Several years ago, I thought about changing professions.  Sort of a mid-life job crisis, if you will.   The more I thought about it, the more I realized how much I
really did love my job and my patients.  Maybe I just needed to do something a little bit different for a while?  As RT's, we don't have all of the options that RN's have.  They can work ED, ICU, OB, Med-Surg, just to name a few.  We have RT, PFT, Cardiac testing, and Sleep (for the most part). 

I decided to go into sleep.  I stayed in the hospital I was working at and transferred to the Sleep Lab.  I learned sleep from the ground up.  After several weeks orientation I was working on my own, at night, doing diagnostic and split night PSG's.  I always had someone available by phone, but I was there alone.  At that time, I was only required to do the set-up and the PSG, I did not have to score the study.  Multiple staff members came in on day shift to do MSLT's and score the studies I had done at night.  It was like learning a brand new job.  i hadn't felt that way since I was a new grad fresh out of school, but I loved it.   After a few years, another opportunity came along and I left the Sleep Lab.   When I became a "traveller" a few years later I did a contract doing sleep studies.  I love Sleep Medicine.  I love RT. Everyday there are new things happening, new ideas, new technology.  In my 25 years, things have changed SO much, it's hard to believe the differences and changes. 

When I was doing PSG's, and even now, it's difficult to imagine a CPAP machine like the one in this picture.   The world's first hoseless, cordless, maskless, battery-powered CPAP device.  The picture is an Airing product rendering.  It was invented by a gentleman who was actually working on a different invention when he began thinking of this one.   It's not a real device yet.  The company is going to be raising money through Indiegogo starting in June 2015.   This could be interesting.

Chris

It should be noted that I am not connected to this company in any way, nor was I asked to do this.  This is my own personal commentary on a product I found online. 

I've been a little busy lately,and haven't had time to update my blog.  I did, however, run across this VERY interesting article on Facebook this morning.  I thought perhaps I could share it with all of my readers and viewers.  Hmmmm...... what are your thoughts?

www.gomerblog.com/2014/12/ventilators/

Sounds like something a lot of patient's would like???? HA!  Too bad for them!

For more than half of my life, I have been an RT, or an RRT to be exact.  Many people have no idea what this is, or what we do. It took my family a few years to understand ( I am the only one one who works in healthcare), and they decided that I was the "snot-sucker" and I am the "doctor" to call when they need medical advice.   It's amazing over the years the amount of medical knowledge one can accumulate. We are sort of a jack of all trades.  Often forgotten, but we are the first phone call when the patient is crashing.  

I didn't start out wanting to be an RT, I wanted to be a veterinarian.  But the thought of going on for more schooling for that many years changed my mind.  I applied to the nursing program at the local tech college,and it was full. The programs that were available were RT and medical lab tech.  I graduated from that tech college in August, 1990, took my CRTT in November and RTT in June, 1991.  25 years later, I wouldn't change a thing.   This is a job, a career, that teaches you about life, yours and others.  

I have worked in larger hospitals, teaching hospitals, and 25 bed critical access hospitals.  Everywhere you work, you learn.  Each hospital has it;s own unique identity and it's own unique set of patients, as well as staff.  

I've though a lot about writing a blog, I don't know if it will be any good.  I have learned a lot over the years, and I try to learn something new every day.  I hope to share a little of my life any share in others as well.

Chris