I. Overview of the Specialty

Respiratory therapy is an important branch of modern clinical medicine, focusing on the assessment, treatment, rehabilitation,critical care respiratory support for respiratory system diseases. The Respiratory Therapy Clinic of the First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China integrates multidisciplinary resources from the Department of RespiratoryCritical Care Medicine, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Emergency Medicine Center,Department of Thoracic Surgery. It is the first specialized clinic in southern Hunan to combine clinical care, teaching, research,rehabilitation guidance. A professional team composed of experienced respiratory therapists (RTs)senior specialized respiratory nurses is dedicated to providing precisepersonalized respiratory function management.

II. Specialist Profiles

Respiratory Therapist: Luo Wuchun, female, Chief Nurse. She has 29 years of clinical nursing experiencehas worked in respiratory medicine, cardiovascular medicinesurgery,ICU. In 2000, she participated in establishing the hospital’s central ICU,in 2007, she organized the establishment of the CardiothoracicCardiovascular Surgery ICU. She has extensive expertise in mechanical ventilation, airway management, respiratory mechanics monitoring, pulmonary rehabilitation,lung function assessment for critically ill patients. She obtained her respiratory therapist certification in 2014.

Respiratory Therapist: Qiu Yue, Deputy Chief Nurse. She has 14 years of experience in critical care nursingcompleted advanced training in respiratory therapy at West China Hospital. She specializes in airwaypulmonary assessment, airway management, difficult weaning, the use of invasivenon-invasive ventilators, early pulmonary rehabilitation,respiratory mechanics monitoring.

Respiratory Therapist: Ling Chunmei, Deputy Chief Nurse. She has 18 years of clinical nursing experience, having worked in neurosurgerythe central ICU. In September 2023, she completed advanced training in respiratory therapy at West China Hospital of Sichuan University. She is skilled in airway management for critically ill patients requiring mechanical ventilation (including operation of invasivenon-invasive ventilatorshigh-flow oxygen therapy devices), respiratory rehabilitationpatient education for chronic respiratory diseases such as COPDasthma,postoperative pulmonary function assessmentintervention. She can provide individualized respiratory therapy plans for patients.

III. Main Scope of Services

(I) Respiratory SupportManagement for Critically Ill Patients

1).Mechanical Ventilation Management: Initial setup, precise parameter adjustment, mode selection, ventilation monitoring, patient–ventilator synchrony assessment, respiratory mechanics monitoring, waveform analysis, preventionmanagement of complications,developmentimplementation of standardized weaning protocols for invasivenon-invasive mechanical ventilation in critically ill patients.

2). Artificial Airway Management: Tracheal intubation (including difficult airway management), tracheostomy placementtube replacement, airway humidification, suctioning, cuff pressure management,implementation of preventive measures for related complications such as ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP).

3). Oxygen Therapy Management: Applicationeffectiveness evaluation of various oxygen therapy devices.

(II) Management of Chronic Respiratory Diseases

1). Long-Term Oxygen Therapy: Prescription development, device selection, guidance for home oxygen therapy,follow-up management.

2). Home Non-Invasive Ventilation: Prescription development, device selection, pressure titration, patient education, long-term follow-up,outcome assessment for patients with diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), neuromuscular disorders, obesity hypoventilation syndrome,sleep apnea with respiratory failure.

3). Nebulized Inhalation Therapy: Guidance on medication selection, device use (MDI, DPI, nebulizer),inhalation technique education.

4). Airway Clearance Management: Instruction in effective airway clearance techniques, including active cycle of breathing techniques, positive expiratory pressure, high-frequency chest wall oscillation,postural drainage.

5).Pulmonary Rehabilitation: Developmentimplementation of individualized pulmonary rehabilitation plans, including respiratory muscle training, exercise training, nutritional counseling, psychological support,health education to improve patients’ exercise tolerancequality of life.

(III) Perioperative Respiratory Management

1). Preoperative pulmonary function assessmentoptimization.

2). Postoperative respiratory support (including non-invasive ventilation), airway management,preventionearly intervention for pulmonary complications (such as atelectasispneumonia), particularly after cardiothoracicmajor abdominal surgeries.

3). Postoperative pulmonary rehabilitation guidance.

(IV) Multidisciplinary Collaboration

Close collaboration with physicians from respiratory medicinerehabilitation departments, physical therapists, nutritionists,others to deliver comprehensive, integrated care plans for complex patients, such as those with neuromuscular disordersat risk of aspiration.