We've Got That Tingly Feeling

Do you still get tingles when you think about who you are, and what you get to do? I do. All the time. So much so that I actually get giddy - not very masculine, I know. But hey: You. I. We get to make a difference in people's lives. Cowabunga!

If we view what we do as more than a just job, but as a career . . . perhaps even as a (insert superhero music here) Calling, it can change our whole perspective. Yup, the whole enchilada. We are no longer "just respiratory", but a viable part of the medical team.

Don't laugh. Please. But think about showing a person how to use an inhaler. Yes, it can feel mundane. It is yet another thing to do in a long line of things to do. Oh, and we're never, ever appreciated for it. But what if! What if we use that opportunity to not only ensure a patient knows (for the first time in their life) how to get that aerosol deep into their airways, but talk about lifestyle choices and disease processes? What if we create an "ahah!" moment for that patient that leaves them pondering their choices long after we've clocked out and gone home?

I'm not saying every moment will be filled with splendor, but that every moment we give should be given fully. We're professionals. We're Respiratory Therapists. We are passionate about what we do.