Respiratory Therapy

Florida Hospital Waterman has received “Quality Respiratory Care Recognition” by the American Association for Respiratory Care for providing first rate respiratory care. The designation is awarded to hospitals that meet strict safety and quality standards related to the provision of respiratory care services by qualified respiratory therapists.

Hospitals that are qualified for this recognition must employ respiratory therapists that meet state licensure requirements and/or have the Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) or Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential. The hospital respiratory therapy program must also have a physician medical director, respiratory therapists available 24 hours a day, and other personnel qualified to perform specific respiratory procedures.

Respiratory therapists are uniquely trained to treat conditions of the cardiopulmonary system. They perform procedures that are both diagnostic and therapeutic including:

• Obtaining and analyzing sputum, breath and blood specimens to determine levels of oxygen, carbon dioxide and other gases
• Measuring lung capacity
• Performing stress tests and other studies of the cardiopulmonary system
• Studying disorders of people with disruptive sleep patterns
• Operating highly sophisticated equipment to administer oxygen or assist with breathing
• Using mechanical ventilation to treat patients who cannot breathe adequately on their own
• Monitoring and managing therapy to help patients recover lung function
• Conducting smoking cessation programs for both hospital patients and others in the community

For more information about the respiratory therapy program at Florida Hospital Waterman, please call 352.253.3497.