November 11, 2010
School of Medicine, Kochi
Amrita’s Division of Respiratory Therapy in association with the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine observed the World Respiratory Care Week at the Health Sciences campus during October 25-31, 2010.
During this week, students and faculty of the Division of Respiratory Therapy conducted awareness programs against smoking and the use of tobacco, for the benefit of patients, their bystanders and the general public.
In association with ATMA (Anti Tobacco Movement at Amrita), posters and banners about the hazards of passive smoking and associated symptoms were displayed throughout the campus.
“We conducted various educational sessions for nursing staff and students, paramedical students as well as postgraduate students in anesthesiology and intensive care technology,” shared Mr. Jithin, the Chief Respiratory Therapist at Amrita.
These sessions covered topics such as hospital-acquired infections, prevention and management of ventilator associated pneumonia, managing a patient on ventilator and how to provide tracheostomy care.
Patient contact techniques and improving health care communication skills were also discussed in detail.
Explaining what the Division of Respiratory Therapy did, Mr. Jitin added, “We deal with critically-ill patients; those who are on ventilator support, those who have acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), patients with complex cardiac diseases and patients on tracheostomy tubes.”
“We also plan and decide ventilator management of critically-ill patients. Precautions are taken to prevent hospital-acquired infections affecting patients such as ventilator-associated pneumonia.”
Amrita offers both bachelors and masters program in respiratory therapy.
Dr. Suresh G. Nair, Chief of the Department of Anesthesiology, conveyed his message to staff and students of the Division of Respiratory Therapy.
“We look forward to this week every year. This is when we formally pause to reflect on where we have come from, as a profession, where we are today, and look forward to where we want to be in the future.”
“Let us all hold our breath now for a moment of silence, just as a reminder that when you cannot breathe, nothing else matters.”
