Foundations of Respiratory Care

What is respiratory care?

Respiratory care also known as respiratory therapy has been defined as the health care discipline that specializes in the promotion of optimum cardiopulmonary function and health.

What do respiratory therapists do?

Respiratory therapists apply scientific principles to prevent, identify and treat acute or chronic dysfunction of the cardiopulmonary system.

What does respiratory care include?

Respiratory care includes the assessment, treatment, management, control, diagnostic evaluation, education, and care of patients with deficiencies and abnormalities of the cardiopulmonary system.

1648

Blaise Pascal demonstrated that atmospheric pressure decreases with altitude.

1650

Evangelista Torricelli invented the barometer.

1662

The chemist Robert Boyle published what is now known as Boyle's law governing the relationship between gas, volume and pressure.

1668

William Harvey fully described the circulatory system.

1787

Jacques Charles described the relationship between gas, volume and temperature now known as Charles law.

1801

John Dalton described his law of partial pressures for a gas mixture.

1806

Simon LaPlace described the relationship between pressure and surface tension in fluid droplets.

1808

Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac described the relationship between gas, pressure and temperature.

1811

Amedeo Avogadro stated that equal volumes of gas at the same temperature and pressure have the same number of molecules.

1831

Thomas Graham, his law of gas diffusion (Graham's Law)

1940s

The first health care specialists in the field were the oxygen technicians. The first inhalation therapists were really just oxygen technicians or oxygen orderlies who could haul cylinders of oxygen and related equipment.

1974

"Respiratory Therapist" became a standard designation and the respiratory therapist became an allied health professional.

AARC

American Association for Respiratory Care; Serves as advocates to legislative & regulatory bodies, insurance industry, and the general public.

CoARC

Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care; Respiratory care educational programs are accredited by this committee.

NBRC

National Board for Respiratory Care; The credentialing (via examinations) & licensing body for respiratory therapists.

In 2002 what did the AARC, NBRC & CoARC publish?

In 2002, the AARC, NBRC and CoARC published their "tripartite statements of support", which suggested that all respiratory therapists seek and obtain the RRT credential.

In 2003 the AARC followed with what?

And the AARC white paper followed in 2003, which encouraged the continuing development of baccalaureate and graduate education in respiratory care.