“Every day brings new challenges where my skills get put to good use. The decisions we make as an RT can drastically improve the status of a patient. I have no regrets with my career decision and think if you’re passionate, driven, kind and enjoy working with others you’d be a perfect fit as a respiratory therapist.

I discovered this profession while searching for career choices at U of M. Because I had asthma as a kid, I felt like I could connect and empathize with patients as a respiratory therapist knowing first-hand how vital the role is in the healthcare system.  The decisions we make as an RT can drastically improve the status of a patient.

There’s no such thing as a “typical day” as an RT. The role is very dynamic and broad in its scope. Every day brings new challenges where my skills get put to good use like providing respiratory treatments, intubation, extubating, assistance in children’s emergency, with capillary blood treatments and resuscitating.

I have no regrets with my career decision and think if you’re passionate, driven, kind and enjoy working with others you’d be a perfect fit as a respiratory therapist.”

“The work of respiratory therapists is really dynamic, and no two days are the same. The diversity of what we are able to do in this role is something I’ve always found exciting.

I primarily work in critical care, on the wards and in the emergency department. I work with any patients who are having difficulty breathing or are not able to breathe on their own, supporting breathing treatments, conducting a number of diagnostic tests or procedures, and managing the ventilator if that’s the level of support they need.

I am a small part of the larger team supporting patient care team, working alongside all the other disciplines and specialties that are essential to the care of some of Manitoba’s sickest patients.

The work of respiratory therapists is really dynamic, and no two days are the same. The diversity of what we are able to do in this role is something I’ve always found exciting.

If you’re looking for a dynamic role that’s exciting and you’re passionate about patient care, then this role is great for you.”

“I became a respiratory therapist 9 years ago after reading about the profession in an article about Children’s Hospital. I wanted to make difference, especially in young patients lives.

No two days are the same for us. Every patient interaction is different. It doesn’t feel like a job, every day I wake up and I’m excited to just go and see people.

We are always the advocate for the patients. I feel lucky in my role because I have the opportunity to listen to patients and help them get through the day. It’s a gift we’re able to give our patients on top of helping them to breath better.

We do a lot of diagnostic testing to help the respirologist figure out what kind of disease process the patient may have. As a respiratory therapist we are at the beginning of the treatment process.  There are lots of ways that we can help patients including managing patients on ventilators when they’re at their sickest moments and help them heal.

When you have a family member that’s critically sick, we’re able to develop a strong relationship, and help guide them through the process. If you really wanted to make a difference in people’s live respiratory therapy is the perfect profession.  It’s fulfilling enriching. You’re always learning and connecting with people.”

“As an advanced practitioner in this field you will have acquired a lot more skills in your “skill bag.” As compared to a general duty RT. Our training is high, and as an advanced practitioner that means we are responsible for utilizing many of our skills to help patients in times of need. It can be a high stress environment, but with our scope of knowledge and training – we’re prepared for anything.

As a member of the interfacility transport team, we transport patients between shared health facilities within the province of Manitoba and some outside the province. We see a variety of patients with varying degrees of health concerns that need RT support on transport from acute and stable care patients to emergency situations requiring immediate action. Being an RT offers a lot of variability based on patient conditions. We can manage everything from IV drug infusions, chest tubes, various types of catheters, managing the ventilator and monitoring patient vitals. Our scope of knowledge and training equip us to manage nearly anything while working in tight spaces with lots of unique equipment and unique challenges.

I feel very privileged to be a part of my team. It’s a very unique to our profession. I believe we’re one of the only RT based critical care transport team in probably north America. It’s a great place to work with many avenues and endless possibilities. There’s something for everybody.”

“I work at the Children’s hospital with the pediatric and neonatal intensive care unit as well as labour and delivery. I’ve always been passionate about health care and intrigued by this profession because it wasn’t well known. Working with complex equipment like mechanical ventilators and utilizing them in the field was interesting to me and recognizing how important they can be when someone needs help breathing.

I love how being a respiratory therapists allows me time to see patients throughout their healing journey. The best part of our work as RTs has to be the success stories and our ability to witness the resiliency (in my work) of kids.

Working as an RT means a lot of teamwork and communication. It’s so important to use those skills while working with doctors, nurses and other allied health professionals. For example, getting the care just right for a tiny baby requires a lot of team work to make sure we’re giving the best care.

I think if you’re interested in becoming a respiratory therapist – go for it!

The educational content, and hands on teaching experience is something I loved. If you like teamwork, building trust with others and learning with other supportive team members to help expand your knowledge, then respiratory therapy is right for you.”

“I’ve worked my entire career in HSC Children’s Hospital, first in neonatal pediatrics and then with transport. I was inspired by my mother who was a nurse, and also a family friend who was a Respiratory Therapist who recommended the profession. I was drawn to the obscurity of the allied health position and thought it sounded interesting.

It’s a broad field where you can move into many different areas of practice like Neonatal pediatrics, Critical Care, Acute Care, Chronic Care, Home Care and Long-Term Care. As a Respiratory Therapist you learn to be adaptable to different clinical situations while working in a collaborative environment alongside other Allied Health professionals, Physicians and Nurses.

My career has now led me to the Child health transport team where we bring the ICU environment to remote areas via ground, fixed wing and helicopter transport along with other advanced practitioners. In this environment you have to build great trust with the other advanced practitioners because you rely heavily on one another to bring that patient home safely.

If you’re nimble, adaptable, and a good problem solver I think you’d be a good fit or Respiratory Therapy. The leadership team is great at HSC.”