The world changed in March of 2020 as the SARS-CoV-2 novel coronavirus made its way to American shores. First described in December of 2019 in Wuhan, Hubel province of China, the transmission of the virus was found to have taken place from live animals to humans through a wholesale market.
Upon the virus’ arrival to the U.S., even the most prepared hospitals were overwhelmed by what would come next. Understaffed hospitals were overrun by infected patients. Hospitals and caregivers were ill-prepared for the onslaught the virus brought to their doorstep. Death occurred at unimaginable rates as semi-trailers were converted to mobile morgue units.
Respiratory therapists were at the center of this disaster. Faced with a shortage of personal protective equipment, RTs needed clinical resources, treatment guidelines and evidence-based practices to care for their patients. Sadly, many did not exist.
Early on, hospitals faced difficult questions. Should hospitals ban aerosol-generating procedures? Should patients in respiratory failure be treated with Non-invasive ventilation or invasive, mechanical ventilation? Should patients remain in the supine position or placed into prone positioning? And if the latter, what clinical manifestation would trigger the change?
The world rallied together to experiment with treatment methodologies and outcomes were shared around the globe. Since then, the healthcare community has learned much about COVID-19. Vaccinees were produced, research was conducted, and new treatment protocols discovered.
The American Association for Respiratory Care invites you partake in this educational guide titled; “COVID-19: Lessons Learned” where you will learn more about the virus, its epidemiology, how it is transmitted, the effectiveness of FDA-approved vaccines and new treatment strategies. Were the world’s assumptions correct in how patients were treated in the early days of the pandemic? How have treatment strategies changed? You’ll have to read on to gather those answers.
Get the Guide
Submit the form below to receive an email containing a link to download a free copy of “COVID-19: Lessons Learned.”
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Looking for CRCE?
Take the “COVID-19: Lessons Learned Course,” which is based off the content found in the guide. The course is free for AARC members and is available for 4 CRCE.
