Blog 6 Respiratory Disease

Lung diseases are some of the most common medical conditions in the world. Tens of millions of people suffer from lung disease in the U.S.Smoking, infections, and genetics are responsible for most lung diseases.

The lungs are part of a complex apparatus, expanding and relaxing thousands of times each day to bring in oxygen and expel carbon dioxide. Lung disease can result from problems in any part of this system.

The trachea (windpipe) branches into tubes called bronchi, which in turn branch to become progressively smaller tubes throughout the lungs.

Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are noninfectious, chronic illnesses that can cause coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. Persons with asthma or COPD can suffer exacerbations as a result of infectious respiratory diseases. 

They are also at risk of exacerbations due to increased exposure to environmental asthma triggers and lack of their routine medications. Many of the germs that cause respiratory diseases spread in respiratory droplets caused by coughing and sneezing. These germs usually spread from person to person when they are in close contact with one another, though sometimes people become infected by touching something with respiratory germs on it and then touching their mouth or nose.

Blog 5 Respiratory Career

The respiratory therapist treats people with health care issues affecting the cardiopulmonary system such as asthma, emphysema, pneumonia, cardiovascular disorders, and trauma.

In the hospital setting, the respiratory therapist provides care and life support to patients in the emergency room, intensive care units, general hospital areas, the pulmonary diagnostics laboratory and other specialty areas such as rehabilitation. They use high-tech equipment and the latest medical procedures to help patients and may be employed in non-hospital environments as well.

Patients receiving care from a respiratory therapist range in age from the premature infant to geriatrics. The respiratory professional is also involved in the diagnostic testing of infants, children and adults with underlying medical concerns including disease and sleep disorders.

Respiratory therapists care for patients who have trouble breathing—for example, from a chronic respiratory disease, such as asthma or emphysema. Their patients range from premature infants with undeveloped lungs to elderly patients who have diseased lungs. They also provide emergency care to patients suffering from heart attacks, drowning, or shock.

Respiratory therapists held about 119,300 jobs in 2012. Most respiratory therapists work in hospitals. Others may work in nursing care facilities or travel to patients’ homes.

Respiratory therapists typically need an associate’s degree, but some have bachelor’s degrees. Respiratory therapists are licensed in all states except Alaska; requirements vary by state.

The median annual wage for respiratory therapists was $55,870 in May 2012.

Employment of respiratory therapists is projected to grow 19 percent from 2012 to 2022, faster than the average for all occupations. Growth in the middle-aged and elderly population will lead to an increased incidence of respiratory conditions such as emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and pneumonia. These respiratory disorders can permanently damage the lungs or restrict lung function.

Drinking and Driving Blog

About and estimated of 32% of fatal car crashes involve an intoxicated driver or pedestrian.

Drinking alcohol and driving will definitely lead to fatal consequences.  The human brain has to deal with many things and process countless data all the time.  Alcohol affects attentiveness and the indivuals ability to make swift decisions on the road, react to changes in the environment and execute specific, often difficult maneuvers behind the wheel.  When drinking alcohol, driving becomes dangerous – and potentially fatal.

Even with all public awareness on the media, drinking and drugged driving still remains a large problem that needs to be solved immedietely. Around 13,000 people are killed each year in alcohol-related accidents. Including that statisitc, hundereds of thousands more are injured to the point where they cant even do everyday tasks. Alcohol-related crashes cost American taxpayers over $100 billion to pay with all the physical and mental damage it causes. Over 1.4 million arrests for DWI each year (less than 1% of 159 million self-reported episodes of alcohol-impaired driving) and 780,000 are convicted. With around two-thirds of those sentenced to incarceration are repeat offenders.

Although thousands of lives are saved each year by both designated drivers and those who don't let friends or others drive drunk, many more are needlessly lost. Each such death is a tragedy affecting many others who are left suffering and grieving.  Be a designated driver . . . be a Hero.

Blog 2/Disease Blog

Arthritis is the inflammation of one or more of your joints. Most kinds of arthritis cause pain and swelling in your joints, the space in which two bones meet. There are many types of arthritis. For example, there is osteoarthritis, which is the most common type of arthritis. It usually happens as a result of an injury or old age. Arthritis can be defined clinically, epidemiologically, or in other ways depending on the analyst's perspective. For public health purposes, there are two standard approaches for defining arthritis; doctor diagnosed arthritis and arthritis and other rheumatic conditions. 

Symptoms of arthritis include fatigue, joint pain, joint tenderness, joint swelling, joint redness, joint warmth, and joint stiffness. You will also experience decreased range of motion. Some types of arthritis can be caused by uric acid crystals, infections, or underlying disease, such as psoriasis or lupus.The most common signs and symptoms of arthritis involve the joints. Depending on the type of arthritis you have, your signs and symptoms may include pain, stiffness, swelling, redness, decreased range of motion
If any of these symptoms apply to you, then you might be getting arthritis.

Treatments only work with certain types of arthritis you may have. Arthritis in general, analgesics help reduce pain and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs help control both pain and inflammation. There are also many over the counter counterirritants that help with pain, as well. Physical therapy can be helpful for improve range motion and strengthen the muscles surrounding joints. 

Alternative remedies with little evidence include acupuncture, glucosamine, electrical nerve stimulation, yoga, and massages. These remedies have only been reported to work but is not scientifically proven to help.

Weight loss, exercise, heat and cold application, and assistive devices can improve your lifestyle if you have arthritis.

Blog 1/Athletic Trainer

Athletic trainers are also known as AT's. An athlete trainer has the job to be a health care professionals work who also work with physicians to help serve in the preventative services, emergency care, clinical diagnosis, therapeutic intervention and rehabilitation of injuries and medical conditions. Athlete Trainers are have very important jobs. They have to help care for the professional, college, secondary school and youth athletes, dancers, musicians and military personnel. Athletic trainers can work in schools, physician clinics, hospitals, and manufacturing plants.

Many ATs include formal instruction in injury/illness prevention, first aid and emergency care, assessment of injury/illness, human anatomy and physiology, therapeutic modalities, and nutrition. Most ATs have bachelors or masters degrees. Over 70% of certified athletic trainers hold at least a masters degree. You must also pass  the test administered by the Board of Certification. When training, trainers must work under the supervision of a physician. Certified athletic trainers are allied health care providers who specialize in the prevention, assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation of injuries and illnesses that occur to athletes and the physically active. To become a Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC) one must graduate from a bachelors or masters degree program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) via the Joint Review Committee-Athletic Training (JRC-AT). Universities that offer CAATE accredited programs can be found here (click on Accredited Programs). This candidate must then pass the certification examination conducted by the Board of Certification (BOC). For additional information on becoming an certified athletic trainer please view the document Athletic Training Education Overview.

The salary of an athletic trainer is typically from $35,000 to $75,000 a year.

Blog 4/Cardiac/Blood/Respiratory Career(Cardiovascular Technologist)

The cardiovascular technologist performs diagnostic examinations and therapeutic interventions of the heart and/or blood vessels at the request or direction of a physician in one or more of the following:

Invasive cardiology-Cardiac Catheterization  ,Noninvasive cardiology-Echocardiography , Noninvasive peripheral vascular study-Vascular Ultrasound, Cardiac electrophysiology

Through subjective sampling and/or recording, the technologist creates an easily definable foundation of data from which a correct anatomic and physiologic diagnosis may be established for each patient.

The cardiovascular technologist is qualified by specific didactic, laboratory, and clinical technological education to perform various cardiovascular/peripheral vascular diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. The role of the cardiovascular 

technologist may include but is not limited to (1) reviewing and/or recording pertinent patient history and supporting clinical data; (2) performing appropriate clinical procedures and obtaining a record of anatomical, pathological, and/or physiological data for interpretation by a physician; (3) exercising discretion and judgment in the performance of cardiovascular diagnostic and therapeutic services; and (4) participating in interventional cardiovascular catheterization and/or cardiac electrophysiology procedures, including balloon angioplasty, stent insertion, radiofrequency ablation, and pacemaker and/or implantable defibrillator insertion.

Cardiovascular technologists may provide their services to patients in any medical setting under the supervision of a doctor of medicine or osteopathy (MD or DO). The procedures performed by the cardiovascular technologist may be found in, but are not limited to, one of the following general settings: (1) invasive cardiovascular laboratories, including cardiac catheterization, blood gas, and electrophysiology laboratories; (2) noninvasive cardiovascular laboratories, including echocardiography, exercise stress test, and electrocardiography laboratories; and (3) noninvasive peripheral vascular studies laboratories, including Doppler ultrasound, thermography, and plethysmography laboratories.

Length. Programs may be from 1 to 4 years, depending on student qualifications and number of areas of diagnostic evaluation selected: invasive cardiology, noninvasive cardiology, or noninvasive peripheral vascular study.

Prerequisites. High school diploma or equivalent or qualifications in a clinically related allied health profession.

Curriculum. Curricula of accredited programs include didactic instruction, formal laboratory experiences, and patient-based clinical instruction. Suggested areas of instruction in the core curriculum include an introduction to the field of cardiovascular technology, general and/or applied sciences, human anatomy and physiology, basic pharmacology, and basic medical electronics and medical instrumentation. Emphasis, following the core curriculum, is given in the specialty area(s) selected: invasive cardiology, noninvasive cardiology, and noninvasive peripheral vascular study. Both didactic instruction and clinical experiences are provided in these areas.

Operates heart/lung machines and related laboratory apparatus as well as physiological pressure monitoring systems. Prepares written documentation as required by the profession and the department, regarding individualized treatment plans, evaluation results, and progress reports. May require an associate's degree or its equivalent. Also may require completion of a certificate in health technology or scientific instrumentation in electrocardiography. Familiar with standard concepts, practices, and procedures within a particular field. Relies on limited experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals. Performs a variety of tasks. Works under general supervision. A certain degree of creativity and latitude is required. Typically reports to a supervisor or manager

Blog 3/Cardiac/Blood/Resp Career (Respiratory Therapist)

The respiratory therapist treats people with health care issues affecting the cardiopulmonary system such as asthma, emphysema, pneumonia, cardiovascular disorders, and trauma.

In the hospital setting, the respiratory therapist provides care and life support to patients in the emergency room, intensive care units, general hospital areas, the pulmonary diagnostics laboratory and other specialty areas such as rehabilitation. They use high-tech equipment and the latest medical procedures to help patients and may be employed in non-hospital environments as well.

Patients receiving care from a respiratory therapist range in age from the premature infant to geriatrics. The respiratory professional is also involved in the diagnostic testing of infants, children and adults with underlying medical concerns including disease and sleep disorders.

The Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) credential is required to acquire state license and practice as a respiratory therapist. This is obtained by passing the National Board for Respiratory Care certification examination. At minimum, an associate's degree from an accredited respiratory care program is required; increasingly, hospitals and other health care providers are seeking professionals with a bachelor's degree in the field.

Upon graduation from a regionally accredited program, graduates are eligible to sit for the two-part advanced practitioner registration examination and achieve the CRT and/or Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential.

Other credentialing specialty examinations, such as neonatal/pediatric specialty and registered pulmonary function technician, are also available.

The annual salary for someone with the job title Registered Respiratory Therapist may vary depending on a number of factors including industry, company size, location, years of experience and level of education. Our team of Certified Compensation Professionals has analyzed survey data collected from thousands of HR departments at companies of all sizes and industries to present this range of annual salaries for people with the job title Registered Respiratory Therapist in the United States.

At a minimum, respiratory therapists need an associate degree, but the field’s elite also have a bachelor’s degree. According to the American Association for Respiratory Care, there are 381 associate programs throughout the country, 57 bachelor’s degree programs and three master’s programs. Anticipate coursework in anatomy, chemistry, microbiology, pharmacology and mathematics. These programs also offer training on performing diagnostic tests and patient assessment.

The next step in training is obtaining a license and certification. There are two certification levels that most RTs seek: Certified Respiratory Therapist (known as CRT), which indicates your mastery of essential knowledge, skills and abilities as an entry-level therapist, and the Registered Respiratory Therapist certification, or RRT. An RRT credential signifies a more advanced level of knowledge. “In today’s market, people are looking for advanced practice clinicians, and therefore, there’s a movement for employers to really push for the RRT credential,” Myers says. “We’ve basically told our grads when coming in the door that they had to achieve their RRT within a year of employment.”

Specialists have other certifications to consider, including the Neonatal/Pediatric Respiratory Care Specialist credential, or the Sleep Disorders Testing and Therapeutic Intervention Respiratory Care Specialist credential.

Practice your people skills and problem-solving abilities so you can better relate to and examine patients, plus consult with doctors and other health care personnel on appropriate treatments. Understanding how to operate medical equipment is an asset, in addition to computer skills, since medical records are increasingly digitized.

Having a head for evidence-based medicine will also help you go far. “Evidence-based medicine is about taking the science out of research and continuous quality improvement initiatives, and then transferring it into best clinical practice,” Myers says. “There’s a big focus in the U.S. on quality and safety and preventing infections that are hospital-acquired. We’re looking for people to take best practice and take science and convert that into best-practice standards.”