Top 10 Things About Being A Respiratory Therapist

Not many people know who respiratory therapists are or what we do. In honor of Respiratory Care Week 2013, here's a list of the best things about our profession. (Special thanks to Robert Beaty, James Curry, Marcie Feagans, Amber Marie Milem, Stacy Redigan, Kimberly Smith, and Kim Turner for inspiring parts of this list.)

10. Patients need more blankets/water/'pain pill'/foot massage? "Hang on, let me get your nurse."

Just kidding. We're all on the same team...until they forget our name and just call us "respiratory."

9. Digital clubbing every day and night, baby.

No, not that kind. The kind that makes your fingers look like drumsticks.

8. Telling people to "suck, suck, suck" and "blow, blow, blow" without having to pay $2.99/minute.

Oh, what big lungs you have!

7. Most of your patients are pretty quiet.

Hard to talk around all that plastic keeping you alive.

6. You don't have to respond to the dreaded Code Brown

We work above the waistline, Sunshine.

5. It's a gas!

Inhale the rainbow!

4. We get lots of cool toys that no one else gets to play with.

Look at all the buttons and knobs on those things!

3. Five of PEEP isn't just for Easter time.

Positive End-Expiratory Pressure FTW!

2. No bottle opener? No problem.

The trusty Macintosh blade will snag your vallecula AND pop your top.

1. Remember, you're extremely important. If you patient isn't breathing, they aren't doing anything else, either.

Thanks to all respiratory therapists for everything that you do! Happy RC Week!