the NBRC

Credentialing respiratory care professionals and administering examinations.

Organization that administers the national respiratory examination

NBRC.

What NBRC assesses before entry into practice

Minimum competency.