The roles, they are a changing: Respiratory Therapists as part of the multidisciplinary, community, primary health care team

Rickards, Tracey; Kitts, Emily K.

doi:10.29390/cjrt-2018-024

Cited by 12 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…This renewed emphasis on the respiratory therapy profession and the focus on the work they do and how that may contribute to more efficient care might translate into further professionalization opportunities. RTs need to begin producing evidence that demonstrates improved health outcomes when RTs are involved, further informing and convincing the public and policymakers of the importance of this profession [102][103][104].…”

Section: Moving Forwardmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring the professionalization of respiratory therapy in Canada

et al. 2021

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Introduction:A recurrent challenge facing respiratory therapists (RTs) is their legitimacy as professionals. RTs are often referred to as technologists, vocationalists, or technicians and must often justify their status as full professionals rather than "professional technicians". There is currently little exploration of what it means to be a profession and the process of professionalization in respiratory therapy. Approach: Drawing from sociological theory, the purpose of this paper is to discuss the professionalization of respiratory therapy in Canada using Andrew Abbott's theory, the "system of professions". We will use this theory as a lens to propose areas of consideration for professional development regarding two pervasive themes in the respiratory therapy community, RTs' specialized body of knowledge and professional autonomy. Findings: Abstract knowledge is believed to be essential in the evolution from occupation to profession and is valuable to a profession in three ways: it can influence the profession's legitimacy, it can be used for conducting research, and it promotes higher education. RTs possess jurisdictional professional autonomy within Canada. The privilege of self-regulation allows RTs to act according to their knowledge and judgement without direct oversight from other professions. Conclusion:Based on Abbott's theoretical position, RTs can rightly justify their position as professionals. However, RTs need to acknowledge that professionalization is a dynamic and continuous process that requires creative changes to innovate within the profession and support future efforts to reinforce their position as professionals. Throughout this paper, we offer suggestions for how RTs can contribute to the ongoing professionalization of respiratory therapy.

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Section: Moving Forwardmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring the professionalization of respiratory therapy in Canada

et al. 2021

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“…Like family physicians and nurse practitioners, occupational physical, and respiratory therapists (hereafter referred to collectively as “primary care therapists”) work across the lifespan, offering care for acute and chronic physical and mental health issues [ 2 – 5 ]. In addition, they can provide specialized rehabilitative assessment and treatment for respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological, musculoskeletal, and psychological concerns to promote and restore health and functional abilities [ 4 , 6 – 8 ]. This is especially valuable given limited access to other publicly funded community-based occupational, physical and respiratory therapy in Canada.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This is especially valuable given limited access to other publicly funded community-based occupational, physical and respiratory therapy in Canada. Research has primarily focused on describing the current roles of primary care therapists [ 4 , 9 ] However, primary care physicians’ understanding of therapists’ roles is quite narrow [ 5 , 7 , 10 ] in comparison to their full scope of practice. Since primary care therapy is primarily physician referral driven, this research does not necessarily provide us with knowledge on the extent to which primary care therapists can support team-based primary care.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Primary care occupational, physical, and respiratory therapy role adaptation in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic

Brown,

Chartrand,

Vollebregt

et al. 2024

BMC Prim. Care

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Background Occupational, physical and respiratory therapists are relatively new to primary care settings, and thus their roles are still emerging. The COVID-19 pandemic was a time of abrupt changes in professional roles. Professional role adaptations are integral to the ability of health care teams to respond to day-to-day care delivery challenges, such as the current physician and nurse shortage, as well as disaster situations. This study explored the role adaptation of occupational, physical, and respiratory therapists in Canadian primary care settings throughout the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as barriers and facilitators to adaptation. Methods This longitudinal interpretative descriptive study purposively sampled primary care occupational, physical, and respiratory therapists from two Canadian provinces (Manitoba and Ontario). We asked participants to prepare at least 10 semi-structured audio-diary entries during a 12-week period (April – Oct 2020), followed by two semi-structured interviews (Dec 2020, Apr 2021). Questions focused on changes happening in their practice over time. Analysis was iterative, including developing a individual summaries and coding data using both inductive and pre-determined codes. We then entered an immersion/crystallization process to develop key themes related to role adaptation. Results We represent our findings with the metaphor of the game of Role Adaptation Snakes and Ladders (aka Chutes and Ladders). The pandemic was certainly not a game, but this metaphor represents the tension of being a pawn to circumstance while also being expected to take control of one’s professional and personal life during a disaster. The object of the game is to move through three phases of role adaptation, from Disorienting, through Coping and Waiting, to Adapting. In the Adapting phase, the therapists creatively found ways to provide vital services for the pandemic response. The therapists were influenced both negatively and positively (snakes and ladders) by their personal circumstances, and professional meso and macro contexts. Each therapist moved across the board in a unique trajectory and timeline based on these contexts. Conclusions Rehabilitation professionals, with adequate meso and macro system supports, can maximize their role on primary care teams by adapting their services to work to their full scope of practice.

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“…There is evidence that improved provider communication skills and awareness of social determinants of health mitigate impacts of limited HL and cultural mismatch [ 86 , 157 , 166 ]. With appropriate training (in university for future health professionals and through ongoing/continued education for current staff), respiratory health professionals can acquire the skills required to act as change agents [ 167 ], by engaging in patient questions, explaining treatment instructions while avoiding medical jargon, and using strategies such as the teach-back method [ 108 , 140 , 166 ]. The focus of a change agent is to improve a patient's capacity and motivation to engage in self-management (one of the foundational components of AD management).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Health literacy in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) care: a narrative review and future directions

et al. 2022

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Respiratory self-care places considerable demands on patients with chronic airways disease (AD), as they must obtain, understand and apply information required to follow their complex treatment plans. If clinical and lifestyle information overwhelms patients’ HL capacities, it reduces their ability to self-manage. This review outlines important societal, individual, and healthcare system factors that influence disease management and outcomes among patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)—the two most common ADs. For this review, we undertook a comprehensive literature search, conducted reference list searches from prior HL-related publications, and added insights from international researchers and scientists with an interest in HL. We identified methodological limitations in currently available HL measurement tools in respiratory care. We also summarized the issues contributing to low HL and system-level cultural incompetency that continue to be under-recognized in AD management and contribute to suboptimal patient outcomes. Given that impaired HL is not commonly recognized as an important factor in AD care, we propose a three-level patient-centered model (strategies) designed to integrate HL considerations, with the goal of enabling health systems to enhance service delivery to meet the needs of all AD patients.

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The roles, they are a changing: Respiratory Therapists as part of the multidisciplinary, community, primary health care team

Cited by 12 publications

References 8 publications

Exploring the professionalization of respiratory therapy in Canada

Exploring the professionalization of respiratory therapy in Canada

Primary care occupational, physical, and respiratory therapy role adaptation in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic

Health literacy in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) care: a narrative review and future directions

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