From our humble beginnings as tank jockeys after World War II to presently employed in hospitals as a key member of the cardiac response team (ex. Code Blue and Code Pink) and in the Emergency Department (ED), Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Operating Room (OR) and discharge planning, the Respiratory Therapy profession has evolved immensely.  In addition, RRTs work with chronic care patients who have tracheotomies, patients requiring CPAP/BiPAPO, and they support by educating patients and their families in order to assist the transition home safely and efficiently. 

In the community Respiratory Therapists are involved in discharge planning, home ventilation, oxygen implementation and therapy all the while monitoring and supporting patients in their homes to keep them safe and adding to their quality of life.

However, RRTs are an impressive and resourceful group who have branched into many other professional facets expanding our professional recognition and pride when working in areas such as Quality Improvement, education, government relations, Health Information, research, pharmaceuticals, entrepreneurship, and administration.

Follow along with the RTSO as we “Breathe Easy and Celebrate 50 Golden Years of Advocacy” to highlight this unbelievable milestone in Respiratory Therapy.  We will delve into the archives to discover how the RTSO came to be, connect with the present and forecast the model of our future as Respiratory Therapists and celebrate our achievements and advocacy over the past 50 years.