RC 284 - Respiratory Care of the Critically Ill Patient III

9 units
4 hours lecture, 15 hours lab per week to be arranged
Prerequisite: RC 280 with a minimum grade of C
Credit, degree applicable
This course continues with the treatment and management of adult patients who are critically ill. The course provides the student with the opportunity to develop more complex reasoning and patient care skills. A disease-directed approach is used with emphasis on respiratory failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and related respiratory conditions and deadspace problems. The course reviews the problems of nosocomial infections in respiratory care and systematic methods for identifying and correcting patient-therapist equipment contamination. Communication skills are introduced that will help the therapist relay suggestions and information to other members of the health care team.