Neonatal-Pediatrics Chair
Bradley Kuch, MHA, RRT, RRT-NPS, FAARC
Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC
Director, Respiratory Care Services and Transport
Member Since: 2004
AARC Activities:
- American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC), AARC Disaster Ventilator Workgroup (Human Resource Issues), 2006
- American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC), Transport Section Member, 2004-present
- Surface and Air Transport Specialty Practitioner of the Year, 2008
- American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC), Neonatal/Pediatric Section Member, 2007-present
- American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC), Management Section Member, 2012-present
- American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC), AARC Liaison to ELSO, 2017-present
Affiliate Activities:
- Pennsylvania Society for Respiratory Care (PSRC), Pennsylvania Respiratory Research Collaborative (PRRC) Co-Chair, 2017-present
Related Organizations:
- Neonatal Pediatric Specialty Care Team Utilization Work Group, Association of Air Medical Services
- ELSO Member, Worked to Develop a Computer-Based ECMO Simulator
- Adjunct Educator, Pediatric Respiratory Care, Indiana University of Pennsylvania/ Western Penn Hospital, 2002-present
- Site coordinator for the Pediatric Acute Lung Injury and Sepsis Investigators project entitled “Weaning Pediatric Patients from Mechanical Ventilation: A Comparison of Two Weaning Protocols to Standard Practice”
- Site Coordinator for the Congenital Cardiovascular Interventional Study Consortium (CCISC) project entitled “Comparison Between Surgical vs. Balloon Angioplasty vs. Intravascular Stent Placement for Recurrent or Native Coarctation of the Aorta”
Education:
- Gannon University, Erie, Pennsylvania, Bachelors of Science Respiratory Care, 1992-1998
- Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, Masters in Health Care Administration (MHA), 2012-2014
- Credentials and Certifications:
- Certified Respiratory Therapist Credential (CRT), November 1997
- Registered Respiratory Therapist Credential (RRT), December 1998
- Neonatal Pediatric Specialist Credential (NPS), October 2001
- Fellow of the American Association for Respiratory Care (FAARC), December 2010
Publications:
- Book Chapters:
- Kuch BA, Singleton CA. Initial Stabilization and Transport of the Critically Ill Neonatal or Pediatric Patient. In: Slota P, ed. Core Curriculum for Pediatric Critical Care Nursing. 2nd ed, Philadelphia, PA, 2006, W.B. Saunders.
- Kuch BA, Orr RA. Triage and Transport of Infants and Children with Cardiac Disease. In: Munoz R, Morell V, Weardon P, Da Cruz E, eds. Handbook of Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care. London, United Kingdom, 2008, Springer-Verlag.
- Kuch BA. Bioinstrumentation – Respiratory Monitoring and Instrumentation. In: Hazinski MF, ed. Manual of Pediatric Critical Care, 2013, Elsevier Health Sciences.
- Kuch BA, McSteen MJ. Initial Stabilization and Transport of the Critically Ill Neonatal or Pediatric Patient. In: Slota P, ed. Core Curriculum for Pediatric Critical Care Nursing. 3rd ed, Philadelphia, PA, 2018, W.B. Saunders.
- Kuch BA, Bochkoris M. Triage and Transport of Infants and Children with Cardiac Disease. In: Munoz R, Morell V, Da Cruz E, Vetterly C, da Silva JP, eds. Critical Care of Children with Heart Disease: Basic Medical and Surgical Concepts. London, United Kingdom, 2018, Springer-Verlag.
- Refereed Articles:
- Kuch BA, Carcillo JA, Han YY, Orr RA. Definitions of Pediatric Septic Shock. Pediatr Crit Care Med. 2005 Jul; 6(4):501.
- Manrique A, Feingold B, Kuch BA, et al. Extubation after Cardiothoracic Surgery in Neonates, Children and Young Adults: One Year of Institutional Experience. Pediatr Crit Care Med 2007; 8(5):552-555.
- Kuch BA, Han YY, Orr RA, et al. Unplanned Transport Events and Severity of Illness: Are we Conveying the Whole Picture? Pediatrics 2007; 119(3):648-9.
- Orr RA, Felmet KA, McCloskey KA, et al. Pediatric Critical Care Specialized Transport Teams Are Associated with Improved Outcomes. Pediatrics 2009; 124(1):40-48.
- Carcillo JA, Kuch BA, Han YY, et al. Mortality and Functional Morbidity After Use of PALS/APLS by Community Physicians. Pediatrics 2009; 124(2):500-508.
- Manrique A, Jooste EH, Kuch BA, et al. The Association of Renal Dysfunction and the Use of Aprotinin in Patients Undergoing Congenital Cardiac Surgery Requiring Cardiopulmonary Bypass. Anesth Analg 2009; 109(1):45-52.
- Maul TM, Wolff EL, Kuch BA, et al. Activated partial thromboplastin time is a better trending tool in pediatric extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Pediatr Crit Care Med. 2012 Nov;13(6):e363-71.
- Chrysostomou C, Morell VO, Kuch BA, et al. Short- and intermediate-term survival after extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in children with cardiac disease .J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2013 Aug; 146(2):317-25.
- Sarnaik SM, Saladino RA, Kuch BA, et al. Diastolic hypotension is an unrecognized risk factor for β-agonist-associated myocardial injury in children with asthma. Pediatr Crit Care Med. 2013 Jul;14(6):e273-9.
- Coleman AJ, Brozanski B, Kuch BA, et al. First 24-h SNAP-II score and highest PaCO2 predict the need for ECMO in congenital diaphragmatic hernia. J Pediatr Surg. 2013 Nov; 48(11):2214-8.
- Maul TM, Kuch BA, Wearden PD. Development of Risk Indices for Neonatal Respiratory Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation. ASAIO J. 2016 Sep-Oct; 62(5): 584-90.
- Cui LR, LaPorte M, Kuch BA, et al. Physical and occupational therapy utilization in a pediatric intensive care unit. Jcir Care. 2017 Aug; 40:15-20.
- Kuch BA, Saville AL, Sanchez De Toledo J, Venkataraman ST. Inhaled Pulmonary Vasodilators: Are There Indications Within the Pediatric ICU? Respir Care. 2017 Jun; 62(6):678-698.
- Jennings RM, Kuch BA, Felmet KA, Orr RA, Carcillo JA, Fink EL. Interfacility Transport Shock Index Is Associated with Decreased Survival in Children. Pediatr Emerg Care. 2017 Jul 11.
Elections Committee Questions:
What AARC or Chartered Affiliate offices/positions have you held where you feel you made a significant contribution to our profession? What is the contribution and how will you apply it to your new position, if elected?
I was fortunate to be a Transport Respiratory Therapy representative for developing the “Considerations for the Utilization of Pediatric and Neonatal Specialty Teams” position statement of the Association of Air Medical Services. Approximately 70% of children undergoing transport receive respiratory interventions during transfer. Given this evidence, it’s essential that respiratory care be represented, ensuring critically ill receive appropriate evidence-based care.
As the AARC liaison to ELSO, I am honored to lead a committee of ELSO and AARC professionals addressing inconsistencies in state licensure and practice via a joint position statement. This will solidify the role of the Respiratory Therapist as ECMO Specialist.
Multidiscipline development of national guidelines creates values to the AARC’s external stakeholders. Through collaboration, the excellent work and knowledge found in the membership can be disseminated through other organizations, leading to decreased costs, risk of untoward events, and increase the quality of care.
What experience would you bring to the AARC to accomplish the goals set out by President Walsh?
Relationships, goal-setting, and follow-through are the keys to the success of any organization. Through various roles, both locally and nationally I have learned this to be true and enjoy partnering with Healthcare Leaders to grow the profession of Respiratory Care while striving to provide the highest quality of care for our patients. Using the skills and experience obtained as a Healthcare Leader, I would continue work with closely with President Walsh and the Board of Directors to understand the complex issues the profession faces, use Section Membership input to identify potential solutions, promote patient safety, and provide follow-up as indicated to internal and external stakeholders. These practices create relationships, which develop strong partnerships resulting in successful completion of large initiatives. Championing AARC Strategic Plan through communication and evidence-based practice will ensure that the organization meets overarching goals while ensuring the growth of the organization.
What ideas do you have to attract non-members to join the AARC?
The foundation of leadership is providing a voice to those with the greatest insight and knowledge, and then using that insight to create engagement and effect positive change. The AARC membership has been at the center of education and patient safety initiatives for over 70 years. If elected section chair, I would work to develop four section goals, 2 education and 2 patient safety-focused. These goals will be identified and voted on by the section members. Four committees will be created to address said goals. If elected, I will work with these subcommittees to meet deadlines, navigate issues, and help align efforts with the organization strategic plan. This transformational process will define important areas of focus to help achieve the Association’s Strategic Goals, it will also increase membership engagement, provide a voice to the section members, promote efficiency, and create value.
Role-Specific Questions:
What do you see is your role in being a member of the AARC Board of Directors and what specific issues that face the profession now would you see as something you’d like the AARC BOD to work on?
It would be an enormous honor to be a member of the AARC Board of Directors, allowing for the opportunity to address multiple issues experienced by Respiratory Therapists throughout the country. As the Director of a Respiratory Care Service line, I see the many challenges we face every day. Respiratory Therapists are integral members of the care team, which is very evident in the neonatal pediatric patient populations. I would like to see the AARC address the need for increased growth and use of Respiratory Therapists in the care continuum. There’s a significant need for the skill set held by Respiratory Therapists in patient education, care and discharge planning, and the homecare environment. We as respiratory therapists can decrease readmission rates, promote better quality of life, and increase the clinical care for infants and children. This creates significant value of the Respiratory Therapist in their individual hospitals and nationally.
