Explore a Respiratory Therapist Toolbox

Overview

In this activity, students will learn about the basics of the respiratory system, the organs included in the system, explore the role of a Respiratory Therapist and gain insights into their toolbox.

NB Curricular Connections

Curriculum Connection

Personal Wellness 3-5

• Strand: Mental Fitness – Big Idea: Mental Health Strategies – Skill Descriptors: Demonstrate self-calming strategies to regulate emotional reactions.
• Strand: Career Connected Learning – Big Idea: Thinking about potential career pathways – Skill Descriptors: Demonstrate an informed vision of the future linked to own interests, preferences, values, and abilities.
• Strand: Career Connected Learning – Big Idea: Exploring potential career pathways – Skill descriptors: Critically investigate and describe the labor market and preferred career pathways.

What you’ll need

• Paper
• Pencil/pen
• Equipment list (included as ‘RT Toolbox Visual’ – See attached)
• Treasure Hunt Guide (See attached)

Instructions

1. Discuss: What is Respiratory Therapy? What does a Respiratory Therapist do? Gage your students’ knowledge about the profession.
2. Watch the ‘Being a Respiratory Therapist’ video and have students write down words/concepts that they don’t understand or would like to learn about.
3. Go over the words and concepts the students recorded to make sure they have a solid understanding of the terms.
4. Discuss: What part of the body/organ system does the respiratory therapist work with?
5. Watch a short video about the Respiratory System.
6. Explore the respiratory system in this small treasure hunt activity.
   • On each piece of paper, write down the organ name or to make it harder, you can write a simple description/function of that organ. Also on this paper, you will give clues about where the next organ is located.
   • Start by giving students the first paper (including the organ’s name or description) then they can find the next one on their own.
   • After students have found all the missing “organs”, have the students put the organs in order of how oxygen travels through the respiratory system.
     • Challenge: Have students put the pieces in order of how carbon dioxide travels through the respiratory system to exit the body.
7. Optional: Follow along with this video to explore the self-care breathing strategies. *Could also leave for the end as a wrap-up activity*
8. Action: Show students different equipment/technologies used by a Respiratory Therapist
   • • First, show the name and pictures only. Help students sound out the name of the equipment and have them guess the function from looking at the picture.
     • Second, allow students to discuss with their peers what they think the function of each piece of equipment.
     • Third, come back together as a class and explain to students the correct function of the equipment.
9. Wrap–Up: Have students share what they learned about the role of a Respiratory Therapist. Explore the importance of a Respiratory Therapist and have students explain what would happen if we don’t have them in our medical system.
   1. • Optional: Go on a virtual tour of the NBCC Allied Health Center

Reflection Activity

Please see the attached PDF for several choices on how you and your learners can reflect upon today’s activity.

Global Competency

1. Collaboration.pdf (gnb.ca)
2. Communication.pdf (gnb.ca)
3. CriticalThinking.pdf (gnb.ca)