About this Webinar
This presentation explores the evolving role of the Clinical Respiratory Specialist through the lens of a new graduate respiratory therapist’s third day of orientation. What begins as a planned review of bronchial hygiene, tracheostomy care, mechanical ventilation protocols, policy review, and competency validation quickly evolves into multiple real-world clinical consultations involving advanced ventilator management, airway assessment, tracheostomy planning, ventilator liberation, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Using case-based examples, participants will explore how Clinical Respiratory Specialists maintain advanced bedside expertise while balancing education, onboarding, clinical consultation, quality improvement, protocol implementation, and leadership responsibilities. Through these real-world experiences, attendees will gain insight into how specialists extend the impact of respiratory care beyond individual patient encounters by supporting clinicians, advancing practice, and promoting safe, evidence-based care across the healthcare continuum. The session will also explore emerging opportunities for professional growth, advanced education, and clinical leadership within respiratory care, encouraging participants to consider future pathways for advancing the profession.
Presenter
Danielle Hardy, BSRT, RRT, RRT-ACCS, Clinical Respiratory Specialist at ECU Health Medical Center, Greenville, North Carolina
Seminar Objectives
- Describe the diverse clinical, educational, quality, and leadership responsibilities of the Clinical Respiratory Specialist role in acute and critical care settings.
- Discuss how Clinical Respiratory Specialists support onboarding, competency validation, protocol implementation, and policy adherence.
- Discuss how Clinical Respiratory Specialists apply advanced bedside expertise in ventilator management, airway troubleshooting, tracheostomy planning, and ventilator liberation while supporting staff education and clinical decision-making.
- Examine how advanced clinical, educational, quality, and leadership responsibilities are structured across healthcare disciplines and discuss opportunities for growth within respiratory care.
- Identify professional development opportunities and career pathways that support advancement into respiratory clinical leadership positions.
CRCE
Approved for 1.00 CRCE hours.