2005 OPEN FORUM Abstracts
AN ESTABLISHED ROLE FOR RESPIRATORY THERAPY IN A TERTIARYLABOUR AND DELIVERY UNIT
1. Craig Campbell BSc., RRCP/RRT Charge Therapist Labour & Delivery
2. Sherri Horner RRCP/RRT Senior Respiratory Therapist, NICU/L& D/OR
3. Greg Kalonomos RRCP/RRT Senior Respiratory Therapist, NICU/L& D
Department of Respiratory Therapy Mount Sinai Hospital 600 University Avenue Toronto, Ontario
M5G 1X5
Ph: 416-586-5009
Fax: 416-586-3177
Mount Sinai Hospital is a university-affiliated teaching hospital and tertiary referral center for high risk obstetrics and neonatology. With today's tremendous strain on housestaff, a need for additional assistance was identified for neonatal resuscitation, anaesthesia assistance in maternal care, and technical expertise for neonatal and maternal resuscitation equipment. In November 1997, a working group of Neonatologists, Anesthesiologists and Respiratory Therapists developed an advanced practice pilot role for Respiratory Therapists in the Labour & Delivery Unit. This in conjunction with a position statement from the Canadian Institute of Child Health and guidelines from the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation reinforced the need for a specialized position in the Labour and Delivery Unit. Respiratory Therapy was the profession uniquely suited to meet these needs. This poster will describe the evolution of and the diverse role Labour and Delivery Respiratory Therapists play in the areas of neonatal care, anaesthesia support, education, research and technical assistance. Data collected during quality assurance audits will be presented, showing a significant reduction of work load for the paediatric housestaff. Their attendance at deliveries with identified risk factors, decreased from 70% to 10% over the audit period.