Living Our Mission : Elevating Respiratory Therapy in 2022
This past year , as the country faced a surge in respiratory illnesses , Children ’ s Hospital Colorado respiratory therapists stepped up to the challenge , embodying the organization ’ s core values : humble expertise , boundless creativity , generous service and caring community . The following stories highlight the team members who brought these values to life — and the challenges they faced along the way .
Humble expertise
During the respiratory surge that began at the end of August 2022 , team members in Respiratory Care were faced with fewer staff , supplies and equipment than normal — all while patient numbers skyrocketed .
In response to such shortages , leaders joined their staff members on the front lines . “ All leadership was embedded in clinical care ,” says interim clinical manager Meliza Alvarez , BS , RRT-NPS , AE-C . “ We would come in , identify areas where we were needed , then go scrub up .”
Alvarez was joined by other leaders , including interim director Noel Moreno , PhD , MSRT , RRT , RPFT . Returning to a clinical role was humbling for Alvarez and Moreno . Not only did they have a chance to practice their own leadership guidelines in action , but they had an opportunity to understand , firsthand , the impact of the surge on both patients and team members .
Joining their team in patient care areas also allowed leaders like Alvarez to witness Children ’ s Colorado ’ s values playing out in real time . Within professional scope of practice , nurses and respiratory therapists found new ways to partner in the shared goal of delivering timely and effective care for children .
MELIZA ALVAREZ , BS , RRT-NPS , AE-C
Interim Clinical Manager at Respiratory Care , Children ’ s Hospital Colorado , Anschutz Medical Campus
MELISSA L . CHAPUT , BS , RRT
Clinical Manager Respiratory Therapy , Children ’ s Hospital Colorado , Colorado Springs
NOEL MORENO , PhD , MSRT , RRT , RPFT
Interim Director , Respiratory Care , Children ’ s Hospital Colorado , Anschutz Medical Campus
24 2022 PCS Annual Report