Want a Career in Health Care? Respiratory Therapy Might Be Your Best Bet

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Careers in health care require a lot of hard work, but they are rewarding and provide job security. Health is a precious luxury that everyone wants to protect, so there is always a demand for knowledgeable health care professionals. Plus, you learn a lot about your own personal health and how to take proper care of your body.
If you’re not sure which area of health care to enter, you might want to consider respiratory therapy. This specific form of therapy is in high demand due to the abundance of patients who need individualized care. Here’s an overview of the field and what it takes to get your foot in the door as a professional respiratory therapist.

What Is Respiratory Therapy?

Respiratory therapy is administered to patients who suffer from both chronic and acute diseases such as bronchitis, emphysema, asthma, and cancer. Pulmonary physicians diagnose the patients then prescribe a therapy plan. Therapy methods vary based on the patients’ specific needs and can include the use of artificial airways, ventilators, and inhalant medications. Therapy programs can also involve disease management and healthy lifestyle guidance.
Professionals who administer respiratory therapy are responsible for monitoring symptoms, performing diagnostic tests, collaborating with physicians, administering treatment, and teaching patients how to use respiratory devices. Therapists typically work in hospitals or assisted living residences. They can also provide home services for patients with limited mobility or transportation and to help patients develop daily routines to support and mitigate chronic illnesses.

Are There Enough Jobs for Therapists?

The need for respiratory therapists is on the rise as the population of elderly individuals continuously increases. Elderly individuals are more susceptible to respiratory disease, which is one of the major causes of death in the U.S. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that about 8.7 million adults were diagnosed with chronic bronchitis and about 3.4 million adults were diagnosed with emphysema in 2014. There were also 147,101 deaths due to chronic lower respiratory disease in the same year.
As far as employment goes, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics counted 120,700 employed respiratory therapists in 2014 and expects that number to increase by 12 percent through 2024. Health care facilities are in continuous need of respiratory professionals who can administer therapy for a variety pulmonary conditions.

Do Therapists Need a College Degree?

Though some health care facilities accept an associate’s degree, it is wise for an aspiring professional to earn a Bachelor of Science in respiratory therapy. A bachelor’s degree provides a well-rounded learning experience and addresses all the challenges facing graduates of a respiratory therapist school. Students also receive in-depth training on electronic records systems and study the importance of technology in the public health sector. In fact, the field of health information technology is a crucial component of individualized care and global public health, as summarized in this infographic about health IT.

Need More Information?

Check out the prerequisites for entering a program and evaluate whether it makes sense to go full or part time. If you have questions, call the admissions department about tuition, registration dates, and how to apply.

Examinations At An Emergency Clinic

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If you or a family member have any kind of medical emergency through the day or at night, you might not know whether you should go to a hospital emergency room or an urgent care location. There are benefits of both, but you might find that it’s easier to be seen at an urgent care facility. The same services are offered as well, and if there is an issue that the doctors can’t handle, then you can be sent to a hospital for further treatment.

An urgent care office is ideal for those who don’t have a regular family doctor. You can walk into the office without an appointment and be seen on a first come, first serve basis in most cases. Making an appointment with a physician can sometimes take a few weeks, especially if you haven’t been to the office. An urgent care facility can see you whether you have been there one time or 100.

There are sometimes more services offered than you would find at a doctor’s office. They are comparable to an emergency room, but they are on a smaller scale. You can get x-rays taken of any area of the body, and most offices have access to a CT machine or an MRI if there is further testing needed. Doctors can perform blood tests as well as other diagnostic testing to determine the illness that has caused the visit. Since there are services offered at the office, it’s usually not necessary to go to other locations just to get treatment for the illness or injury.

The urgent care office is a way for children to get the help they need if they are sick in the middle of the night. You can get prescriptions for illnesses as well as samples of medications until you are able to get to a pharmacy. Offices can treat injuries that take place at school or while on the job. Sports physicals can be performed as well as any testing that is required by an employer. A 24 hour emergency clinic Cypress TX offers can provide almost all of the services that you need in order to be as healthy as possible.

Questions To Ask Before Surgery

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Surgery can be frightening whether you have had an operation before or if you have never had to be in a hospital. If you ask Bay Surgical Specialists, as well as other surgeons, a few questions, then you might find that some of your fears will go away before the surgery date.

It’s important to find out why you need surgery and if there are any other options available. If there are treatments that the doctor hasn’t tried, then you might want to explore these unless surgery is the only option. Find out where the surgery will take place and how long it will last. You should also ask about the recovery. See if there are any limitations on what you can do when you get home or if there are any medications that you need to take. Some doctors want patients to stay in the hospital for a night or two depending on the kind of surgery.

When you know why the surgery is being done, find out about the benefits as well as any risks that are associated with the surgery. There are some surgeries that might require a follow-up operation in order to give the best results. When you get home, you will probably want to have something for pain. Ask what is available and if there are any risks with the medication that is given for pain. Some medications can be addicting, so you need to know if there are any that can be prescribed that have minimal effects while still providing comfort. Ask about the anesthesia. Some surgeries can be performed with a local anesthetic while others require general anesthesia. Find out how long the doctor has been performing surgery and the qualifications of the anesthesiologist. Write down as much information as possible before and after meeting with the doctor.

Soothing The Joints

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Arthritis is a condition that can cause pain for many. There are medications that can be used to treat it, but you can also find natural arthritis relief that doesn’t have all of the potential side effects as medications you would get from a doctor or over the counter. 

When exploring natural relief treatments, there are several you can try. Yoga is an option for those who want to relax while seeking relief from the pain associated with arthritis. This can also help you to lose weight and gain strength, further making it easier to deal with the condition. Another option is changing your diet and getting more exercise. Research various foods that will provide relief as well as foods that you should avoid that could inflame arthritis even more. When you walk or participate in other exercises, you can work the muscles, keeping them limber. This will make it easier to move your joints, even when there are situations where they are inflamed. One treatment to consider is therapeutic apparel. These pieces can improve the circulation of blood through the body. They can also help relax the muscles. You can try natural treatments before turning to medications so that you can improve the overall health of your body while getting relief from arthritis.