Pulmonary Services

St. Luke's Respiratory Care Department provides services to general floor divisions, Medical Surgical ICU, Cardiovascular/Neuro ICU, Emergency Department, Special Care Nursery, Pulmonary Rehab, Pulmonary Function Test Labs, and Hyperbaric and Problem Wound Care.

St. Luke's respiratory therapists are committed to ensuring quality outcomes, following evidence-based practice guidelines, policies and protocols and cross-training in multiple areas throughout the hospital. They also play an integral role in in the Rapid Response Team where they assess patients and provide critical care at the bedside.

In the ICU, respiratory therapists have a hands-on role in ventilator management. The therapists set-up, initiate and maintain invasive and non-invasive ventilation for patients. They also round with the pulmonary physicians and a multidisciplinary team to observe ventilator management and discuss patient conditions.

In the Special Care Nursery, therapists are responsible for setting up oxygen, infant continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), administering surfactant therapy and managing infant ventilators.

The therapists also provide care throughout the hospital divisions. They are actively involved in evaluating, treating and monitoring patients with breathing and cardiopulmonary disorders and consulting with physicians. They also update patient care plans and conduct diagnostic testing at the bedside including measuring lung function.

Patient Education