Respiratory Therapist Program Guide

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) Net
Provides information on recent studies and tests on promising agents, devices, and/or management strategies to improve the care of patients with ARDS.

AIDS Info
Offers information on HIV/AIDS treatment, prevention, and research. Topics include a drug database, clinical trials, and vaccine research.

Air Quality: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Provides information on sources of air pollution and programs involved in cleaning up the air, including the Clean Air Act.

American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology
Provides allergy and asthma statistics, current pollen and spore reports, an allergist referral directory, and allergy and asthma medication guides. It also has a section specifically geared toward children with asthma and allergies.

American Heart Association 2010 Guidelines for CPR and ECC
Provides a summary of changes and webcasts on the 2010 American Heart Association guidelines for CPR and ECC for 3 different populations: hospitals, EMS, and the community.

American Lung Association
Provides an interactive anatomy of the human respiratory system. It also provides information on asthma and allergies management, smoking cessation programs, a listing with detailed information of many different types of lung diseases, and offers information on treatment options.

Career Guidance Resources on the Internet
Links to the career websites.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Provides up-to-date information on many aspects of health care, including diseases and conditions, vaccines and immunizations, and emergency preparedness and response. It also includes a section with health statistics. Includes a section on Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).  

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and Emphysema
Provides background information and statistics on COPD and Emphysema, signs and symptoms, lab work, x-rays and other tests that assist in diagnosis, treatment options, complications and long term prognosis.

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Provides a definition of cystic fibrosis along with recent research and clinical trials and patient information on how to live with cystic fibrosis. Includes a special section on airway clearance techniques and lung transplantation.

Drugs.com
Provides comprehensive information on prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and natural products, including a pill identifier and interactions checker.

Florida Department of Health: Respiratory Therapy Board Overview
Provides the application and information on licensure, information on continuing education requirements, and Florida Statutes related to respiratory care.

Gray's Anatomy of the Human Body
Features 1,247 vibrant engravings—many in color—from the classic 1918 publication.

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
Links to Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliance procedures.

Healthy People 2020
A statement of national health objectives designed to identify the most significant preventable threats to health and to establish national goals to reduce these threats.  

Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations
The United State's predominant standards-setting and accrediting body for health care organizations and programs.

Learn CPR
Provides illustrated guides on performing CPR on adults, children, infants, and pets. Video demonstration also provided.

MedlinePlus
Includes a Medical Encyclopedia, Medical Dictionary, Interactive Tutorials on common procedures and conditions, and Doctor and Dentist Directories.

MERCKSource Resource Library
Includes A.D.A.M. Health Illustrated Encyclopedia, Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary, Merck Manuals, and the PDR Family Guide to Over-the-Counter Drugs. 

Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Provides health standards, regulations, and inspections to prevent workplace injuries, illnesses and deaths. There is a special section of respiratory protection.

Pneumonia
Provides information on signs and symptoms, causes, risk factors, screening and diagnosis, complications, treatment, and prevention.

Pulmonary Critical Care Medicine Tutorials
Provides the following tutorials: "All About Oxygen," "What is Acute Lung Injury?" "Intubation and Initiation of Mechanical Ventilation," "Why Do We Use PEEP?" "What is Mechanical Ventilation?" "Ventilation Strategy," and "Discontinuation of Mechanical Ventilation."

Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation
Provides comprehensive information on the disease as well as information on recent research and links to support groups.

Pulmonary Tuberculosis
Provides an overview of the disease as well as causes, risk factors, symptoms and signs, prevention, diagnosis and tests, treatments, prognosis, complications, support groups, and pictures and images.

Tracheal Intubation of the Newborn
Provides information on indications of when intubation of the newborn may be necessary, the procedures to perform the intubation, and drugs that may be necessary.

Ventworld
Provides ventilator product and supplier information as well as education tools, such as case studies.