On May 18, the New York State Society for Respiratory Care (NYSSRC) and the AARC released a joint statement in response to a news story from Erie County, New York earlier this month. In that story, an Erie county legislator proposed the local community college respiratory care program train critical care nurses to manage mechanical ventilators.
In the article, the county legislator was quoted as stating, “Teaching them everything about the machine, and the uses and so forth, and then them showing and indicating that they’re able to do it. That’s what it’s for. So it’s something that could be done in hours.”
This resolution was put forth without critical facts and information in Erie County, the state of New York, or a national entity with comprehensive knowledge on mechanical ventilation or respiratory care. While COVID-19 has created logistic and staffing issues to many hospitals across the United States, national examinations and credentials, licensure acts, and scopes of practice make it imperative that patients receive high-quality safe care when in our hospitals and intensive care units.
The AARC, in collaboration with members of the University HealthSystem Consortium, released an Issue Paper in 2016 that specifically address Safe Initiation and Management of Mechanical Ventilation.
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Check our COVID-19 News & Resources page often for updates on this pandemic as it relates to the respiratory therapy profession.
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Heather Willden is the Director of Governance and Strategic Initiatives for the AARC where she works with state affiliates as the HOD liaison. She also manages DEI efforts and strategic initiatives. Connect with her about these topics by email, AARConnect or LinkedIn. When she's not working, you can find her podcasting with her husband, exploring new hiking trails, photographing, and spending time with her family.
