Louisiana Society for Respiratory Care

1. Louisiana Society for Respiratory Care Hospital of the Year Award… How it encourages Best Practices Shantelle Graves, BS, RRT LSRC Vice President

2. Most states have well known hospitals that does “it all”…Most respiratory therapy departments have a couple of star therapists…But what happens when that therapist is not on shift or the patient is not at “that hospital”

3. What is the HOTY award? • The Hospital of the Year award is an award that was designed to increase… • AARC membership • RRT credential • competency levels amongst RTs • Specialized credentials & certifications • critical thinking by therapists • services offered by the respiratory departments • ABG lab proficiency & management • Working conditions for therapists • Teamwork between other healthcare professionals

4. What is the goal here? • To encourage best practice amongst the entire state • To have more patients in Louisiana get quality treatment using best practices at more hospitals • To advance competency levels and increase knowledge base amongst all respiratory therapists, not just a select few

5. How did we get started? • The application was placed on the LSRC website, and all chapter presidents across the state informed their area hospitals of the opportunity. • Two committees formed (submission and the panel) • The application were submitted to the submission committee, and ALL identifying information was removed, and the application was sent to the panel.

6. The Decision – trying to be objective • The panel looked at all nine categories, and ranked each applicant accordingly • Categories were weighted based on importance • Winner was determined by each panel member (decision was unanimous) • Awards presented at the LSRC state conference • Advertised award in newspaper & AARC Times

8. Award Winners of 2009 • >200 bed facility • 100% AARC membership • Many TDP with decision making ability • 2 CAP inspectors on staff • 93% retention rate • 94% ACLS and 45% PALS certified • 100% competent in advanced procedures • <200 bed facility • 87% RRT credential • 83% AARC membership • Process for paid continuing education • 100% ACLS certified • 100% competent in advanced procedures

9. How has this Award affected the Respiratory Therapy practice in Louisiana? • It has provided a competitive nature between RT departments • It has involved the Medical Director, CEO, and nursing administration • It has increased the pressure on RT managers • Given Louisiana RT departments well deserved recognition

10. How does this award encourage best practices? • RT managers/directors like to have departmental recognition because • The value of the department is increased • Increases job security • Better hospital/department reputation • Minimizes staffing shortages • RT managers must demonstrate best practices within the department to compete

11. What were the outcomes? • Respiratory Therapy recognition • Managers & Respiratory Therapists being held accountable • Manager Breakout Session at LSRC meeting • 28 Managers/Directors attended • Pharmacists position on TDP • Evaluating misallocated therapy • Evaluation of staffing level for minimal needs (therapist: bed ratio)

12. Future Plans • In this world of threatened healthcare, we want to demonstrate the value of a respiratory therapist, and how therapists can benefit patients and hospitals. • We want physicians, patients, nurses, etc to ask for the respiratory therapists’ opinion. • “Magnet” status has been thought of…???

13. We want them to believe that… We are Respiratory Therapists And they would be blue without us