Licking Memorial Health Systems

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Respiratory Care

Licking Memorial Hospital

1320 West Main Street

Newark, Ohio 43055

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.

Diagnosis options include:

Assess the person's overall cardiopulmonary (heart and lung) condition
Obtain arterial blood gases, measuring how well the lungs are ridding themselves of carbon dioxide, how much oxygen they are producing and 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
Assist with bronchoscopies, taking specimens to help diagnose lung disease and rid the lungs of excess mucus
Assist with endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS); a procedure that may be performed during a bronchoscopy to provide further information to diagnose or determine the stage of a lung cancer. This technique allows doctors to view regions of the lungs and surrounding chest area that have traditionally required more invasive surgical procedures to evaluate.
Assist with electromagnetic navigational bronchoscopy (ENB); a procedure that marries traditional bronchoscopy with computerized axial tomography (CAT) to map the very small airways of the lungs. This allows doctors to retrieve specimens from areas of the lungs that traditional bronchoscopy cannot and helps to eliminate the need for more risky diagnostic procedures for a diagnosis.

Treatment includes:

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 – Initiate and make changes to the machine and monitor the response via blood gases and heart monitors
Attend all Code Blue emergencies, provide breathing assistance and oxygen for the patient
Monitor patient's oxygen levels and trend through pulse oximetry
Provide end tidal carbon dioxide monitoring for patients with diagnoses of suspected sleep apnea
Pulmonary Rehabilitation — monitored exercise and education twice per week for lung disease patients
Tobacco cessation — educates and helps patients quit smoking

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Education:

A licensed Respiratory Therapist/COPD Educator will provide education for patients diagnosed with COPD. This will be provided to all inpatients diagnosed with COPD.