International Fellowship Award
Program
Summary Reports
The reason why I wanted to participate in the International
Fellowship Award Program could be a good beginning for this summary
Since a long time ago I had been asking myself about
how respiratory therapy is being taught and practiced in the country
where it reaches its highest development. Therefore I applied two times
(1999 & 2001), without reaching my goal. In 2004 I sent my papers
as my last chance to get involved, and I received the wonderful news
of being selected to participate in such an important program.
The host cities were Miami, Florida, and Omaha, and Lincoln,
Nebraska. During my days in the program, I had the chance to visit 9
hospitals and 2 colleges.
First city: Miami.
In Miami I had the chance to visit only one hospital.
It was very good, because I could deeply analyze how the American respiratory
therapists work in a full working day. I saw unusual practices for me
such as Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and Hemodynamic Monitoring performed
by RT´s.
Miami is a "very Latin" city, and there I met
with many Cuban-American therapists that helped me a lot with the language.
My reception breakfast was warm and crowded indeed. As well as, on the
previous day of Thanksgiving Day, I had the chance to share a delicious
lunch with my colleagues. I ate some typical dishes as smashed sweet
potatoes mixed with cinnamon and honey, and pumpkin pie, both very uncommon
to the Argentinean taste.
In the Dade College I could see how respiratory therapy
is taught in the USA. Students learn with an active participation during
the lessons and they have an intense practice training in fully equipped
laboratories. I realized that they have more ventilators in the Lab
than my hospital’s ICU. Moreover they have a human simulator that
can simulate a lot of pathological scenarios. I particularly think that
those ways of teaching are the most remarkable differences compared
with our teaching possibilities.
Second cities: Omaha and Lincoln.
My experience in this cities was quite different than
in Miami, because there were no Latins living there, but I was given
a warm welcome from the persons that were waiting for me, making those
days something I will never forget. On the other hand, the activities
turned more intense and varied, and cold weather increased (plus snow).
In fact, between Omaha and Lincoln, I visited 8 hospitals
in 4 days! (What a schedule!), so that , I had the opportunity to see
lots of Respiratory Therapy Departments, Sleep Labs, Pulmonary Function
Labs, ICU, PICU NICU and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programs. However
what amazed me more, were the organization of the RT departments and
the huge amount of equipment they use to work with.
The Nebraska Society for Respiratory Care gave me a nice
reception dinner where I spoke about respiratory therapy in my hospital
and Argentina. After that the president of the NSRC gave me, as a present,
a pictorial book about Nebraska and a "Corn Huskers" stocking
hat, that was very useful in order to protect my bald head from the
freezing weather.
On my last day I visited the Methodist College where
I spoke again about R T in my country, but also answered questions from
students and professors. Nice experience, indeed!
In Conclusion.
The program was very helpful, and in our hospital it will first impact
on our young residents’ way of learning. Through the revision
and modification of the educational program, we will try to emphasize
more on the practice topics of this profession.
In my hospital we practice Respiratory Therapy in a similar way as
the American one, because our department was created long time ago following
the American model. Anyway, the difference between both kinds of hospitals
is the huge amount of equipment available in the USA. The problem here,
in Argentina, is not about knowledge, it is about the lack of equipment
and resources.
This experience will also be helpful as a motivation to continue with
the growing of respiratory therapy education in Argentina, which has
been going on for many years.
The International Fellowship Award Program had, as I consider, the
perfect balance between intensity and variety, and I wouldn’t
change or add anything. The International Respiratory Congress, with
its ceremonies and receptions, completed the program, giving it the
perfect ending that no one will ever forget for many years.
Finally I would like to thank again to all the persons that make possible
this dream come true: AARC, ARCF, International Committee, my host in
Miami, Mikki Thompsom, my host in Omaha, Jane Matsui; and all the Nebraska
Society For Respiratory Care.
Sincerely,
Horacio Abbona PT
AARC International Fellow 2004
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