Simi Institute for Careers & Education | Evaluated Learning Experience
Airway Management and Therapy RC 208
100 hours (10 weeks).
January 2015 - Present.
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to: explain how to assess the need for oxygen therapy; identify and examine precautions and complications associated with oxygen therapy; describe the characteristics, storage, distribution, and regulation of medical gases; calculate when to humidify and warm inspired gas; compare how various types of humidifiers and large volume aerosol generators work; argue the need for lung expansion therapy; outline how lung expansion therapy works; list the indications, hazards, and complications that are associated with the various modes of lung expansion therapy; summarize the need for and the selection of an artificial airway; discuss the complications and hazards that are associated with artificial airways; safely perform endotracheal and nasotracheal suctioning; summarize the goals, indications, and methods of needs assessment for bronchial hygiene therapy; and successfully demonstrate the skills required to earn an Advanced Life Support Certification.
The course provides students with knowledge of medical gas delivery to respiratory patients and provides discussion of physiology of the airways from the nares to the terminal bronchi. The course gives respiratory students information regarding methods to bypass the natural airways and supply oxygen to patients’ bodies and remove carbon dioxide. The course also covers ways to deliver medication to patients through direct interaction with the lungs. Major topics include: physiology of the natural airway, detailed description of artificial airways and their placement in the patient's body, regulation of humidity in natural and artificial airways, delivery of medication to the patient using the airways, medical gases and their safe handling, techniques to provide lung expansion and airway clearance to patients, and advanced cardiac life support certification. Methods of instruction include: lecture, exams, discussion, classroom exercises, laboratory exercises, audio/visual presentations, and computer interaction.
In the lower division baccalaureate/associate degree category, 4 semester hours in Respiratory Care (4/17) (4/22 revalidation).
