A Pre-Pandemic Evaluation of the State of Staffing and Future of the Respiratory Care Profession: Perceptions of Louisiana Respiratory Therapists.

Background: Workforce development for the respiratory therapy (RT) profession is a growing concern. Upcoming staffing difficulties are expected due to retirement, attrition from the profession, and decreased enrollment in accredited RT programs nationwide. This study assessed respiratory therapists' perceptions of staffing needs and future trajectory of the RT profession.

High School Student Driving Perceptions Following Participation in a Distracted Driving Curriculum.

Distracted driving is a major public health issue in the United States. In response to requests from high school students participating in a university-based initiative, the authors describe the collaborative development and implementation of a curriculum designed to address distracted driving behaviors among students in four high-needs school districts in the northeastern United States. The curriculum integrates current statistics on distracted and drowsy driving and three interactive learning stations: driving while distracted, walking while distracted, and driving while drowsy.

The Future of Respiratory Care: Results of a New York State Survey of Respiratory Therapists.

Background: In the current health-care environment, respiratory care may need to make significant changes to academic preparation and clinical practice. The purpose of this research was to assess current needs of respiratory therapists (RTs) in New York State and to understand how RTs perceive their future clinical and academic roles.

Methods: This study employed a descriptive, cross-sectional non-experimental design.