Behind the Scenes - Respiratory Therapy

Difficulty breathing can be a frightening and uncomfortable experience.  At Licking Memorial Hospital (LMH), the Respiratory Therapy Department’s team of highly qualified respiratory therapists, under the direction of a physician, employ state-of-the art technology and testing to assist in diagnosing, treating and managing the care of patients with pulmonary diseases.
 
Pulmonary diseases affect the lungs and other parts of the respiratory system and may be caused by infection, smoking, air pollution and genetics.  Some of the most common conditions include asthma, pulmonary fibrosis, pneumonia, lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).  Symptoms of pulmonary disease include:

• Chronic cough
• Shortness of breath
• Chronic mucus production
• Wheezing
• Chest pain

Knowing the symptoms of lung disease is important for early detection and successful treatment.  LMH respiratory therapists assist in quickly diagnosing lung and respiratory illnesses with the use of minimally invasive testing methods, such as pulmonary function tests, bronchoscopy, electromagnetic navigational bronchoscopy (ENB) and endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS).  Several pulmonary function tests, such as peak flow assessment, allow the respiratory therapist to test different lung functions, including lung capacity, air flow and lung size.  

During a bronchoscopy, a thin, flexible tube mounted with a small light and camera is passed through the patient’s nose or mouth into the lungs, allowing the clinicians to view the airways.  ENB combines bronchoscopy with computerized axial tomography to map the very small airways of the lungs, enabling the clinicians to retrieve specimens from areas of the lungs that a traditional bronchoscopy cannot reach.  Using ENB can eliminate the need for more risky diagnostic procedures.  Performed during a bronchoscopy, EBUS allows the therapist and physician to view regions of the lungs and surrounding chest area that have traditionally required more invasive surgical procedures to evaluate.

Once a diagnosis is confirmed, the respiratory therapists work with the patient’s physician to craft and implement a treatment plan.  Treatments include providing oxygen to those in need, administering aerosolized medications for the treatment of asthma, emphysema and pneumonia, managing ventilators, monitoring oxygen levels, and other procedures that help patients maintain proper lung function and oxygen levels.  Additionally, the respiratory therapist/COPD educator provides educational support to all Hospital patients diagnosed with COPD – a disorder that causes airflow blockage and breathing-related problems for approximately 16 million people in the United States.  Additional care may also include medications, oxygen therapy, lifestyle changes, alternative therapies and pulmonary rehabilitation. 

When a patient requires pulmonary rehabilitation, a LMH respiratory therapist will oversee and create an individualized treatment plan.  Each session lasts approximately one hour, gradually increasing in length and features an exercise program to keep the heart and lungs in optimal condition.  Participants progress through the exercises to increase endurance and strength while learning to minimize and control shortness of breath.  The 16-week session is offered year round and provides key information that allows individuals to successfully live with chronic lung diseases.

In conjunction with providing care to patients with pulmonary diseases, the LMH Respiratory Therapy Department also has been integral in treating COVID-19 patients at LMH.  COVID-19 is primarily a respiratory disease that causes lungs to fill with fluid and leads to inflammation and lung failure.  Respiratory therapists monitor respiratory function and provide treatments to oxygenate a patient’s lungs, including conducting ventilator management if necessary.  

Additionally, respiratory therapists are an essential part of the LMH rapid response team.  They are called upon during code blue and emergency situations to assess a patient’s breathing, check for airway obstruction, initiate CPR, and assist with intubation.  

LMH respiratory therapists provide care that allows patients to breathe more easily.  The respiratory care professionals at LMH are a vital part of the healthcare team in assisting to improve the health of the community.  For more information regarding the services provided by the LMH Respiratory Department, visit LMHealth.org.

| Posted On : 11/22/2021 11:10:48 AM