Paul Arnote's Respiratory Care Links

Government Sponsored Sites

• U.S. Food & Drug Administration: Drugs - FDA site for drug information, including drug shortages, drug information and other assorted drug-related information.
  
  
• HealthFinder Health Information Guide - information on health issues and drugs, targeted at lay people.
  
  
• U.S. National Library of Medicine - access Medline and other information cataloged by the U.S. National Library of Medicine ... maintained by the National Institute of Health.
  
  
• Missouri Board of Respiratory Care - the state licensing board for Missouri. (Note: Missouri will allow 12 of the required 24 CEU's over the two year licensing period to come from online, AARC approved sources)
  
  
• Kansas State Board of Healing Arts - the state licensing board for Kansas. (Note: Kansas will allow 6 of the 12 required annual CEU's to come from online, AARC approved sources)
  
  

Publications

• Respiratory Therapy: The Journal of Pulmonary Technique - a slick, well made and relevant bimonthly publication for/by our Canadian counterparts. The magazine is free, and downloadable as a PDF file.
  
  
• Respiratory Advance Magazine Online - monthly publication for respiratory care professionals ... free subscription! Lots of online content, as well.
  
  
• RT: For Decision Makers In Respiratory Care - a monthly publication for respiratory care professionals ... another free subscription! Lots of online content on their web site.
  
  
• Science Daily Magazine: Your Source For The Latest Research News - online resource for research news of all kinds and types. You're gonna find some pretty cool stuff here.
  
  
• Primary Care Respiratory Journal (British) - British publication for physicians involved with pulmonary patients. Formerly called the General Practice Airways Group, this is a typical pay-to-view site (cheapest price for membership is £27, and is for an "e-membership"). However, the monthly journal is available online, for free, by following this link.
  
  
• Family Practice Notebook: Pulmonary Page - online information for family practitioners (physicians) ... good for RTs too!
  
  
• Emory University's MedWeb - an online resource, from the Emory University Health Sciences Library ... searchable for information related to all sorts of medical information.
  
  
• MedEdPortal - a site by the Association of Medical Colleges, this site strives to be a clearing house for teaching materials, assessment tools, and faculty development resources.
  
  
• PubMed - PubMed comprises more than 21 million citations for biomedical literature from MEDLINE, life science journals, and online books. Citations may include links to full-text content from PubMed Central and publisher web sites. This web site is the product of the US National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health. Don't get discouraged if you find that many articles require membership or a password. Many articles are free, although some require you to sign in as a guest in order to access them. I'm not sure why they can't keep it simple, but check out this YouTube video for guidance on how to obtain free access to many PubMed articles.
  
  
• Medscape Pulmonary Medicine Homepage - sponsored by WebMD, access all sorts of pulmonary medicine information. Be sure to check out the Medscape Pulmonary Medicine Library while you are there for a collection of medical journal articles on topics in pulmonary medicine.
  
  
• Clinical Infectious Diseases - published by Oxford Journals on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, this journal comes out of the University of Chicago, and deals with infectious diseases. You can also search Oxford Journals for other journals to view ... just pick the journal title you want to view.
  
  
• American Journal of Epidemiology - The American Journal of Epidemiology is the premier epidemiological journal devoted to the publication of empirical research findings, opinion pieces and methodological developments in the field of epidemiological research. It is aimed at both fellow epidemiologists and those who use epidemiological data, including public health workers and clinicians.
  
  
• PulmonologyLinx - A Comprehensive News Portal for Pulmonologists...Updated Daily! - get the information your department medical director is receiving (or should be!). A good way to stay abreast of current issues in pulmonology.
  
  
• Remedy's HealthCommunities.com - formerly the PulmonologyChannel, this site provides an information resource dedicated to lung health. It appears to now be more aimed at the lay person, but the information is spot on and may be of use to clinicians.
  
  
• A Practical Guide to Clinical Medicine: Lung Assessment - a guide, from the University of California, San Diego, on how to assess the lungs.
  
  
• News-Line - another FREE publication! Just click on the medical discipline you want. Subscription information is also available, or you can read it online.
  
  

CEUs/Seminars

• PLEASE ... be aware of the differences in licensure requirements between the states of Kansas and Missouri. If you reside in a different state, please check with your individual respiratory licensing body/agency/board for specific details relating to what they accept. For what it's worth, almost no one accepts BLS as continuing education any more. Also, AARC approved CEUs are always accepted.
  
  In Kansas, your license must be renewed annually and you must have completed 12 CEUs. A new change in the law now requires that 1/2 of the required 12 CEUs be live contact. Kansas annual license renewal is due by March 31st of each year.
  
  In Missouri, your license must be renewed every two years (even numbered years), and you must have completed 24 CEUs. Only 12 of those 24 CEUs may be from approved sources that do not have "live contact" ... that is, CEUs you get online by reading the material and taking the post test (for example). At least 12 of the 24 CEUs must be what is called "live contact" ... that is, CEUs from an approved seminar, or from the AARC web casts (below), or otherwise listed as being eligible for live contact. Of course, all 24 CEUs for your Missouri license renewal may be from "live contact" sources. Missouri's license renewal deadline is July 31 of even numbered years.
  
  Also, be careful with American Heart Association courses. Let's say, in a given licensing period, you completed ACLS, PALS and NRP. Under the Kansas rules, you can use and count all of those continuing education hours as live contact hours towards your license renewal. However, for your Missouri license renewal, you can only count ONE of those advanced care courses towards your CEU requirements.
  
  For those new to the Kansas and Missouri RT licensing merry-go-round, your CEUs are good for both states, provided that they are AARC approved. Also, in the past, non-AARC approved CEUs from one state would be accepted in the other -- but don't count on that. It's so easy to find AARC approved CEUs that it's not worth the risk of your CEUs being rejected, should you be audited.
  
  Fortunately, all AARC approved CEUs - regardless of their source (live or online) - can be used for your NBRC credential renewal every 5 years. This includes ACLS, PALS and NRP. Of course, if you work in a state that requires CEUs for license renewal (and who doesn't these days?), then your NBRC renewal is pretty much a no-brainer. You just have to take the time to enter them on the NBRC web site. It's more of a money grab by the NBRC than anything else, to make sure they are getting the annual NBRC renewal fees ($25 a year). Thanks, NBRC. You make us proud to be RTs! (OK ... sarcasm mode is off now.)
  
  
• Attention AARC members! You can earn free CEUs by signing up for and watching the LIVE web casts! If you watch them live, you earn ONE free CEU. If you watch them after they are archived, you have to pay. Plus, for Missouri licensure, watching the LIVE web casts counts as a live contact, Category I CEU. Watching them after they are archived counts only as an online, Category II CEU. Go to the AARC Website and click on the link for web casts. How many can you get? More than you might think. Typically, the AARC hosts a live webcast every other Wednesday. Check the web site for a schedule of upcoming web casts. Being an AARC member does have its perks.
  
  
• Respiratory Associates of Texas - here is a chance to obtain some live contact CEUs, online, from the comfort of your sofa or desk! All live courses are approved by the American Association for Respiratory Care as Instructor-Directed, live credit hours. To receive CE credit you must complete the courses while Dr. Arthur Jones is available for questions or comments. His toll-free number is listed above each slide. Therefore the last acceptable sign-in time will depend upon the length of course chosen, either 1 or 2 hours prior to his going off duty. Example: If he is available 8a-8p, and you choose a 1-hour course, you must sign-in by 7pm. It would be 6pm for a 2-hour course. The cost is currently $10 per CEU.
  
  
• Last Minute CEUs - here's a deal ... you can meet your CEU obligations any one of three ways. First, you can attend one of their live seminars in Houston, TX, for a total of up to 12 CEUs. Price? $89. Second, you can watch online for live contact CEUs, between the hours of 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. Price? $89. The third way, traditional Category II home study CEUs, is actually still "under construction" at the time of this web page update. Don't need 12 CEUs? Then pay only for as many as you need, since each of the individual CEUs are available as their own "module," for one CEU each. Price? $10 per module. By the way ... there is no post-test necessary for these CEUs.
  
  
• Reaching For the Summit, The 35th Annual KRCS Education Meeting & State Meeting, Topeka, KS, April 18 - 20, 2012 - details are still being "hammered out," so check back here often to obtain the brochure and CEU approval. The KRCS education committee has been working diligently on the April meeting. More information will be coming soon, but we here is a preview of some of the topics to be presented:

  BPD Past, Present and Future
  Common Alternative Treatments in Pulmonary Disease
  Medical Applications of Whole Cannabis
  Cross Cultural Issues Influencing Healthcare Delivery
  Bronchial Challenge Testing
  Update on Sleep Apnea Diagnosis and Management

  The meeting will be held at the Capitol Plaza in Topeka, Kansas, and hotel reservations can be made now. To make hotel reservations, call 1-785-431-7200 or 1-800-579-7937. The group rate is $94.00 plus tax and the Group Code is KRC2. The block of rooms will be released March 27, 2012.
  
  Registration costs are in three tiers of payment. They include prices for Thursday and Friday, Thursday only, and Friday only. For student AARC members, the costs are $50/$45/$25. For student non-AARC members, the costs are $100/$95/$75. For AARC members, the costs are $105/$80/$50. For non-AARC members, the costs are $195/$175/$135, and includes AARC membership if you fill out the AARC membership information at the seminar.You can download a mail-in registration form as a printable PDF file, or there is an online registration and payment option. Online payment, via PayPal, incurs an extra $20 convenience fee.
  
  
• 41st Annual M.S.R.C. Conference & Business Meeting, April 24 - 27, 2012 - referred to by many Missouri RTs as simply "Tan-Tar-A," in reference to the Lake of the Ozarks resort where the state meeting used to be held, this year's conference/state meeting is being moved to The Lodge of the Four Seasons, at the Lake of the Ozarks. This years conference offers up to 17 CRCE's with exciting lectures from nationally recognized speakers like Brian Walsh, Tony Dewitt, Cheryl Hoerr, Jim Fink, and many more.
  
  Accommodations are priced at $99/night for a traditional room, $179/night for the Avila 1 King Bedroom Suite, or $219/night for the Avila 2 Bedroom Suite. You can make your room reservations online, or by calling (888) 265-5500. The special room rate cutoff date is March 25, 2012.
  
  You can download a mail-in registration as a printable PDF file, or you can register and pay by credit card online. The registration costs for the seminar are detailed below:
  
  
• AARC Member Full Conference: $170
• Non-Member Full Conference: $261 (includes an AARC membership)
• AARC Member Single Day: $85
• Non-Member Single Day: $176 (includes AARC membership)
• Student AARC Member Full Conference: $85
• Student Non-Member Full Conference: $140 (includes membership)
• Student AARC Member Single Day: $55
• Student Non-Member Single Day: $105 (includes membership)
  
  
• MSRC District III Conference - September 27 - 28, 2012 - more details to come (it's still in the planning stage). As it has been in previous years, the 2012 conference will be at the Holiday Inn Expo Center, in Columbia, MO. There are typically 12 CEUs available annually at this meeting. The cost for attendance in 2011 was $120 for AARC members, with the cost for non-AARC members including the cost of annual AARC membership. Special rates for students are typically available, as well.
  
  
• Topics in Sleep Medicine 2012 - Saturday, May 5th 2012,  8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. - A Joint Program of the Missouri Sleep Society and St. Luke's Sleep Medicine & Research Center. To be held at the Doubletree Westport Hotel, 1973 Craigshire Road, Maryland Heights, MO 63146 (St. Louis area). Continuing Education Credits offered for: Physicians, Sleep Technologists, Respiratory Therapists, Nurses. Brochures will be mailed in March. No registrations accepted at this time. For additional information, email or call: hilary.simon@stlukes-stl.com, or 314-205-6807, ext. 2054. Click here to view the event itinerary. It appears (unofficially) that the conference will be worth 8 or 9 CEUs.
  
  
• DHSS Trauma Disaster Preparedness Simulation-Based Training - there are two training classes coming up, with more classes in different locations around the state to be announced. Although there is no indication of CEU availability for these training classes, I thought there might be interest among Missouri RTs. I've stored PDF versions of the original email, flyers for both of the training classes, and the registration form on my minus cloud storage account. I will post more details here about upcoming training sessions as I receive notice about them..
  
  More classes in other parts of the state (Springfield, Cape Girardeau, Poplar Bluff, Maryville, and a couple yet to be planned) are being scheduled.
  
  
  
• CE Express Home Study - labeled as the 2012 Value Pack and offered from RC Educational Consulting Services, Inc. (seventh link down), this package of CEUs is available for $59.95. That money buys you 10 CEUs, covering the following topics: Evaluating Laboratory Data Applicable to Pulmonary Patients (3 CEUs), Obstructive Sleep Apnea Diagnosis and Treatment (3 CEUs), and Development and Implementation of the Respiratory Care Patient Education Program (4 CEUs). While available vie mail or fax, you can also complete the required course work online. First, visit the link above. Second, select your discipline (Respiratory Therapy) and state, then click "Go." Third, choose the Value Pack you would like to complete, and click "Add to Library." Fourth, follow the instructions to download the course(s), complete the final exam(s), complete the course evaluation(s), and submit your order using your credit card. Please be prepared/able to provide all information requested, including your license number, which is required to print your Certificate(s) of Completion. Fifth, receive your Certificae(s) of Completions instantly upon passing the exam(s) with a grade of 70% or better. If you prefer the mail/fax route, you can call (800) 441-5864 and request copies of the course booklet to be mailed to you. When you complete the course(s), mail your completed exam(s) back to CE-Express (address is enclosed in the printed materials), and they will then mail your certificates back to you. Keep in mind that these are non-live contact CEUs, so only half of your Kansas or Missouri CEU requirements can be from non-live contact sources.
  
  
• Free CEUs Online from Coviden - there are some free CEUs online, provided by Coviden. Just follow the links, register, and complete the program. Just be sure to print out the certificate when you are finished! The Coviden site now encompasses all of the free online CEUs previously offered by Nellcor and Puritan Bennett. Now, they are just all located in one location.
  
  
• Free CEUs from Respironics - here are some free CEUs online, provided by Respironics. Here you will find CEU courses online, currently offering up to 11 AARC approved CEUs, covering capnography, ventilator waveforms, non-invasive ventilation, respiratory monitoring and other items of interest to respiratory therapists. Registration is free, and so are the CEUs! Just be sure to print out the certificate when you are finished!
  
  
• Dale Medical Products - Dale Medical, the manufacturer of popular artificial airway securing devices, offers some free CEUs for RT's. The offerings do vary from time to time, so be sure to check back periodically.
  
  
• Perspectives In Nursing - despite nursing being in the name of the site, they also offer free CEUs for respiratory therapists. Download the course material, then complete the post test (achieving 75% or better), and mail the test back. Alternatively, you can register and take the test online.
  
  
• MedEdSys.com - if you can't find CEUs here, it would only be because you didn't look ... at all! Although fee based Category II CEUs (home study), there are currently 435 CEUs available here, ranging in price from $24 for a 3 CEU course, to $74 for an 18 CEU course. If you have the course emailed to you, you can subtract $10 from the price, making the price range $14 to $64. You can choose to mail your test in, or you can take the test online. With the online version, your certificate is immediately made available to you, after you successfully pass the test.It appears that all courses are AARC approved.
  
  
• Free CEUs from Passy-Muir - Passy-Muir has increased their CEU offerings a LOT in recent times. They have a series of webinars archived on their web site. Each (except for the one about ventilators for the lay person) is eligible for one AARC-approved CEU. Keep in mind that since you are watching the archived version, they are NOT eligible to be counted as live contact CEUs. Still, there are 19 free CEUs for respiratory therapists available on the Passy-Muir site.
  
  
• Respiratory Care Educational Consulting Services, Inc. - lots of fee based, non-live contact (Category II, home study) CEUs are available, ranging from one CEU courses, to one that provides 13 CEUs upon completion. The price is $9.95 per CEU.
  
  
• ContinuingEducation.com - believe it or not, they have an extensive lineup of CEUs for respiratory therapists. By my count, they currently have 55 hours of CEUs available for RTs. The price generally runs $9.99 per CEU (home study, Category II only). They also currently have one free CEU, which would give you a great chance to try them out before laying out your cold, hard earned cash.
  
  
• USATravMed.com - provided by USATravMed, a resource page for traveling health care professionals, there are 27 free Category II (home study) CEUs for respiratory therapists available.
  
  
• University of Kansas Respiratory Care Web Ed - you can earn four Category II (home study) CEUs by completing the case studies in this module. You have to complete all case studies to get the four CEUs (no partial credits awarded). Complete the modules, successfully take/pass the test, and mail your test with $40 to the indicated address. Your certificate will be mailed back to you, in about a week.
  
  
• Totally Free CEUs - If you need some quick Category II (home study) CEUs, do yourself a favor and take a look here. Be sure to check back often, since the site is updated regularly.
  
  
• Ganesco - you can get up to 16 low-cost ($12.50 to $22.50) Category II (home study) CEUs here.
  
  
• Smiths Medical - medical equipment manufacturer and supplier Smiths Medical is offering 4 free Category II (home study) CEUs for respiratory therapists.
  
  
• ResMed - the manufacturer and distributor of the ResMed line of products for obstructive sleep apnea offer 4 free Category II (home study) CEUs.
  
  

Respiratory Education

• Concorde Career College Homepage - homepage for Concorde Career College, with access to all campuses nationwide.
  
  
• University of Kansas Respiratory Care Page - links to the KU Med RT School, plus links to online CEUs.
  
  
• The Harvey Project - an open source of information via the web with information on anything to do with human physiology. The information is provided free of charge and is accurately served up. Quite a bit of information on respiratory matters, as well as the renal system, the cardiovascular system, etc. Just click on the Web Sites link and select your area of interest.
  
  
• Kettering Review Seminars - information on the Kettering Review Seminars, available for RRT, CRT, CPFT, RPFT, and NPS. Specialized review modules are also available, for a fee.
  
  
• Ventilator Review - a review of major mechanical ventilators, from the University of Kansas Medical Center.
  
  
• University Of Missouri - information on getting your Bachelor of Health Sciences in Respiratory Therapy, through the University of Missouri. Concorde students: all of your credits and courses DO transfer in, I'm told.
  
  
• How Do Your Lungs Work? - aimed at 5th grade students, this site spells out a simple experiment you can do on a dreary rainy or snowy day that will illustrate how your lungs work.
  
  
• Images from a Bronchoscope - some students never really get to see, first hand, the actual anatomy of the interior of the airways. This picture might help. This picture is from another Concorde student, willing to share with everyone else!
  
  
• The ResearchChannel.org - although not for CEUs (that I know of), there are plenty of offerings here for inquisitive minds ... in a very wide range of topics. Of particular interest will be the health and medical videos in the library. (Note: best viewed on a computer with a broadband connection). Since the main site is down, this links to the ResearchChannel "channel" on YouTube. They are working to bring the main site back up. Meanwhile, we can still enjoy the informative information via YouTube.
  
  
• Anaesthesia UK: Respiratory Articles - a British Anesthesia site, there are plenty of respiratory related articles that may be of interest to students and therapists. Be sure to browse and dig through this site ... you are bound to find other gems!
  
  
• Martindale's Virtual Medical Center - an online resource for all sorts of medical information from virtually any area of medical specialty. You could spend hours ... or maybe days ... exploring everything this site has to offer.
  
  
• Virtual Naval Hospital - a digital library of professional and expert medical information, geared for providers and patients alike, designed to assist providers in taking better care of their patients, and for patients to lead healthier lives.
  
  
• Trauma.org - this site is a repository for everything related to trauma and trauma centers. Included here is an image bank (not for those with a weak stomach), trauma scenarios to work through (the "Moulage" area), and suggested treatment regimens for specific traumas.
  
  
• MD Junction - MD Junction is a website that offers health care discussion forums and support groups for a variety of health care related topics.
  
  
• High Altitude Medicine - this site is very interesting, as it discusses at length the physiological effects of high altitudes on the human body ... a great many of them directly related to the work we perform as respiratory therapists. Among the topics are the effects of high altitudes on hypoxia and oxygen consumption and the effects of the lower atmospheric pressure (and the resultant hypoxemia) on the oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve.
  
  
• YourLungHealth.org - the AARC sponsored internet portal for dispensing information about lung health to lay people.
  
  
• Nassau Community College Respiratory Care YouTube Channel - there are some cool RT related videos on this YouTube channel. You should give them a look.
  
  

Auscultation

• The R.A.L.E Repository: Breath Sounds Online - listen to breath sounds online.
  
  
• UCLA: The Auscultation Assistant: Breath Sounds - listen to breath sounds online.
  
  
• UCLA: The Auscultation Assistant: Heart Sounds - listen to heart sounds online.
  
  
• Loyola University: Bronchial & Vesicular Breath Sounds - listen to breath sounds online.
  
  
• Blaufuss Medical Multimedia Laboratories - online tutorial and quiz over heart sounds.
  
  

Internet Chat Boards/Mailing Lists

• LinkedIn - set up an account here, and you'll gain access to other RTs who've also signed up. There are several RT-related "specialty" groups (AARC, Neonatal/Pediatric Specialty, Respiratory Therapists, etc.) where there are plenty of discussions - some serious, some just for fun. At least you'll be communicating with RTs from all over.
  
  
• RC World - take a look at the archives of the RC_WORLD internet mailing list, especially for RTs. Or even better yet, why not Join the RC_WORLD mailing list and have the postings automatically delivered to your email inbox? My suggestion is to set your preference to Digest mode, HTML format (digest groups the mailings together in batch deliveries, rather than delivering each message individually; HTML format is easily displayed by most email clients).
  
  

Arterial Blood Gases

• Interactive Oxyhemoglobin Disassociation Curve - an interactive JAVA program graphically showing the intertwined relationship of temperature, pH, PaCO2, PaO2, and SaO2 on the oxyhemoglobin disassociation curve.
  
  
• The ABG Site - a site, aimed at allied health care professionals, to assist with the understanding of ABGs.
  
  
• Oximeter.org - a site dedicated to all things dealing with Pulse Oximetry.
  
  
• ABG Interpretation Quiz - take an interactive, online ABG interpretation quiz.
  
  
• Anaesthesia UK: Hemodynamics & Oxygenation - this is a British site that details the normal values for various hemodynamic and oxygenation measurements ... complete with the formulas used to calculate the value. Excellent site for a quick review or for those just trying to learn. There is also a page on Pulmonary Artery Catheters that many therapists and students may find of value.
  
  
• Respiratory Therapy Cave: ABG Interpretation Made Easy - check out this step-by-step guide to ABG interpretation.
  
  
• American Thoracic Society ABG Interpretation - ABG interpretation guide for physicians, nurses and respiratory therapists.
  
  
• ABG Interpreter Calculator - enter your ABG values, click the mouse, and you will be shown your ABG interpretation. There are a whole host of other calculators here, at MedicineWorld's Online Medical Calculators site. Calculate HCO3 and BE, airway resistance, CaO2, O2 consumption, E-tank duration, and many more.
  
  

Mechanical Ventilation

• Critical Care Medicine: Mechanical Ventilation - a tutorial in mechanical ventilation.
  
  
• Overview of Mechanical Ventilation - written especially for health care providers, this information comes from the well respected Merck Manual.
  
  
• Mechanical Ventilation Topics - from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, there are multiple in depth topics covering mechanical ventilation.
  
  
• Mechanical Ventilators For Dummies - aimed at giving Physical Therapists a basic understanding of mechanical ventilators, this web site explains the basics of mechanical ventilators and mechanical ventilation, plus a quick overview of alarms and what makes them sound their alert.
  
  
• Anaesthesia UK: Ventilation Resources - from a British Anesthesia site, there is a list of 21 different articles on mechanical ventilation, covering all sorts of topics from PCV to HFOV to PEEP to the physiological effects of mechanical ventilation. This is an excellent resource for students and seasoned therapists alike.
  
  
• Basics of Mechanical Ventilation - this computer slide show, by Alain Broccard, MD, and John Marini, MD, takes the viewer on a fairly complete overview of mechanical ventilation. Although some slides are a bit "deep," it remains an excellent resource.
  
  
• AARC Clinical Practice Guidelines: Humidification During Mechanical Ventilation - if your facility, like many around the U.S., look to the AARC Clinical Practice Guidelines for guidance in following "best practices," here is the AARC CPG for providing humidification to ventilator patients.
  
  
• A Primer on Mechanical Ventilation - a tutorial written by David J. Pierson, MD, this comes from the University of Washington School of Medicine. Presented as a 252 Kb PDF file, it will require Adobe Reader (or equivalent substitute) to read. After you finish the text, visit the University of Washington web site and try your hand at the clinical cases.
  
  
• Family Practice Notebook: Mechanical Ventilation - the Family Practice Notebook web site is aimed at giving family practice practitioners a greater understanding of a wide range of topics. This topic happens to be on mechanical ventilation.
  
  
• PICU Teaching Files: Mechanical Ventilation - a basic overview of mechanical ventilation, by Ken Tegtmeyer, MD, from the University of Oregon. This article is aimed at pediatric patients, but can very easily be adapted to working with adult patients.
  
  

Disease

• COPD Advocate - a web resource for those suffering from the debilitating effects of COPD.
  
  
• Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation - a web resource for those suffering from pulmonary fibrosis.
  
  
• Coalition For Pulmonary Fibrosis - another web resource for those suffering from pulmonary fibrosis.
  
  
• U.S. Centers For Disease Control (CDC) - get information on every imaginable disease from the CDC.
  
  
• American Association for Allergies, Asthma & Immunology - web resource for information relating to asthma.
  
  
• Asthma & Allergy Foundation Of America - web resource for information relating to asthma.
  
  
• FDA Consumer Magazine: Treating & Preventing Emphysema - Information from the FDA on treating and preventing emphysema. Excellent resource for your emphysema patients. From the now defunct FDA Consumer Magazine, 2007.
  
  
• Bronchiectasis R Us - a bronchiectasis support forum for those living with bronchiectasis, and information for those treating those patients.
  
  
• Cystic Fibrosis Foundation - current and up-to-date information on cystic fibrosis.
  
  
• Cystic Fibrosis Trust - a website from Britain for everyone in the cystic fibrosis community, from patients to physicians to health care providers.
  
  
• CysticFibrosis.com - a web repository of the latest information in the fight against cystic fibrosis.
  
  
• WHO Information On SARS - information on SARS, including treatment guidelines and travel advisories, from the World Health Organization.
  
  
• ARDS Net - A repository of information regarding ARDS.
  
  
• ARDS Support Center - ARDS Support, education and information resources - an information source for those recovering from a bout with ARDS and family members of those patients.
  
  
• Dr. Gary Epler, BOOP, IPF ... - a very good site for information dealing with Bronchiolitis Obliterans Organizing Pneumonia, Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, and Sarcoidosis.
  
  
• THE MERCK MANUAL, Sec. 6, Ch. 67, Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome - information from the online resources of the Merck Manual about ARDS.
  
  
• eMedicine - Pediatric Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Article - an informative article from eMedicine on ARDS in pediatric patients.
  
  
• History Of Diseases - an interesting web site that explores the history of various diseases, including AIDS, TB, Anthrax, Leprosy, and Influenza, down through the ages.
  
  
• Mesothelioma Center - an advocacy group that assists patients and families suffering from asbestos-related disease (lung cancer, mesothelioma, asbestosis, etc.) by providing information and access to local support groups.
  
  

Chest X-Rays

• 14 Chest X-Rays - review 14 chest x-rays and scenarios ... can you determine the problem?
  
  
• Chest X-Ray Atlas - an impressive and expansive collection of chest x-rays from A.J. Chandrasekhar, M.D., at Loyola University in Chicago. Also check out an equally impressive educational tool on chest x-rays from the same physician by clicking here and following the links on that page.
  
  
• Thoracic Imaging - a wide variety of information regarding chest x-rays. (Hint: look under the Education section).
  
  
• USUHS Radiology Chest X-Ray Review - from The Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences at Bethesda, MD, learn a systematic way to read and interpret chest x-rays.
  
  
• Introduction To Chest Radiology - from the University of Virginia, it's a self study course for residents and medical students, which means it ought to do just fine for respiratory therapists, as well.
  
  
• Learning Radiology: Basic Chest X-Ray Interpretation - 59 auto-playing slides will walk you, step-by-step, through the basic techniques of chest x-ray interpretation.
  
  
• Life In The Fast Lane: CXR Interpretation - another good example of a systematic approach to chest x-ray interpretations.
  
  
• Interpretation of the ICU Chest Film - an excellent walk through interpretation of chest films that you are likely to see in the intensive care unit. From the University of Virginia.
  
  
• WikiHow: How To Read A Chest X-Ray - a clear, easy to follow, easy to understand systematic approach to chest x-ray interpretation.
  
  

EKG’s/Cardiac

• Cardiovascular Physiology Concepts - put together by Dr. Richard E. Klabunde, this site is part of the Harvey Project (see link description above) and covers aspects of ... you guessed it ... cardiovascular physiology!
  
  
• ECG Library - a presentation of realistic EKG tracings for your learning pleasure, complete with explanations.
  
  
• Alan E. Lindsay ECG Learning Center In Cyberspace - Frank G. Yanowitz, MD, Professor of Medicine at the University of Utah School of Medicine, has authored this learning aid for EKG's.
  
  
• Hyper Heart - this site graphically represents the beating of the human heart, with full-motion graphics. Included is a tutorial that explains all the nuances of each phase of a heart beat and the EKG rhythm each represents. Requires Macromedia Shockwave Player.
  
  
• EKG Rules Quiz - take an interactive, online EKG rules quiz.
  
  
• Cove Point Foundation Congenital Heart Disease - check this site out to get a full rundown on congenital heart disease and defects. From the Helen B. Taussig Children's Heart Center at Johns Hopkins University.
  
  

PFT's

• PFT Overview - this website gives a good basic overview of PFTs and how to interpret them.
  
  
• Merck Manual: PFTs - the entire chapter (Section 6, Chapter 64) of the Merck Manual, detailing pulmonary function testing.
  
  
• Pulmonary Function Testing: Basics of Physiology and Interpretation - written by Thomas R. Gildea, MD, this article from the Cleveland Clinic provides a thorough explanation of pulmonary function testing, the physiology involved, and rules for interpreting the results.
  
  
  

• Narcolepsy Network - Narcolepsy Network is a non-profit organization dedicated to individuals with narcolepsy and related sleep disorders. Our mission is to provide services to educate, advocate, support and improve awareness of this neurological sleep disorder.
  
  
• American Academy of Sleep Medicine - the online resource page for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
  
  
• American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine - this resource page explores an area of practice that focuses on the management of sleep-related breathing disorders including snoring and obstructive sleep apnea, with oral appliance therapy (OAT) and upper airway surgery.
  
  
• American Sleep Apnea Association - Advocacy group dedicated to reducing injury, disability, and death from sleep apnea and to enhancing the well-being of those affected by this common disorder. Sponsor of A.W.A.K.E. meetings for CPAP users.
  
  
• American Association of Sleep Technologists - Representing and serving sleep technologists throughout the United States.
  
  
• Sleep Research Society - Fostering scientific research investigation in all areas of sleep.
  
  
• Kansas Association of Sleep Professionals - a non-profit organization established to bring together Kansan sleep professionals and forward their common interest in the field of Sleep Medicine. Established in 2003, their mission is to promote and improve education standards of practice and communication between fellow sleep professionals and to be an advocate for their patients and profession.
  
  
• Missouri Sleep Society - representing sleep medicine professionals in the Show Me state. Established in 2008, the Missouri Sleep Society is a non-profit, professional organization dedicated to the growth, improvement and advocacy for the field of sleep medicine in the state of Missouri.
  
  
• BinarySleep.com - Binarysleep.com is the newest resource for anyone with an interest in Sleep Medicine. This site is just the beginning of a continuously changing idea for a co-operative effort by a group of sleep professionals to take care of their own. Binarysleep is not for profit. The birth of the site is due to what seems to be a desperate need for an impartial source for people working in the sleep industry. Their discussion forums appear to be quite active. Registration is required to participate in the forum discussions.
  
  
• National Sleep Foundation - The National Sleep Foundation is a 501(c)3 charitable, educational, and scientific not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving sleep health and safety through education, public awareness, and advocacy. Established in 1990, NSF relies on voluntary contributions including grants from foundations, corporations, government agencies and other organizations to support our programs. RTs can obtain a membership to the National Sleep Foundation for a $55 annual fee, which provides access to the online communities, a subscription to the sleepmatters® magazine, and special invitations to National Sleep Foundation programs and events.
  
  
• ResMed - a resource page for clinicians working in the area of sleep medicine.
  
  
• Philips/Respironics - this link will take you to the product page for Philips/Respironics home CPAP units.
  
  
• CEU.org - there are over 50 CEUs available here for sleep techs. You can do your CEUs online, via PDF-Email, or by way of the U.S. Mail. All of the sleep CEUs are approved by the AAST. Each of the courses are $31.95 and count for 3 CEUs each.
  
  WARNING TO RESPIRATORY THERAPISTS!! Although there are RT CEUs listed on this web site, I cannot recommend utilizing CEU.org to obtain your RT CEUs. The RT CEUs offered are NOT approved by the AARC. After being in contact with the CEO of this company, I have learned that the RT CEUs have been approved by various states. Unfortunaely, there is no indication on the web site which courses are approved by which states, and the CEO of the company cannot (will not?) inform me about which CEUs are approved in which states. Therefore, lacking AARC approval and with no way to know which CEUs are approved by which states for meeting your CEU licensing requirements, I can only recommend that RTs take a very wide berth around this site, and not rely on the CEUs offered here. Since their accreditation is not up to par, you could be looking at simply wasting your money and end up with not enough CEUs to meet your license requirements.
  
  

Medical Humor

• Albuterol: Not Just for Bronchospasm Anymore - a reprint of an article that appeared a few years back in Respiratory Advance. Any therapist will enjoy and relate to the article's content!
  
  
• RT Lyrics - some enterprising therapists (Dave Howard and Gregg Wray from Midland, MI) got together and came up with new lyrics to popular and classic songs ... and the lyrics are a hoot! Of course, the lyrics have to do with a WIDE assortment of topics associated with respiratory care. Be sure to check out their Christmas song collection! They even have a CD of some of the songs that you can purchase. But even if you decide to not purchase their CD, you can "sing along" online, as most of the pages displaying the lyrics have music playing in the background. So turn up your speakers and rock the house!
  
  
• Doctors, Physicians, Medical Jokes, Humor on: The Nursefriendly - and another collection of medical ha-ha's, from Nursefriendly.com.
  
  
• Funny Emergency Room Stories - just as the title says, here is a collection of funny ER stories.
  
  
• ER Stories - more funny stories from the ER.
  
  

Pharmacology

• GlaxoSmithKline Prescription Medicines - get prescribing information on the drugs manufactured and marketed by this pharmaceutical giant ... such as Ventolin.
  
  
• Combivent® - drug information on ... you guessed it ... Combivent. This links to the health care professional page on the site.
  
  
• Ventolin HFA - drug information from GlaxoSmithKline about Ventolin HFA brand of albuterol MDI.
  
  
• Proventil HFA - drug information from Merck about Proventil HFA brand of albuterol MDI.
  
  
• Atrovent HFA - prescribing information about Atrovent HFA.
  
  
• Drug Information by RxList - search for drug information at this site.
  
  
• Xopenex - prescribing and dosing information on Xopenex.
  
  
• Singulair - and prescribing and dosing information on Singulair.
  
  
• Survanta - general information, along with prescribing and dosing information, about Survanta brand of surfactant replacement.
  
  
• Infasurf - general information about Infasurf brand of surfactant replacement.
  
  
• Spiriva - information on the newest long-acting anticholinergic bronchodilator, Spiriva.
  
  
• Advair - information on the long acting beta-adrenergic/corticosteroid combination, dry powder inhaler.
  
  
• Brovana - information on one of the newest long acting beta-adrenergic bronchodilator, from Sepracor, the makers of Xopenex.
  
  
• Symbicort - information on one of the newest long acting beta-adrenergic/corticosteroid combination inhalers, comprised of Foradil and Pulmicort, to compete with Advair.
  
  
• Asmanex - information on one of the newest long acting corticosteroid inhalers.
  
  
• Performist - a link to the health care provider information page for Performist, a nebulized solution of the long acting beta-agonist formaterol fumarate.
  
  

Medical Equipment Manufacturers & Distributors

• Smiths Medical - formerly known as DHD Healthcare, you can visit this site to view product information and videos online about the entire line of respiratory products sold by Smiths Medical. A high speed internet connection is STRONGLY RECOMMEND ... the video files are in excess of 2.5 MB in size.
  
  
• MAQUET Critical Care - the place to go for information on Servo ventilators ... from the Servo 900 to the new Servo-i.
  
  
• Puritan Bennett - Product Information - get information on Puritan Bennett's line of ventilators, from the discontinued PB7200 to the new PB840.
  
  
• Sechrist Industries Respiratory Products Page - information on the product offerings by Sechrist Industries ... from their infant ventilators to their HBO equipment.
  
  
• Tri-anim.com (Tri-anim's e-commerce site) - one of the premiere equipment distributors out there, you can get product fact sheets from a wide assortment of medical device manufacturers here. Just click on the Product Catalog link at the top of the screen.
  
  
• VIASYS Healthcare - obtain information on the ViaSys AVEA ventilators, Infant SiPAP and the Sensormedics 3100 series HFO Vents.
  
  
• Draeger: Critical Care - get all kinds of information and training aids dealing with the Draeger line of mechanical ventilators.
  
  
• Fisher & Paykel - view the offerings from Fisher & Paykel, a manufacturer of ventilator humidification systems ... and several other types of medical equipment. Particularly, check out the Neonatal section, where you can view an animated user manual for the NeoPuff Neonatal Resuscitator. Go under product literature ... it's in the list. The animated user manual requires that you have Adobe Flash Player installed.
  
  
• Philips/Respironics - view all the information about Philips/Respironics and all their products at their corporate web site.
  
  
• Aerogen - get information about Aerogen's line of nebulizers.
  
  
• Monoghan - find information about the AeroEclipse II breath actuated nebulizers, plus Aerochambers and the rest of Monoghan's product line.
  
  
• Salter Labs - information about their entire line of respiratory, oxygen and sleep products.
  
  
• Westmed - information portal about all of Westmed's respiratory and anesthesia products.
  
  

Just Plain Interesting Links

• How Everything Works - ever wondered how things work or why they happen a certain way? You might just find your answer here!
  
  
• How Stuff Works - another site that explains how most-anything-you-ever-wondered-about works.
  
  
• How Things Work: Chemistry Edition - get answers to some questions about chemical reactions and how chemistry works.
  
  
• How Products Are Made - ever wonder how that aluminum beverage can you're holding on to is made? Or have you ever wondered about the origins of that computer mouse you've been using? Wonder no more, as this site will demystify these topics, along with a whole lot more. In the process, you may find out more than you ever wanted to know.
  
  

Employment Resources

Seek out employment opportunities in Kansas City and the surrounding areas. Currently, select hospitals from Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska are listed. Know of a potential employer who isn't listed here? Then let me know!

• Cass Medical Center - located in Harrisonville, Missouri, this hospital caters to the health care needs of the residents of Cass County, Missouri, located just minutes south of Kansas City. At 35 beds, it offers a very wide variety of services, including Pulmonary Rehab and a rather active and progressive ER. The department director is Gary Skiles, RRT.
   
• Protouch Staffing - a staffing agency, they assist with filling positions in IL, CA, KS, MI, NV, NH, OH, OR, PA, & WY.
   
• Colorado Plains Medical Center - a small, 50 bed community based hospital in Fort Morgan, Colorado that offers a lot of potential for RTs, including Pulmonary Rehab and Cardiopulmonary Stress Testing. They are located less than an hour from major Colorado cities and are within two hours of the Rocky Mountains.
   
• HCA Midwest Hospitals - “one-stop” visit to find available job openings at any of the hospitals in Kansas and Missouri that are in the Midwest Division of HCA. These include: Centerpoint Medical Center, Overland Park Regional Medical Center, Research Medical Center, Research-Belton Medical Center, Allen County (KS) Hospital, Lafayette Regional Health Center, Lee’s Summit Hospital, and Menorah Medical Center.
  
  
• BJC HealthCare - another “one-stop” visit to find available job openings at any of the BJC Health Care hospitals. BJC is a well known, quality health care provider in the St. Louis, MO area and in western Illinois. Some of the hospitals they operate include: Barnes-Jewish, Christian Hospital, Missouri Baptist Medical Center, and Boone Hospital Center in Columbia, MO.
   
• BryanLGH Medical Center - one of Nebraska’s premiere hospitals, BryanLGH Medical Center serves the Lincoln, NE area with cutting-edge health care and state of the art facilities.
   
• Truman Medical Centers - find a job at the home of Kansas City’s busiest ER (Hospital Hill campus), or provide service to the residents of the eastern part of the metropolitan area (Lakewood campus).
   
• North Kansas City Hospital - a state-of-the-art and ever growing hospital serving the Kansas City area situated “North of the River,” this 351-bed facility, NKC Hospital is also home to one of the busiest ER's in the Kansas City area. Ranked by the Kansas City Business Journal as the best hospital in the area and as one of the top 50 employers in the Kansas City area.
   
• Liberty Hospital - situated about 20 miles north of Kansas City, Liberty Hospital offers the only Level II trauma center between Kansas City and the Iowa-Missouri state line. Located at Interstate 35 and MO 33 Hwy, this 232-bed facility features a wide range of health care offerings.
   
• Saint Luke's Health System - managing nine (9) hospitals in the Kansas City area, St. Luke’s features some of the most state-of-the-art health care services in the area, including heart transplants and a Level III Nursery. The 629 beds of it’s main facility ranks it as the largest hospital in the Kansas City area.
   
• Heartland Health - the primary health care outlet for residents of extreme northwest Missouri, this St. Joseph, MO based hospital continues to grow and expand it’s services to the residents of it’s service area. The hospital has just undergone a major renovation and expansion, and offers state-of-the-art care in a facility that is as equally state-of-the-art.
   
• Bothwell Regional Health Center - located in Sedalia, Missouri (home of the Missouri State Fair), this 180-bed hospital serves the residents in a five (5) county region of south-central Missouri.
   
• Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics - Kansas City’s exclusive hospital for infants and pediatrics, this nationally recognized hospital features the only Level IV NICU in the KC area, administering nitric oxide therapy and ECMO. Children’s Mercy is also only one of 13 hospitals nationwide to be selected to participate in the National Institute of Health funded Pediatric Pharmacology Research Unit. Additionally, Children’s Mercy features the only research inpatient unit of it’s kind in the nation, providing special care for children participating in various research programs.
   
• Fitzgibbon Hospital - located in Marshall, Missouri, this 60-bed facility offers health care services to the residents of Saline County and surrounding areas. Marshall is situated about 70 miles east of KC and about 10 miles north of Interstate 70.
   
• Carondelet Health - Kansas City and Blue Springs, MO - operating St. Joseph's Hospital in Kansas City and St. Mary’s Hospital in Blue Springs, they have a combined total of 429 licensed beds and 432 long-term care beds. St Joseph’s serves the residents of southern Kansas City, while St. Mary’s serves the residents of extreme eastern Jackson and western Lafayette counties in Missouri.
   
• Lawrence Memorial Hospital - providing the only hospital between KC and Topeka, and operating in the heart of “KU Jayhawk country,” Lawrence Memorial features 173 beds and a recently remodeled facility.
   
• Providence Health - ran by the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, Providence Health oversees the operations of Providence Medical Center in Kansas City, KS, and of St. John Hospital in Leavenworth.
   
• Wesley Medical Center - located in the heart of Wichita, KS (south-central Kansas), this facility is licensed for 760 beds and 102 bassinets. They are a full service trauma and medical facility, also featuring a NICU.
   
• Shawnee Mission Medical Center - a 383-bed facility servicing Johnson County, Kansas, Shawnee Mission Medical Center is undergoing expansion of it’s facilities and services.
   
• Olathe Health System, Inc. - servicing Olathe, KS and Miami County Kansas, these hospitals are rapidly growing and are located in one of the fastest growing areas of Kansas.
   

You can also search for jobs at Kansas Hospitals or Missouri Hospitals by clicking on the appropriate link. Once at the site, you may also change to any state you are interested in to find hospital web sites and check for job openings. Please be aware that some hospitals update their web-posted job openings weekly, while others do so daily. So it pays to keep checking back frequently.

Last Updated: March 4, 2012

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