Respiratory Care

The Respiratory Care Department offers both inpatient and outpatient services to the community, using a full-time staff of licensed Respiratory Care Practitioners. We offer seven day a week, 24 hour a day service.

We are a significant part of the "code"  (cardiac arrest) and trauma team, responding to any emergency situation. We assist with intubations, help to stabilize the patient in the emergency department setting and provide transport to the critical care unit. We work closely with the anesthesiologists and family physicians to manage the patient while they are on a ventilator, assist in getting them off the ventilator and monitor the patient's respiratory status after they come off the ventilator

We offer nebulized breathing treatments, metered dose inhaler treatments (MDIs), chest physiotherapy, incentive spirometry, oxygen therapy, oximetry, intermittent positive pressure breathing treatments, and BIPAP therapy.

When we work with patients we try to spend time discussing their respiratory status, as well as the best use of peak flow meters, MDIs, spacers, oxygen, and nebulizers. We work with all age groups and we match our therapy to the individual's need.

We provide diagnostic testing; such as EKG's, pulmonary function testing, and exercise desaturation testing.

We work as a team with the pharmacists, physicians, and nurses to educate patients on the names of their respiratory medications, the indications, the dosages and frequency of usage and the expected outcomes. We try to involve each individual in their own recovery process.