Respiratory care
-
Respiratory therapist (RT)-driven protocols have been in use for over 30 years. Protocols have been reported to decrease unnecessary or harmful therapy, health-care costs, and hospital stay. This study represents the evaluation of an original respiratory care protocol in the pediatric ICU at Arkansas Children's Hospital for β-agonist and airway clearance interventions where one did not exist. ⋯ In this institution, implementation of a β-agonist/airway clearance protocol resulted in significant reductions of subject interventions and improved outcomes by decreasing length of stay and ventilator days as well as contributing information where clinical evidence is scant, specifically the pediatric ICU.
-
Timely monitoring of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) therapy can be a challenge amid conflicting pressures of rising patient volume and shortage of sleep medicine providers. Positive airway pressure (PAP) devices with wireless modem technology have the potential to improve patient access to care and streamline work load, yet little is known about patient attitudes toward telehealth integration among veterans with sleep apnea. As part of a larger quality improvement initiative at the Veterans Affairs (VA) Puget Sound Health Care System, we elicited veterans' preferences toward modem versus traditional PAP data download, including patient attitudes and factors affecting those preferences. ⋯ PAP data download preferences were mixed among new veteran users. Veterans placed a high value on the potentially competing concerns of convenience and information privacy. Veterans preferring modem factored convenience as important in their decision making, independent of privacy concerns.
-
Editorial Comment
The Respiratory Therapy Profession Is at a Crossroads.