Lessons for a Respiratory Therapist

Every semester I am lucky enough to be asked to speak to the next class of up and coming respiratory therapists. I really enjoy speaking with them because it gives me a chance to give them a little insight into the lives of those they will be caring for. We were able to record much of my talk, but until we have that video up, I just wanted to list my most important points that I always hope the students take away from me after blabbering to them for 90 minutes.

I love my life. This is probably the single most important thing that I want them to learn about me personally.

If they're choosing this field for a paycheck, get out now!! This job requires that you care about people. If you're number one goal is to make money and not take care of the patient, I'm afraid you should choose another field.

As much as they might not want to be at work some days, we want to be there even less. Let's face it, we CFers are more or less forced to be there, we don't feel good and we don't get paid.

We really want to get out of the Hole and we're counting on you helping us to do so. We'd like to spend as little time in the joint as possible, please be a positive contributor towards that goal.

For many of us, you're like another part of our family. You don't always need to treat me like a patient. By now, I probably know a lot about you and you know a lot about me. Let's act like it.

If the students I talked to today can really grasp those points, I have no doubt that they will love their job and excel at it!! It's so important that we have talented and committed RT's working their butts off and helping us get out of the Hole in as little time as possible.

There's no doubt that some of these students will play a vital role in my hospital routine in the future...I just hope they were listening :)