- Debra Szymanski’s RT program is noted for earning the CoARC Distinguished Registered Respiratory Therapist Credentialing Success Award for the third year in a row in this article in the Press and Guide out of Dearborn, MI. “It is a great honor to be recognized as a premiere program in the United States for three straight years,” Debra was quoted as saying.
- Julie Culbertson recently received a scholarship established for RT students by former hospital CEO John Heydel, who began his career in health care in respiratory care. This article in the Greenwood, SC, Today says Julie hopes to work with critical care patients when she graduates.
- Anna Naquin addressed RT students at her alma mater during a recent pinning ceremony and the event was covered in this article on the KATC-TV website out of Louisiana. Anna urged them to “carry on the tradition of excellence.”
- Deb Lekatz is pictured with one of her pulmonary rehabilitation patients in an article in Business North out of Northeastern Minnesota and Northwestern Wisconsin. According to the patient, the program has allowed her to get her life back. “Now, I have things I look forward to doing and people I look forward to seeing,” she was quoted as saying.
Tamara G. McDaniel and Pamela G. Boykin are noted for their recent appointment to the Board of Respiratory Care by Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear in this article in the Lane Report out of Lexington, KY.- More than 700 people turned out for a fundraiser held by Jeremiah Chapeau’s hospital colleagues to support his young son Grayson, who is battling a rare form of brain cancer. The event was covered in this article in the Rapid City, SD, Journal.
- George Garcia comments on his laboratory’s recent accreditation by the College of American Pathologists in this article in the High Desert Daily out of California. “The survey involved pathology, blood gases, blood bank, chemistry, microbiology, and other point of care services and was achieved through a partnership with Respiratory Therapy and Laboratory departments working together to achieve excellence in patient care,”George was quoted as saying.
- Racheall Lengacher and Lana Heath are assisting with tobacco cessation classes in their community, and this article in the Greene County, IN, Daily World urges people to attend.
- Benson Ouellette is pictured instructing a patient on sleep apnea equipment in this article in the John Valley Times out of Maine. Benson’s hospital recently began offering home sleep testing.
Thanks to her suggestion to use a wireless phone to increase response times, Valerie Roark’s hospital has significantly reduce turnaround times for ECGs for suspected acute coronary syndrome patients. “This process involves the emergency department admitting clerks, unit clerks and nurses as well as the respiratory therapists,” she was quoted as saying in this article in the Washington, IN, Times Herald. “We’ve worked together to positively impact direct patient care.
Kate Benscoter’s school hopes to be the first community college in California to offer a four year degree in respiratory care, reports this article in the Napa Valley Register. She believes her program’s history of sharing courses with other schools via teleconferencing gives it an edge. “The strongest factor for us is our history of collaboration,” she was quoted as saying.
Tina Moreno talks about respiratory disease in her community in this article in the Desert Sun out of California. “There are a lot of people who every second struggle to take a breath,” she was quoted as saying.
Indiana State Representative Ron Bacon plans to tackle the issue of e-cigarettes in the new legislative session, and he explains why in this article on the Warrick Publishing website. “As a respiratory therapist, I find it alarming that the popularity of e-cigarettes is on the rise,” he writes. “While little is still known about the long-term effects of using e-cigarettes, a study recently discovered that users could have a higher risk of contracting a respiratory infection.”- Dawn Hartsock is one of ten staff members at her hospital who were recently named “Everyday Heroes” for the calm, cool way they handled a cardiac arrest victim in the emergency department. “It was obvious that everyone knew exactly what to do, where to be and what they needed,” a hospital executive who nominated them for the award was quoted as saying in this article on the MyEasternShoreMD website out of Maryland.
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Steve Bowden is AARC’s Internet Coordinator. He has been designing and developing websites for the association since 1996.
