Publications by authors named "Thomas B Hester"
Article Synopsis
- - The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted a growing shortage of respiratory therapists (RTs), prompting the development of a new role, "respiratory therapist extender" (RTE), to help alleviate this issue with the help of medical students.
- - A training program was created for 25 University of Michigan medical students, which included online and in-person components focused on basic respiratory care and patient management under the supervision of a licensed RT.
- - The first group of trained RTEs was able to start providing patient care within a week, demonstrating the feasibility of quickly preparing medical students for urgent healthcare needs while also emphasizing the importance of ongoing safety monitoring.
