Respiratory Care Week was instituted by former President Ronald Reagan in November
1982 to honor dedicated, highly-qualified respiratory therapists in the health care
field. Observed this year during October 25-31, 2020, the Respiratory Care program
of Coahoma Community College is taking the opportunity to recognize its graduates
employed in the field and on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic.
“Millions of people across the world with respiratory conditions such as asthma, COPD,
cystic fibrosis and emphysema, to name a few, are consistently threatened with the
imminent fear of not being able to breathe. For those individuals, respiratory therapists
have quietly been life savers,” says Dr. Willie Lockett, director of Coahoma’s Respiratory
Care program.
“However, this year more than ever, respiratory therapists deserve recognition. Since
the insurgence of the Covid-19 pandemic, respiratory therapists’ life-saving work
has been thrusted into the forefront of healthcare. Many patients diagnosed with Covid-19
have or will require some form of mechanical ventilator, which is at the essence of
respiratory therapists' daily duties.”
The apt theme attached to Respiratory Care Week 2020 is “Together We Save Lives.”
Respiratory therapists have an integral role on healthcare teams, contributing largely
to patients’ confidence in the ability to breathe.
Lockett says that this year’s theme could not be more appropriate in honoring respiratory
therapists worldwide.
Along with informative social media postings focused on alumni, Dr. Aman Munir, a
local pulmonologist and sleep medicine physician, will help bring awareness to COPD
(Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) with a radio interview on WCQC 91.3 FM, the
College’s radio station. A current sophomore of the Respiratory Care program will
discuss her experience in the program, and an alumna is set to emphasize the program’s
contributions to her career in other segments. Dr. Lockett also plans to highlight
the rewarding benefits of the Respiratory Care program in a separate interview.
Being that the Bureau of Labor and Statistics has projected a growth of 19 percent
in the career field from 2019 to 2029, a rate that’s much faster than all other occupations,
Lockett encourages prospective students interested in the healthcare field to explore
the area of respiratory care.
The uncertainty of whether or not you will take your next breath is terrifying, Lockett
added.
Students may begin applying to Coahoma Community College’s Respiratory Care program
in mid-January. The application period closes in mid-May.
For admission guidelines, visit: http://www.coahomacc.edu/programs-of-study/health-sciences/respiratory-care/admission-guidelines/index
For more information, contact Wendy Harris at (662) 621-4687.