Respiratory care in challenging times

CHARLENE JARVIS
As a registered respiratory care practitioner with 37 years of experience, my journey is not just about treating patients, but rather about protecting our community through expert respiratory care at True-Dat Diagnostics.
It is a critical time in public health, with the emergence of the human metapneumovirus (HMPV), which seems to be a potentially debilitating problem.
This situation mirrors the covid19 fiasco – it may continue to be a challenge unless viewed and treated as a respiratory problem rather than an incurable virus.
It is understood that with the correct treatment, HMPV can be effectively managed.
After and during covid19, many people died or now experience respiratory issues.
From my perspective, it is not as complicated to handle as may be perceived. With 37 years of practising respiratory care and sleep apnea – diagnosing, managing and preventing attacks – it has been proved the right treatment can support our country’s effort at successfully battling this new wave of virus, which is essentially considered another strain of covid.
Reducing the fatality rate is paramount if citizens are to be kept safe and healthy.
To do this, it will be imperative to refer to experienced practitioners with a proven track record and those with the necessary skillset to manage and treat the airways. They are classified as respiratory care practitioners.
A scientific approach to care may be considered a good option, as it will not only treat symptoms, but the application of scientific principles to prevent, identify and treat both acute and chronic cardio-pulmonary system dysfunction, with the end goal of comprehensive assessment, treatment, management, control, diagnostic evaluation and care of patients with heart and lung deficiencies.
From newborns to geriatrics, a comprehensive suite of services may include in-house or virtual consultations, home polysomnography with EEG, nebuliser medications and equipment, pulmonary functions, EKO and more.
TT needs specialised respiratory care, owing to the various environmental challenges our people face daily.
We are constantly exposed to brush fires, Sahara desert dust, car exhaust, toxic-garbage-burning and factory emissions in residential areas. Added to this, our overwhelmed healthcare system may be cited as another challenge and thus may be seen as justification for specialised respiratory care.
A success story as to why this work makes a positive impact is the case that involved a young mother with a six-month-old baby who could not bond with her child owing to severe asthma.
She collapsed in her yard, with dangerously low oxygen levels in the range of 70s, and traditional medical responses were not supportive of the situation. When she arrived for medical attention she was struggling to breathe. Shortly after the start of nebuliser treatment, her oxygen levels climbed from the 70s to the mid-80s, then to 98 per cent.
A week later, she was in a position to cuddle and play with her son and do other routine work as a mother.
The profession requires a high degree of patience, experience and a dedication to service for the betterment of humanity – to give people a better quality of life.
As a practitioner, some of the critical challenges of the healthcare system include:
· More qualified respiratory care practitioners
· Ready access to better medications which are easily accessible
· The government should consider removing taxes and customs duties from healthcare products
· Sleep apnea and respiratory care to be recognised as vital healthcare options
· The Ministry of Health to accept that respiratory expertise goes beyond being an MD or being a pulmonologist
My vision for the future is to ensure quality healthcare is accessible to everyone – poor, middle-class and rich alike – and to enhance home healthcare for ventilator patients and improve neonate respiratory care.
To the national community, it is important for each person to understand: if you cannot breathe, do not put your health on the back burner.
There are at least 34 different types of sleep disorders, and being overweight is not the only criterion that may be associated with sleep apnea.
Whether you have asthma, COPD, sinus allergies, hypertension, chronic fatigue, dialysis needs, cystic fibrosis, bronchitis, emphysema, pneumonia or even covid19 – if you are found to be sick more often than may be considered normal, you may need to consult a respiratory-care practitioner sleep-disorder specialist.
It is about giving every potential patient a well-rounded chance at a better quality of life.
Respiratory care and sleep apnea go hand in hand. It is therefore not prudent to wait for a lengthy period to commence treatment.
Early attention may serve to help us to breathe easier and live better.
Our health must be our first priority and it is imperative to consider the right diet, exercise and relaxation.
As we continue to collaborate with our umbrella organisation, the TTCSI, we remain committed to sharing information through this and other mechanisms that may support our health and give us a better chance of leading a normal everyday life.
Comments
"Respiratory care in challenging times"