Val Verde RMC | Keeping Well | Winter/Invierno 2017

12 / 12

Respiratory therapy
saves lives
S ARAH PARKER has been a respiratory therapist
(RT) for 6½ years. She has been at Val Verde
Regional Medical Center (VVRMC) for three.
“As an RT, you get called all over
the hospital,” Parker says. “We do
inpatient treatments, outpatient
treatments, get people breathing in
the Emergency Room and even go to
the nursery for babies in respiratory
distress. It’s very rewarding.”
“You initially interact with people
when they are at their worst,” she
continues. “They are having very
serious breathing problems. They are
terrified. You get to help them with
the physical problem while supporting
them emotionally as they improve.”
Parker says she “sort of got thrown
into the respiratory therapy program
in college.”
“I had the opportunity to meet the
dean of health professions at Texas
State University in San Marcos, and he
made a very compelling pitch for the
RT program,” she says. Parker has been working as an
RT ever since she graduated.
Her husband, Paxton, is stationed at Laughlin Air
Force Base. She and Paxton have one fur baby, Stevie, a
dog they adopted from a local rescue group in Del Rio.
“The Respiratory Department welcomed me with
open arms,” she says. “They all know I won’t be here
forever, but they don’t care about the circumstances—
they accepted me as part of the family. There’s a real
sense of community here that you just don’t find
everywhere.”
La terapia respiratoria
salva vidas
S ARAH PARKER se desempeña como terapeuta
respiratoria (RT) desde hace 6 años y medio. Forma parte
de Val Verde Regional Medical Center (VVRMC) desde
hace tres.
“Como terapeuta respiratoria, le necesitan
en todo el hospital”, cuenta Parker. “Tratamos
a los pacientes hospitalizados, a los pacientes
ambulatorios, reanimamos a personas en
la Sala de Emergencias e, incluso, vamos
a neonatología por los bebés que padecen
dificultad respiratoria. Es muy gratificante”.
“Al principio, interactuamos con
las personas en su peor momento”,
continúa. “Tienen grandes dificultades
para respirar. Están aterradas. Los
ayuda con el problema físico, pero,
también, les brinda apoyo emocional a
medida que mejoran”.
Parker cuenta que “se topó por
casualidad con el programa de terapia
respiratoria en la universidad”.
“Tuve la oportunidad de conocer al
decano de medicina en la Universidad
Estatal de Texas en San Marcos, y
brindó un discurso muy interesante sobre el programa de
terapia respiratoria”, explica. Parker ha trabajado como terapeuta
respiratoria desde que se graduó.
Su marido, Paxton, está asignado a la Base Laughlin de la
Fuerza Aérea. Ella y Paxton tienen un bebé peludo, Stevie, un
perro que adoptaron de un grupo rescatista local en Del Rio.
“El Departamento Respiratorio me recibió con los brazos
abiertos”, cuenta. “Todos saben que no estaré aquí por siempre,
pero no les importan las circunstancias —me aceptaron como
parte de la familia. Hay un verdadero sentido de comunidad que
no se encuentra en todos lados”.
Sarah Parker, RT, at right, pictured
with Nena De La Cerda, Assistant
Senior Director of Ancillary Services,
and Maria Barksdale, Director of
Respiratory Therapy
Sarah Parker, RT, a la derecha,
fotografiada junto a Nena De La Cerda,
Directora Titular Sénior de Servicios
Auxiliares, y Maria Barksdale,
Directora de Terapia Respiratoria
Val Verde Regional
Medical Center
801 N. Bedell Ave.
Del Rio, TX 78840
830-282-1516
info@vvrmc.org
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VAL VERDE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER
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