Oct. 17, 2007 - Respiratory Care Week is celebrated annually on the last full week in October to bring lung health issues to the attention of the public.
The event is Oct. 21-27 this year. The mission of Respiratory Care Week is to honor respiratory care professionals, promote respiratory health in the workplace and the community, and increase public awareness of lung health issues.
The week is also used as a recruiting tool to interest youth to enter the respiratory care profession. Today there are about 100,000 people working in the field of respiratory, but the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) predicts the demand for respiratory therapists to significantly increase in the coming years.
The AARC sponsors the week and urges health organizations and caregivers to establish a recognition of the event in their office and honor the accomplishments of their respiratory therapy staff. AARC offers Respiratory Care Week products such as T-shirts, posters, banners, buttons and table tents to help caregivers spread the word.
The event started an annual local and regional event throughout the country, but was declared a national event in 1982 by a proclamation by President Ronald Reagan. Today the event is recognized by annual proclamation in many states. Many hospitals observe the week with posters to raise public awareness on respiratory issues, information tables, inservices with staff, contests, and free respiratory screenings.
For more information: www.aarc.org/rcweek.