Definition of a Respiratory Nurse
A Respiratory Nurse is a nurse who specializes in caring for patients with respiratory conditions. A Respiratory Nurse assesses, plans, and implements treatments as evidence-based practice for acute and chronic respiratory disorders at primary, secondary and tertiary levels of healthcare. Respiratory Nurses have crucial roles to help with physical and psychological wellbeing and act as patient advocates throughout the prevention of respiratory diseases, diagnosis, therapy, and patient self-management. They are oriented toward results sensitive to nursing care; their impact can be seen in maintaining activity tolerance and independence in self-care activities, in discharge planning, in the continuity of care and reintegration of patients with families and the community, and in research that expands evidence-based nursing care.