A Day In The Life With Respiratory Care

In celebration of National Respiratory Care Week (Oct. 20-26), I had the opportunity to visit with members from our talented and experienced Respiratory Care Department. The theme for this national awareness campaign is “Respiratory Care: Our Team Cares,” which I can certainly attest is true for our Respiratory Care team.

Respiratory therapists care for patients who have breathing and cardiopulmonary disorders. They often connect patients to ventilators which enables the delivery of oxygen to the lungs. After speaking with several respiratory therapists, I learned that Stony Brook Medicine has a host of experienced therapists who perform a myriad of tasks -- from caring for patients with chronic respiratory diseases, including asthma and emphysema to caring for premature infants in our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit with underdeveloped lungs.

Dawn Teer, a seasoned respiratory therapist, introduced me to her world as she cared for newborns in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Working in the department for over 19 years, Dawn started out as a staff respiratory therapist on nights at Stony Brook University Hospital. Dawn chose to work at Stony Brook because of the complexity of the work and tertiary care patient population.

Dawn clearly takes pride in the work of her department, and the lifesaving contributions made by the team with such a fragile patient population. As she introduced me to the equipment she uses on a daily basis, she said, “I love this place because I am able to help people in my own community.”

While taking me through ventilator checks, data entry required and the disinfection of the equipment, Dawn shared her daily routines. I couldn’t help but notice the complexity of the equipment, as well as the space it takes up in the patient rooms.

“The littlest patients use the biggest equipment,” Dawn said. She introduced me to the use of the NeoPip, which is an infant resuscitator that provides specified resuscitation and ventilation of newborns and neonates to provide controlled and accurate manual breaths.

A common theme that has emerged while visiting departments during these Day in the Life tours and conversations is the importance of working as a team with other disciplines. While spending time in one of the pods in NICU, Dawn interacted directly with residents, attending physicians and nurses to ensure the best care for these delicate patients. It was true teamwork in action.

I also had the opportunity to interact with Lori McKernan, another experienced respiratory therapist, who often cares for very sick patients with compassion and humanity. Over the years, I have witnessed Lori taking care of a variety of patients with a high level of commitment and dedication, personifying Stony Brook Medicine’s values, iCARE (Integrity, Compassion, Accountability, Respect and Excellence).

It was a privilege to visit with staff from our Respiratory Care team, and I want to thank the entire team for their professionalism and dedication to our patients.

Carol