Consistency in the Quality of Respiratory Care

This is largely a subjective post.

I have no real way of knowing, today, how widespread my perception is. It seems to me, one of the impediments to the advancement to respiratory care as a profession, is that the quality of our therapists varies widely. And this affects how physicians relate to and/or trust their therapists.

Any comments on this are quite welcome. It appears to me that there are a lot of different kind of therapists, and for the docs, it's sort of a crap shoot who they are going to get. Are they going to get someone who is just getting the treatments done without questioning or evaluating, simply trying to get through their day? Are they getting someone with "junior doctor syndrome", who is going to relentlessly question and challenge every decision they make. Will they hopefully find someone with a little balance, who will think about what is going on, present questions and recommendations, but knows when to follow procedures and protocols, as well as doctor's orders?

And if there is a real consistency problem, then we need to find a way to produce more consistent therapists. It's not enough for us to have a set of knowledge, we have to instill certain social skills. Therapists must truly understand their role in health care, and step up to that role.

Just musing.

New Quarter: Introduction to Medical Informatics

Some of my posts are going to be for me to organize my thoughts, and the way that these classes transform my view of health care. This term, I'm taking the Intro class I should have taken last term.

I'm assembling my glossary, but as this is an emerging science, I'm running across many terms I can't quite distinguish myself. I will try to list those as I become confident I have a grasp on the definition, rather than throwing out terms I might later have to retract.

In addition, I'm still sorting out exactly what area I want to apply my skills to. I hope to get a more clear picture in this course, as it will be an overview. Although I'm happy to go to days, I am really more than ready to be removed from the clinical setting. As cold as it sounds, I want to work more with computers and concepts than people, tragedy, emotion.

(Sound a little burnt out, don't I?)

So, school starts, then preschool for baby, then I go to days. At that point I hope to have time (when I'm not in school or work, and kids are in school) to begin seriously developing the career advancement plan.

Post Holiday Reorientation

My textbook has arrived, and I've already begun reading it. This term is the Intro class that I should have taken before last quarter's class. I did okay, in the end, but had a hurdle with the unfamiliar terminology. This quarter should get a better foundation under me.

I'm also hoping to get an idea exactly what type of job I should be looking for next. Right now, I'm treading water as an RT. (Or sinking, at a pediatric hospital with RSV season firmly established).

I'm really very ready to be a 9-5 sort of person, although 3 twelves a week will get the 3 year old DD established in preschool a little more gradually.