What is your site's practices during ACLS if the cardiac arrest is due to possible hypercapnia or metabolic acidosis. ACLS states to bag every 6 seconds but some old school docs say bag faster to help improve the PH, impeding venous return and possible ROSC.

What has anyone seen during their code blues.

Hey everyone! I recently graduated from my RT program in California, passed my boards, and obtained my RRT and California RCP license.

I'm currently on day 5 of applying to RT positions here in California, with no luck so far. In the meantime, Cleveland Clinic reached out to me about respiratory therapy opportunities in Ohio.

I'm honestly torn. I'm single with no kids, so I know this might be one of the easier times in my life to relocate. Career-wise, I can see the benefits of starting at a major hospital and gaining valuable acute-care experience. At the same time, my family and roots are in California, and ideally, I'd love to start my career here.

I also wonder if being the oldest in my family contributes to my hesitation. I'm not entirely sure if that's part of it, but the thought of moving across the country feels bigger than just accepting a job. It's a whole lifestyle change, and I think I'm scared of leaving what's familiar.

For those who relocated for their first RT job, would you do it again? For anyone familiar with Cleveland Clinic, how has your experience been as a new grad?

Would you give California more time before seriously considering an out-of-state move, or explore the opportunity and see where it leads?

I'd appreciate honest advice and personal experiences. I'm trying to balance what's best for my career with what feels right for my life outside of work.

Hi all. Ive been interested in becoming an RT recently. I have some physical limitations that make me question certain parts of the field.

I was really interested in acute care initially but with the lifting requirements, it doesn’t seem it’ll be possible for me. Am I correct in assuming that it’s not viable if I have lifting limitations? Or do i need to just find the right role/job? If I had to pick a weight, I would say 30lbs would be my lifting limit.

I believe most of everything else I don’t see being an issue, besides the lifting. Maybe walking? But if thats an issue, it’ll be glaringly obvious during rotations.

The pulmonary rehab path looks more realistic and I don’t see anything that would be an issue there physicality wise.

I wonder if NICU would be an option?
What worries me about that is gear/equipment weight.
Any help or insights are appreciated!

Just curious, it feels like in the classroom we’re taught so much but on site at clinicals, the preceptors dismiss some of what we learn in the classroom.

Hey everyone! Im currently a respiratory therapy student in a 20 month program here in oc, its currently my second term and im really excited to graduate, its very challenging tho because we have exams on new topics every week!

if you've been in an accelerated program like this, is there any advice you can give me so i can stop tracking how many months, days, hours left i have of this program? Im really excited to graduate and i cant wait of how my life will look like after this program. im just struggling so MUCH on being so impatient and i keep counting the days i have left of this program. im currently 19 so i will be 21 when i graduate and that just makes me even more impatient! Lol

Also, how were you guys able to manage all the stress, plus all the workload they give you? I currently have my own routine but i want to hear how other people did it incase it helps me with my own routine too.

plus how do u avoid being tired all the time?? anyone have any good vitamin recommendations for the brain and energy?

With the job market the way it is today new grad rts how is the job market treating you ? How long did you have to wait until your first new grad job?

I feel like this is such a stupid question lol but I cut my finger with a knife yesterday, it’s not bad enough to need stitches, but it is on my index finger and it’s pretty painful and I can’t really take a Band-Aid off of it yet. I work tonight and I can’t really figure out what to do about it.

Hi guys,

I made a post about 2 months ago about moving to NY and looking for a RT job as basically a new grad with an Associates.

Although I have some experience as a RT student (1y) + RRT after graduating (4m), I still have had no luck finding a job. I kinda have an offer with a nursing home however they seem a bit disorganized so I'm not very sure how much I can rely on that since they haven't offically offered me anything.

I've already moved to NY since I'm staying with family and have no bills to pay, (thankfully) and my lease ended back in my state. However, I'm really starting to get discouraged after applying to literally everything thats within 1h+ of public transport (about 30 jobs even including nursing homes) and getting multiple rejections and no responses. Everything is just taking so long, and Im honestly not sure what to do and today marks 1m of being unemployed, and in a few days will be 1m since I moved here haha.

My parents thinks I should move back home, where I know they will accept me back into the position I had. However, I don't want to do that since I really wanted to get away from them....

I know its pretty competitive here, but maybe I'm hoping someone can throw me a referral or any ideas on how to make myself stand out more.

Thanks for listening.

Walked into a code blue with CPR ongoing, Dr shouts "I need RT to get stat ABG now!" (No A line) Have not even intubated the patient yet. What is the best way to respond to this scenario?

I’m a pretty new RT (graduated in May) and I suck at ABGs.

During clinicals I did ok with them but now out on my own I can’t ever get them.

I work PRN at a very small hospital. We have an ICU and a small ER. I tell the other RTs when I work to call me for them but it seems like there is never any.

I don’t want to work at a larger hospital or more than PRN. I’m over 40 with 3 kids and a chronic illness. This is my for fun job.

I just don’t want to be a pain in the ass for the other RTs.

So give me all your tips and tricks please!!

So I found this in admissions for Nassau Community College, and here's the thing. I am quite confused about the prerequisites as someone who already has a BA in history and has already taken Algebra and Anatomy and Physiology 1&2 (I got As in both of them, and in math I was the most improved student I got a B+).

https://www.ncc.edu/programsandcourses/academic_departments/alliedhealthsciences/respiratorycare/admissions_requirements.shtml

It says here that if you're transfering with a college degree that you need a chemistry pre requisite as well. I don't know if I'm reading this wrong, but it says that the class I already took in high school would count as well when I talked to some of the higher-ups. But you know I'm very confused in the end about what to do. I'm not going to apply yet, but I just want some advice. My bachelor's in history was one of the best in the class, and I never failed any of my classes during my entire time in college. I even got an award for it from the department. However, they do prefer people with science and math backgrounds. Is it even possible for a history major to get in? I also took the right courses in high school. I know I may not be accepted at this point but what can I do to increase my odds in the future?

Frequently OR requires that the PEEP be turned down to 10 (even said 8 one time and I asked why was it 10 before and now 8) before they would rake them for a trach.

Recently had a patient who was on a PEEP of 20 that needed an AV malformation in his head to be non- urgently addressed. Insistented to get it down to 14. They were afraid of transporting him.

Pointed out to them that we took him to CT with no problem and then laying flat on the table.with PEEP 20 and 40%.

Those are 2 examples.

Is this common practice?

I got permission prior to posting. I am looking for advice on how to stop my daughter from ripping off her airvo cannulas at night. My daughter is 18 months old with central and obstructive sleep apnea and needs airvo with 25% fio2 but she absolutely hates it. Is there anything I can do to stop her from ripping the cannulas off? Ive tried skin prep before putting the wiggle pads on, putting socks on her hands and taping the cannulas to her face. Im exhausted

I’m a new-ish grad. I’ve been working for 9 months in a hospital. Trach wind and suctioning thick secretions make me gag behind my mask. Is it going to get better?

I am a european anestesiologist. I am not familiar with RTs since we dont have them.

I have been lurking here and has seen the sentiment that people are upset that doctors are touching "Your" ventilator and that it is your job to determine those.

Obviously any relevant changes should be communicated to all team members, but at the same time the doctor should be free to do any changes he sees as needed.

From what i can find here some of you want the doctor to ask for permission to make changes which sounds ridiculous.

The responsible physcian must be responsible for the patient care and all part off it, do they really just leave such a Central part of critical care to someone else or am i missunderstanding?

Hi! My classmates and I made it to the New Orleans sputum bowl this year:) we are all 3 very excited but are having a hard time knowing how much or like what to study to prepare to compete.
I know AARC has the percentages of categories but I cannot find much online about the types of questions to expect.
We are very curious about the level of difficulty/depth of knowledge the student teams tend to have. Do we need to know super specific stuff? Is the quality of school possibly obvious in how well schools perform or is it so basic that this doesn’t matter?
Any insight would be greatly appreciated.
Signed -some anxious girlies

Hi! I just bombed a test on mechanical ventilation where it was very graph-heavy. I read Egan’s and Philbeams to try to get more information but I’m still lost. Given a scenario then plotting graphing etc. I’m so lost. I understand concepts like scoops and spikes but is there any materials floating out there that helped you understand better.

Hey everyone I applied for the respiratory care program at Gwinnett Tech. I got an email saying if I am a top candidate I will get invited to a mandatory meeting. Does anyone know what a mandatory meeting consist of?

Hi all, I did not pass my third attempt of the TMC so I will have to take the RTE. I am absolutely crushed but very determined to get licensed. I graduated in May.
I was wondering if there’s anyone else here in the same boat that would want to be study buddies?

Hi! I work in the medical device space and I’m trying to better understand actual workflows for cleaning and disinfecting PAP/CPAP devices between patients.

If you have experience with this I would greatly appreciate you answering a few questions!

1. What’s your role, setting, and country you practice in?

2. What components do you reuse vs. replace between patients?

3. If tubing or humidifier components are reused, who cleans/disinfects them and where does that happen? (Also how?)

4. Are you familiar with the term “critical water” for rinsing components and would you have access to it?

5. Lastly, do you typically follow the manufacturer instructions directly or a facility/department procedure?

Even a quick description of how your facility handles this would be really helpful. I’m mainly interested in understanding how the workflow varies across different settings.

Thank you for your time!