A leader in respiratory care education for more than 35 years, this comprehensive textbook lays a strong foundation for a successful career. You'll gain a thorough understanding of the role of respiratory therapists (RTs), a scientific basis for treatment, and clinical applications. In-depth discussions progress from the principles of respiratory care to applied anatomy and physiology, assessment, discussion of specific respiratory illnesses, basic therapy, acute and critical care, and preventive and long-term care. Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) and Therapist Driven Protocols (TDPs) in appropriate chapters familiarize you with patient care guidelines and decision trees as they are used in practice.

• A full-color format makes the text easier to read and brings out key detail in the illustrations.
• Mini-Clinis provide short vignettes applying content in the text to actual patient care, asking you to think critically on problems you may encounter.
• Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) cover the steps of patient care with important information on indications/contraindications, hazards and complications, assessment of need, assessment of outcome, and monitoring.
• Therapist-Driven Protocols (TDPs) provide decision trees developed by hospitals, helping you to assess patients, initiate care, and evaluate outcomes.
• Rules of Thumb highlights rules, formulas, and key points important to clinical practice.
• Measurable Learning Objectives parallel the areas tested by the NBRC exam, helping you identify important information that goes beyond memorization and recall.
• Key Point summaries in bulleted format help you clearly identify key concepts covered in each chapter.
• A Workbook includes a wide range of activities such as NBRC-type multiple-choice questions, case studies, experiments, and hands-on activities, allowing you to apply the knowledge you've gained from the text.

I. Foundations of Respiratory Care

1. History of Respiratory Care NEW!

2. Quality and Evidence-Based Respiratory Care

3. Patient Safety, Communication and Recordkeeping

4. Principles of Infection Control

5. Ethical and Legal Implications of Practice

6. Physical Principles of Respiratory Care

7. Computer Applications in Respiratory Care

II. Applied Anatomy and Physiology

8. The Respiratory System

9. The Cardiovascular System

10. Ventilation

11. Gas Exchange and Transport

12. Solutions, Body Fluids, and Electrolytes

13. Acid-Base Balance

14. Regulation of Breathing

III. Assessment of Respiratory Disorders

15. Bedside Assessment of the Patient

16. Interpretation of Clinical Laboratory Data

17. Interpreting the Electrocardiogram

18. Analysis and Monitoring of Gas Exchange

19. Pulmonary Function Testing

20. A Review of Thoracic Imaging

21. Nutrition Assessment

IV. Review of Cardiopulmonary Disease

22. Pulmonary Infections

23. Obstructive Lung Disease: COPD, Asthma, and Related Diseases

24. Interstitial Lung Disease

25. Pleural Diseases

26. Pulmonary Vascular Disease

27. Acute Lung Injury, Pulmonary Edema and Multiple System Organ Failure

28. Lung Cancer

29. Neuromuscular and Other Diseases of the Chest Wall

30. Disorders of Sleep

31. Neonatal and Pediatric Respiratory Disorders

V. Basic Therapeutics

32. Airway Pharmacology

33. Airway Management

34. Emergency Cardiovascular Life Support

35. Humidity and Bland Aerosol Therapy

36. Aerosol Drug Therapy

37. Storage and Delivery of Medical Gases

38. Medical Gas Therapy

39. Lung Expansion Therapy

40. Bronchial Hygiene Therapy

VI. Acute and Critical Care

41. Respiratory Failure and the Need for Ventilatory Support

42. Mechanical Ventilators

43. Physiology of Ventilatory Support

44. Initiating and Adjusting Ventilatory Support

45. Noninvasive Positive Pressure Ventilation

46. Monitoring and Management of the Patient in the Intensive Care Unit

47. Discontinuing Ventilatory Support

48. Neonatal and Pediatric Respiratory Care

VII. Preventative and Long-Term Care

49. Patient Education and Health Promotion

50. Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation

51. Respiratory Care in Alternative Settings

Appendix 1: NBRC Matrix Cross Reference

Appendix 2: Temperature Correction of Barometric Reading

Appendix 3: Factors to Convert Gas Volumes from ATPS to STPD

Appendix 4: Factors to Convert Gas Volumes from STPD to BTPS at Given Barometric Pressures

Appendix 5: Table of Normal Values

Glossary

By Robert L. Wilkins, PhD, RRT, FAARC, Chair and Professor, Department of Respiratory Care, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX; James K. Stoller, MD, MS, Professor of Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine; Vice Chairman of Medicine, Executive Director, Leadership Development, and Head, Section of Respiratory Therapy, Department of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH; and Robert M. Kacmarek, PhD, RRT, FAARC, Professor of Anesthesiology, Harvard Medical School; Director, Respiratory Care, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA