In October, we recognize the integral work of our respiratory care professionals. Their role on care teams is vital to our patients and our caregivers, and their advocacy is central to our ongoing support for community wellness. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the critical roles of respiratory care professionals in previously unseen ways.
In this moving essay, Providence Swedish Respiratory Therapist Amber Christensen shares her own experience as a caregiver for her late mother, and how that chapter of her life set her on the path to becoming a respiratory therapist.
In October 2016, I sat in a hospital room and watched a ventilator breathe for my mom. I stared at the machine for days, listening to the metronome of inhalation and exhalation as my mom lay motionless in a hospital bed. I watched numbers and waveforms change with each breath. I did a Google search for the operator’s manual for that specific type of ventilator. I read the manual on my phone at my mom’s bedside and tried to understand terms I never heard of: positive end expiratory pressure, tidal volume, minute ventilation, and Fio2. Then, I had no idea what any of those terms meant, but today, as a trained respiratory therapist, I’m very familiar with those terms and what they mean for my patients.
My mom passed away at Providence Everett, surrounded by family and so much love that October. A few months later, I wanted to know more about that machine that kept my mom alive. I wanted to become a respiratory therapist.
In the spring of 2017, at 42 years old, I again became a college freshman enrolled in the Respiratory Care Program at Seattle Central College. The day we started to learn about mechanical ventilators in the lab, I noticed the same kind of ventilator my mom had been on.
I think about my mom every time I start my shift. I think about how scared and overwhelmed she felt as a patient. I make sure I am always there for patients who need a hand to hold as they listen to their caregiver explain why they need to go on a mechanical ventilator. I strive to make sure my patients do not feel alone.
When the machine alarmed in the lab, I was immediately taken back to my mom’s ICU room all those years ago. Without warning, my eyes burned with tears and drenched my face mask. I quietly excused myself to the bathroom, cried, took a deep breath, and returned to the lab. From that point forward, I placed myself in front of that ventilator every chance I got. I then understood what all those numbers and words on my mom’s ventilator meant all those years ago. I thought that knowledge would bring the closure to her death I was searching for. It didn’t. I found peace by becoming a respiratory therapist and using my personal experience to be a calming presence to patients on the ventilator and an excellent listener to support family members at the bedside.
I think about my mom every time I start my shift. I think about how scared and overwhelmed she felt as a patient. I make sure I am always there for patients who need a hand to hold as they listen to their caregiver explain why they need to go on a mechanical ventilator. I strive to make sure my patients do not feel alone.
Last month, I celebrated my second year as a caregiver at Swedish and as a respiratory therapist. Being part of the multi-disciplinary team that cares for patients in the ICU has been a great source of pride and purpose. As we face staffing challenges and a shortage of healthcare providers, I am excited to support the next wave of students and future therapists by precepting students at our facility in the coming months.
I never imagined I would work in healthcare or start my career as a respiratory therapist during a respiratory pandemic. Still, it has been an incredible journey, both personally and professionally. I’m proud to be a respiratory therapist and part of the Swedish family.
Swedish Respiratory Therapist Amber Christensen
Learn more and find a provider
If you have a health issue or concern, it’s important to see a provider for the right care when you need it. Whether you require an in-person visit or want to consult a doctor virtually, Providence Swedish is here for you.
For urgent, walk-in or after-hours care, visit one of our Swedish Urgent Care facilities. Swedish Express Care Virtual connects you face-to-face with a nurse practitioner who can review your symptoms, provide instruction and follow up as needed. If you need to find a doctor, you can use our Swedish provider directory.
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This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your health care professional’s instructions.
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