Your RT Queries

Every week I check my statcounter to see who's typing things into Google or Yahoo and being linked to my RT Cave blog. Assuming the queries were not answered, I provide in this spot each week my humble responses.And, hey, if the query is comical, it deserves a comical response. If it's serious, I treat it as serious. That in mind, here are this weeks queries:

can copd be faked ? I imagine anything can be faked. But I don't think COPD would be as easy to fake as asthma. With asthma you're relatively normal most of the time. With COPD you have a tendency to be short of breath more often, and your body makes some changes. For example, if you have emphysema your chest diameter increases as your lungs lose their elastic recoil, as you can see here. Likewise, you cannot fake the FEV1 test on a PFT. You also cannot fake the results of an ABG. However, a COPD patient might be able to fake an exacerbation. All he'd have to do is quit taking his meds or exaggerate his symptoms.

the ideal personality for a respiratory therapist: I'm going to write a post about this coming soon. Ideally, though, I think any personality can be an RT so long as you are a hard worker, have the ability to learn, don't mind being on your feet a lot, can handle making key decisions and running complicated machines under diress, and can be in a pissy mood and turn on your smile the moment you enter a room.

why did you decide to become a respiratory therapist: I became an RT because I have asthma and thought I'd have empathy for those who have trouble breathing.

serevent alone: This is an acceptable practice for COPD. But, for asthma, it is recommended if you need a long acting bronchodilator that you also need to be on an inhaled steroid, which is why most doctors should prescribe Advair or Symbicort for asthma. However, I think most doctors also prescribe Advair and Symbicort for COPD too.

when do i stop taking albuterol for pneumonia: Ideally you never should have been put on Ventolin for pneumonia. It does nothing for inflammation of the alveoli.

do people come off bipap: It depends why they are on it. Some sleep apnea and COPD patients use one while they sleep and as needed to keep their airways open, improve oxygen, and improve ventilation while sleeping

correct way to write a c-pap respiratory order: I'd like to see it written this way: CPAP to tolerance per RT protocol. Then you can adjust it to an appropriate setting. However, some doctors write CPAP 10 or whatever # they made up in their head. How they pick the number I have no idea. Ideally, you should not just make up a # but find the best CPAP for pt.

who gets better paid respiratory therapist or registered nurse: RNs make more.

did anyone go to collage wit a 75 iq: I have no idea. However, I'm curious to know.

can you die on a bipap: Yes. You can die on anything.

respiratory therapy is a horrible job: It is what you make of it.

If you have further questions for me please contact me.