Tuesday, Nov. 12 Gazette

International influence continues to grow

AARC International Fellows

2019 International Fellows (from left): Yao Tian, Amsa Mairami, Yu-qi Liu, Khalsa Al Siyabi, and ARCF Chair Michael Amato.

The international scope of the AARC Congress has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years and the 2019 meeting has kept that momentum going.

A host of clinicians from other countries made their way to New Orleans this year and they have added immeasurable value to the Congress for everyone in attendance.

We had 36 international participants in this year’s Open Forum alone. These clinicians traveled to our shores to share their original research —

  • Tien-Pei Fang, Puzi City, Taiwan
  • Lin Hui-Ling, Taoyuan, Taiwan
  • Taha Ismaeil, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
  • Abay Adere, Assela, Ethiopia
  • Ching Feng Huang, Singapore
  • Khalid Ansari, Bristol, UK
  • Catherine Kamere, Johannesburg, South Africa
  • Xiao Qian, Fengtai, China
  • Chia-Chen Chu, Taichung, Taiwan
  • Tomomi Ichiba, Tokyo, Japan
  • Tetsuo Miyagawa, Tokyo, Japan
  • Tetsuya Hasegawa, Tokyo, Japan
  • Priscilla Flavia Bogoni, Verona, Italy
  • Simone Gambazza, Milan, Italy
  • Yung-Fang Lin, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
  • Szu-I Yu, Taichung, Taiwan
  • Yu Jen Chang, Taichung, Taiwan
  • Yanling Wang, Beijing, China
  • Elizabeth Rohrs, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
  • Hassan Al Gazwi, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
  • Taha Ismaeil, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
  • Ahmed Al Rajeh, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia
  • Chin-Jung Liu, Taichung, Taiwan
  • Xiaoting Jin, Beijing, China
  • Qian Xiao, Beijing, China
  • Yeong-Ruey Chu, Taichung, Taiwan
  • Che-Jung Chang, New Taipei City, Taiwan
  • Jaber Alqahtani, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
  • Ai-chin Cheng, Tainan, Taiwan
  • Takamitsu Kubo, Shizuoka, Japan
  • Saeed Alghamdi, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
  • Hung-Ju Chen, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
  • Chun-Mei Chiu, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
  • Ahmed Al Hussain, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
  • Jiang Zhizhao, Quanzhou, China
  • Madhuragauri Shevade, Maharashtra, India

The Program featured several International speakers as well. Lluís Blanch MD PhD, from Sabadell, Spain, delivered the 46th Donald F Egan Scientific Memorial Lecture on “Asynchrony — Detection, Clusters and Outcomes” and also addressed the topic, “Physiologic Rationale for Prone Positioning.” Eddy Fan MD PhD, from Toronto, Canada spoke on “Ventilator-Induced Diaphragm Dysfunction: What is the Evidence?” and “Placing Artificial Airways: Endotracheal Tubes and Supraglottic Airways.”

L Felipe Damiani MSc PhDc PT, from Santiago, Chile, covered “Mechanisms of Diaphragm Injury” and “Can Asynchrony Be Detected Automatically?,” and Thomas Piraino RRT, from Toronto, Canada spoke on “Diaphragm Protective Ventilation.” Piraino also took part in the pro/con session, “NIV vs. HFNC for Hypercapnic COPD Exacerbation: NIV is Superior,” arguing the “con” side of the issue.

Our 2019 International Fellows were in the house as well and everyone who got the chance to visit with them will go home with new insights into how respiratory care is practiced in their countries. Thanks to Khalsa Al Siyabi BSc RT, from Oman; Yu-qi Liu MD, from China; Amsa Mairami MBBS FMCPaed, from Nigera; and Yao Tian BS from China, for applying for the program and sharing your programs and practices with all of us here in the U.S.

Last but certainly not least, we want to thank the generous sponsors who make the International Fellowship Program possible every year: AARC House of Delegates, Draeger, the NBRC, and the AARC. 

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International colleagues honored at last night’s reception

2019 Koga Medal Winner Brian Oka

Brian N Oka (holding award) received the 2019 Toshihiko Koga, MD International Medal.

AARC leaders and special guests got together with international attendees at this year’s Congress yesterday evening at the annual International Reception. The event proved to be the perfect place to honor all of those who traveled to our shores for our meeting, including our 2019 International Fellows, Khalsa Al Siyabi BSc RT, from Oman; Yu-qi Liu MD, from China; Amsa Mairami MBBS FMCPaed, from Nigeria; and Yao Tian BS, from China. The reception also saw the presentation of the 2019 Toshihiko Koga, MD International Medal, which went to Brian N Oka RRT RRT-NPS FAARC for his work on behalf of the Hawaii Society and AARC. Oka has been a tireless supporter of our profession on the world stage and he clearly represents the spirit of Dr. Koga and the Koga Medal.

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Respiratory Care Education Annual call for papers

The AARC will publish Volume 29 of the Respiratory Care Education Annual (ISSN 2372-0735) in the fall of 2020. This refereed journal is committed to providing a forum for research and theory in respiratory care education and is listed in the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature and Ulrich’s Periodical Database.

The AARC Education Section invites educators to submit papers for consideration. Preference will be given to papers that emphasize original research, applied research, or evaluation of an educational method. Other topics that may be considered include interpretive reviews of literature, educational case studies, and point-of-view essays. Submissions will be reviewed based on originality, significance and contribution, soundness of scholarship (design, instrumentation, data analysis), generalizability to the education community, and overall quality of the paper.

Papers should be approximately 6–10 pages in length and must follow the guidelines as established by Respiratory Care. Abstracts should not exceed 250 words. General guidelines for the manuscript as well as guidelines for preparing the manuscript, text formatting, and reference formatting are available online.

For more information, contact Dr. Kathy Myers Moss, editor, at mossk@health.missouri.edu or Dr. Shawna Strickland at (972) 243-2272 or strickland@aarc.org. Please send all manuscripts to the Editorial Board via the Respiratory Care Education Annual manuscript submission form.

The annual call for papers will also be published in the AARConnect Education Specialty Section community and in AARC Times.

The 2020 submission deadline for the Respiratory Care Education Annual is Feb. 24, 2020.

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No One Can Stop You But You

Walter Bond addressed RTs wanting to become the best they can be.

Former NBA player and team building speaker Walter Bond wowed the audience at this year’s Closing Ceremony with his inspiring talk on the road that led him from the NBA to business success and how the lessons he learned can help RTs reach their full potential as well.

The presentation addressed key concepts like mindset, habits, rituals, teamwork, accountability, and more, with personalized messages for respiratory therapists who want to become the best RTs they can be for their organizations, and most importantly, for their patients.

Walter Bond grew up in Chicago and dreamed of becoming an NBA athlete. Despite injuries and other challenges, he rose from reserve player status to become the first rookie free agent to start for the Dallas Mavericks. His astonishing journey provided the foundation for the powerful principles he teaches today.

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2020 Open Forum abstracts due June 1, 2020

The Open Forum at AARC Congress 2019 featured a wealth of targeted research for respiratory therapists, and if this year’s Forum has got you thinking about conducting a study of your own next year, now is the time to make your plans and pay attention to the deadlines. All 2020 Open Forum abstracts must be submitted by June 1, 2020. Looking for someone who can help you get started? Check out the Research Community on AARConnect. You’ll find plenty of folks you can reach out to for assistance. For more information about the Open Forum, visit rcjournal.com.

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Summer Forum heads to Snowbird, UT

Our 2020 Summer Forum will be in a brand new location for the AARC next July 13–15 (Mon.–Wed.) — beautiful Snowbird, UT.

Best known as a winter ski resort, Snowbird has a wealth of activities to offer the summer visitor as well. You and your family can do everything from ride an Alpine Slide or Mountain Coaster to test your ninja skills on the Woodward WreckTangle obstacle challenge.

More traditional outdoor activities abound too — whether your thing is fishing, hiking, or just relaxing by the pool at the Cliff Lodge resort where the meeting will take place, you’ll find it in Snowbird.

Book some extra days around the Forum too and head out to explore greater Utah while you are there — with five national parks and a score of other national wonders, you will find amazing adventures everywhere you turn.

So make plans now to attend our mid-year meeting for managers and educators in respiratory care!

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Orlando is up next!

The 2020 AARC Congress will take place in one of the best places on earth for family fun — Orlando, FL.

With Walt Disney World Resort, SeaWorld Orlando, Universal Orlando Resort, and LEGOLAND Florida Resort, there is no end to the entertainment possibilities for young and old alike. No wonder the city has earned the title, “Theme Park Capital of the World”!

But Orlando has plenty to offer the adults-only crowd as well. Indeed, just steps away from the convention center you’ll find everything from trendy outdoor lounges to live venues. According to wallethub.com, Orlando has the most nightlife establishments per 100,000 residents than any other city.

As if that wasn’t enough, many of the parks have options for grownups too. Universal Citywalk is a great entertainment complex with everything from quick snacks to fine dining and concert venues. Disney Springs provides visitors with four distinct neighborhoods to explore — The Landing, Marketplace, West Side, and Town Center — and they all have unique characteristics making them worthy of an evening on the town.

So save the dates — Nov. 14–17 (Sat.–Tues.) — and plan to join us for AARC Congress 2020!

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Let the planning begin!

Congress-goers will have only just arrived home from New Orleans before the AARC Program Committee begins planning for AARC Congress 2020 in Orlando. They need your help! RFPs for topics and speakers at next year’s meeting are being accepted now through Dec. 16. So think about what you heard this week and what you want to hear Nov. 14–17, 2020, then submit your requests via our “RFP 2.0” application process on AARC.org.

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Top honors go to these Sputum Bowl® teams

The Championship team from Colorado.

The competition at the 2019 Sputum Bowl was fierce but in the end, these teams came out on top —

First place: Colorado
Second place: California

Congratulations must go out to all the teams that competed this year, though, as they are all winners for just making it to the national competition!

The Sputum Bowl® was sponsored by Medtronic.

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Attendees walk away with big prizes

Congress Attendees gather for the prize drawings.

Congress-goers flocked to the AARC Booth on Monday afternoon to get in the running for some great prizes. Here are the names of the lucky winners and the prizes they took home from New Orleans —

  • Complimentary AARC Congress 2019 Registration: Abigail Howe
  • Complimentary Summer Forum Registration: Nada Pavlovski
  • One Year Digital AARC Membership: Carrie Meenan
  • Apple iPad: Kelly McDermott
  • Apple Watch: Gaye Coker
  • Amazon Fire Package: Keith Hirst
  • Amazon Echo: Kathleen Lester Ross
  • Amazon Echo Dot: Jan Arrasmith
  • Fit Bit: Brian Williams

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Thank you official sponsors!

The AARC Congress would not be the rich and varied experience it is without the generous support of our sponsors. So let’s all give a big shout out to our friends in respiratory care industry who have stepped up to back our meeting this year —

  • Boehringer Ingelheim
  • Mercer
  • Nihon Kohden
  • The FACES Foundation
  • Academy for Continued Healthcare Learning
  • Ventec
  • Monaghan Medical
  • Mylan Pharmaceuticals
  • AstraZeneca
  • Teleflex
  • Getinge
  • Nova Biomedical
  • Draeger
  • Fisher & Paykel
  • Avanos
  • Medtronic
  • Hill-Rom
  • ResMed
  • GE
  • International Biomedical

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And now, for our Best of Show winners!

The Exhibit Hall was filled with fantastic booths this year, but when the final votes were cast on the AARC Mobile app, these 6 were deemed “Best in Show.”

Over 200 Square Feet 

Best in Show — Hamilton Medical
2nd Place (tie) — Aerogen/Vapotherm and Monaghan Medical

200 Square Feet & Under
Best in Show — Monaghan Medical
2nd Place — Flexicare
3rd Place — Cross Country Allied

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