The Department of Respiratory Care hosted the Family Medicine Residency of Idaho/Full Circle Health residents for their Procedure Half Day Conference. The residents were broken into groups and led through a series of exercises in thoracentesis (a procedure to remove fluid or air from around the lungs), paracentesis (a procedure to obtain a sample of or drain fluid for both diagnostic or therapeutic purposes), and intubation.
The family medicine residents are learning the full spectrum of patient care and respiratory therapy is one of those skills. The residents either don’t have access to, or the time to practice on ventilators while participating in their rounds in local hospitals. This training exercise gave them the opportunity to gain exposure to respiratory therapy equipment and several different ventilators in a safe environment without the fear of working on live patients.
“In place of the intubation procedure, residents were given the opportunity to run through ventilator cases and get hands-on experience with the machines without the fear of them being connected to critically ill patients,” said Elizabeth Atnip, a faculty member at the Family Medicine Residency of Idaho/Full Circle Health. “It was a special experience to be able to get their hands on buttons, adjust ventilator settings, see the effect on simulation lungs and troubleshoot patient cases”
Alyssa Zemke, director of clinical education and clinical assistant professor for the Boise State department of respiratory care, and three respiratory care students who will graduate in December 2023 were on hand to help guide the residents through different patient scenarios using the ventilators. The students helped guide the residents as they worked through each medical scenario and provided information that would help them achieve the best outcome based on the patient’s need.
“This was a wonderful opportunity for our third year students to showcase their knowledge and expertise in mechanical ventilation while collaborating with medical resident students and faculty,” Zemke said.
The respiratory care department partners with local hospitals to provide clinical rotations for their students providing them with real patient exposure and respiratory therapy training in a hospital setting. Students gain firsthand knowledge of patient care during all three years in the program.
“It was exciting to be able to share the knowledge we’ve gained through the Boise State respiratory care program with the residents and be able to help them understand the importance of having a respiratory care practitioner on staff,” said Natalie Tacher, one of the three respiratory care students who attend the event.
Boise State has three respiratory care programs: On Campus Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care Program, Registered Respiratory Therapy-Bachelor of Science Degree Advancement Online Program and Master of Science in Respiratory Care.