Respiratory Therapy
Your ability to breathe efficiently and comfortably is essential to good health. Here's how important it is to us: at EIRMC we have a staff of two dozen respiratory therapists who work with physicians and patients throughout the hospital. And each of these committed staffers is a Registered Respiratory Therapist, holding the highest credential available in the field.
From undeveloped airways in premature infants to geriatric patients with respiratory ailments, the range of maladies we work to diagnose and treat is nearly endless: sleep apnea, asthma, congestive heart failure, traumatic brain injuries, it's all in a day's work.
And it's work we excel at. Every year since 2003, we've received the Quality Respiratory Care Recognition Award. Given by the American Association for Respiratory Care, this distinction means our respiratory care program consistently meets the nation's strictest safety and quality standards. And we've gone above and beyond that, initiating Core Measures, a program we've developed in cooperation with other hospitals to help us monitor and improve our performance. In short, this all means we provide first-rate care.
Nowhere is that more evident than in our neonatal intensive-care unit (NICU). For our tiniest patients we have a high-frequency oscillating ventilator, able to provide up to 720 breaths per minute if the situation demands. And in emergency situations, members of our dedicated NICU staff are able to accompany the hospital's flight team to ensure that even the youngest babies get the most comprehensive care possible.
Another valuable asset our Respiratory Therapy Department provides is information for our patients. Our staff includes the only Asthma Educator-Certified (AE-C) on this side of the state, ensuring EIRMC's asthma education program delivers the most current, useful information and methods available. This program teaches parents and family members of asthma patients how to give breathing treatments, how to manage environmental factors to minimize risk, how to recognize triggers, how to handle an attack, and when to seek emergency medical attention.
For more information on EIRMC's Asthma Education Program, or any of our Respiratory Therapy services, call 529-6141.
