Introduction to Respiratory Care

Respiratory Care is a field of medicine involving medical theory, nursing theory and didactic structure to improve the quality and quantity of life for those affected by cardiac and respiratory disease.

Overview of the Profession

• History of Respiratory Care
• Structure of Respiratory Care
• Evidence-based Respiratory Care
• Safety, Communication and Record-keeping
• Infection Control
• Ethics in medicine

Examination of the Patient

• Complaints
• Impression
• Lung Exam
• Cardiac Exam
• Extremity Exam

Cardio-Pulmonary anatomy and physiology

• Cardiac Anatomy and Physiology
• Pulmonary Anatomy and Physiology
• Pediatric Cardiac Anatomy and Physiology
• Pediatric Pulmonary Anatomy and Physiology

Respiratory Disease

• Obstructive and restrictive disease
• Asthma
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• Cystic fibrosis
• Bronchiectasis and localized airway/parenchymal disorders
• Interstitial lung disease
• Occupational pulmonary disorders
• Physical, chemical, and aspiration injuries of the lung
• Sarcoidosis
• Pneumonia
• Lung abscess
• Pulmonary embolism
• Disease of the diaphragm, chest wall, pleura, and mediastinum
• Sleep apnea
• Surgical approach to lung disease
• Lung transplantation
• Acute respiratory distress syndrome
• Mycotic lung disease

Cardiac and pulmonary pharmacology

• Bronchodilators
• Steroids

Procedures

• Endotracheal intubation
• Noninvasive mechanical ventilation
• Negative pressure ventilation
• BPAP and CPAP
• Nasal positive pressure ventilation
• Bronchoscopy
• Bronchoalveolar lavage
• Needle biopsy
• Transbronchial biopsies
• Endobronchial biopsies
• Protected brush biopsies
• Bronchogram
• Fluoroscopy
• Tomograms
• CT (including high resolution techniques)
• Pulmonary function studies
• Transdiaphragmatic pressures
• Phrenic nerve studies
• Exercise testing
• Lung scan
• Pulmonary arteriography
• Tube thoracostomy
• Pleural sclerosis
• Pleural biopsy
• Surgical biopsy
• Thoracoscopy
• Thoracotomy
• Mediastinoscopy
• Tracheotomy

Interpretation

• Chest x-ray
• Chest CT
• Pulmonary function testing
• Spirometry
• Flow volume measurement (restriction, hyperinflation)
• Diffusion capacity
• Muscle pressures
• Arterial blood gases
• Pleural fluid analysis
• Cell count and differential
• Cytology
• Chemistries
• Gram stain
• Cultures
• Pleural biopsy
• Sputum analysis
• ACE
• Skin testing
• Sweat Chloride