Registered Respiratory Therapists (RRTs) are regulated, health care professionals who bring expertise and specialized skills and knowledge to the health care team. RRTs provide interventions such as ventilation including life support. RRTs also perform patient assessments, diagnostic testing, and perform treatments for a multitude of cardiorespiratory (heart and lung) conditions for all age groups- from newborns to the elderly. They provide education to patients and families in disease management and disease prevention.
RRTs work in many areas of the health care sector including:
– Hospitals: areas include Adult, Pediatric & Neonatal Intensive Care Units, Emergency Departments, Operating rooms, General Wards, Labour & Delivery
– Air & Ground Transportation
– RTs also work in: outpatient clinics, specialized medical centers such as sleep disorder clinics, patients’ homes, pulmonary function testing laboratories, long term care facilities, research facilities, medical equipment sales & product service, education programs, pulmonary rehabilitation programs.
RRTs perform a number of vital roles throughout the health care system which include the following but not limited too:
– Operation of Life Support equipment
– Ventilation & Airway management
– Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
– Oxygen & Aerosol Delivery
– Educate & manage patients with chronic heart and lung diseases such as Asthma, COPD & Congestive Heart Failure
– Perform Pulmonary Function Testing & Sleep Apnea Testing
– Provide Pulmonary Rehabilitation
– Provide Heart & Lung disease prevention such as smoking cessation
For more information, please visit the Manitoba Association of Registered Respiratory Therapists and Canadian Society of Respiratory Therapists websites.