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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.

• New History of Respiratory Care chapter describes the evolution and challenges of this profession.
• Updated content reflects changes in the field, with additions to the text including:
• More coverage of evidence-based care
• Information on HIPAA
• A discussion of computer applications in a health care setting
• An emphasis on how nutrition impacts the respiratory system
• The role of the respiratory therapist in disease management is discussed in the Cardiopulmonary Diseases section.
• A new appendix cross-references the NBRC examination matrices for the CRT and RRT to content in the book, making it easier to prepare for the NBRC exams.
• New editor Robert Kacmarek, a well-known figure in respiratory care, has joined Robert Wilkins and James Stoller.