Over the last two decades AARC has partnered with the Centers for Disease Control and Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response to train clinicians on the role of the respiratory therapist in mass casualty care and the ventilators in the strategic national stockpile. All in anticipation of a mass respiratory failure event.  COVID-19 tested this preparation and challenged the worlds health care system.  Shortages of staff, PPE, ICU beds and ventilators strained even the most prepared institutions.  Hospitals were required to improvise on the fly.  Staffing models were created and the use of travelers became routine.  The use of PPE amongst shortages placed caregivers at risk, challenging the duty to work paradigm. The role of the respiratory therapist evolved.  New treatments were devised, tested and either adopted or abandoned. There were 3 types of ventilators in the stockpile (a total of approximately 14,000 ventilators).  During the COVID pandemic, this number ballooned, with the addition of approximately 150,000 ventilators (over a dozen new models- 2 of the 3 original devices were scrapped).  These challenges and the responses as well as future planning will be discussed in this symposium.

Presenters:

• Richard D. Branson MSc, RRT, FAARC, FCCM
• Asha Devereaux, MD, MPH
• Carolyn J. La Vita, MHA, RRT, RRT-ACCS, RRT-NPS
• Catherine Mitchell MSN, BSN, RN / Health Scientist