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thedrifter
05-03-03, 07:56 AM
Comfort Respiratory Technicians Give Breath of Life
Story Number: NNS030501-04
Release Date: 5/1/2003 10:45:00 AM


By Journalist Seaman Erica Mater, USNS Comfort Public Affairs

ABOARD USNS COMFORT, At Sea (NNS) -- Aboard USNS Comfort (T-AH 20), every department has worked extremely hard to accomplish their mission during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The Respiratory Technicians (RT) department is no different. They have gone above and beyond to help the Comfort team save lives. Without the RTs, our critically injured patients would not be able to breathe.

RTs focus on airway management for patients who need help breathing. They are also responsible for mechanical ventilation, and maintenance of all ventilators and RT equipment. They make sure patients are given adequate oxygen and ventilation, and help make the patients as comfortable as possible.

From the time the patient is put on a breathing machine, until the time they are taken off, the RTs are there. Along with daily assessments, RTs are constantly involved with the patient’s care.

Just like the other departments aboard Comfort, Operation Iraqi Freedom has been a learning experience for the RTs.

With only nine RTs and two general corpsmen, most of the RT department has never dealt with the type of patients they have been seeing.

“You would never find this kind of activity or this many people on a ventilator at once in any other hospital in the States,” said Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Eric Agnew, leading petty officer for the RT department. “Not many of us have had this kind of experience. This has definitely been a learning experience for us.”

The burn intensive care unit is where most of the patients on ventilators have been. The RTs were not expecting to see as many burn patients with extensive burns as they have seen.

“I have never worked with burn patients before,” said Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Robert Glass. “It can be insanity at times, but we still get the job done.”

Sempers,

Roger