Nothing Else Matters if You Can't Breathe

That's the name of the continuing education course that I took this past weekend. It was a REALLY great course, dealing with the cariopulmonary aspects of physical therapy, with an emphasis on the pulmonary. We covered breathing problems, breathing exercises, airway clearance, postural drainage, reruiting different muscles for specific types of breathing, and a whole host of other things. It was really great.

I think the best thing about the class was that I left feeling like I could walk into work the next day and immediately put this stuff into use. It reminded me about things that I learned so recently in school, it taught me new ideas and techniques.

I see so many patients with COPD, and with cardiac problems, I see so many patients on the ventilator, or who have recently gotten off of the ventilator. It was extremely relevant and I'm glad I took it. Because the title really is true, if you can't breathe nothing else matters. You can find cardiopulmonary problems or potential problems in every single patient you see, musculoskeletal patients, neuro patients, burn patients, the works. It's all affected. I can't get a patient up if they can't breathe. If their Oxygen levels are low or they're having trouble with breathing or heartrate or bothe, my treatment for the day is scrapped. And then the patient l;ays in bed another day, and likely another and another. I really felt that the class gave me some of the tools to help patients to breathe easier, to help strengthen breathing and breathing muscles, relaxation techniques, and aorway clearance techniques so that I can get more out of them or even just get them to feel better.

YAY for continuing education! It was fun being "in school" again, and I love the fact that I am required to keep learning in order to keep my license. It's such a great thing to keep learning and growing. And as a first class, I think I picked a good one. :)
Yet another reason why I love being a PT. :)

And now, off to watercolors class. Have a good evening all! :)