Celebrating Allied Health Professionals

SUPPLEMENT TO THE FREE PRESS • SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2022 4 Celebrating Allied Health Professionals By Olivia Baldwin F rom our earliest moments, the gentle and rhythmic exercise of breathing in — and out — fuels our bodies and calms our minds, allowing us to re- cover from exertion, lower our stress levels, and relieve or reduce pain. Most of the time, and for most people, the simple act of taking a breath occurs without thought or effort. But for anyone who has experienced a health condition or event that makes breathing difficult, or im- possible, the act of taking a breath is any- thing but simple. "If you can't breathe, you need help," says Sheila Cabungcal, a respiratory therapist (RT) and member of the team supporting specialized care within the Child and Wom- en's Health Programs at Health Sciences Centre Winnipeg (HSC). "I've had asthma since I was a kid and I find that my experi- ences, including my own visits to the emer- gency department, allow me to really empa- thize with our patients." Cabungcal is an RT, a highly trained allied health clinician who spends each working day helping Manitoba children and babies breathe. RTs, like Sheila, work in a variety of care settings ranging from critical care units and labour and delivery to patient transport. They support diagnosis, inter- vention and therapy for individuals expe- riencing breathing challenges, including those who are entirely dependent on me- chanical ventilation. "I quickly learned how vital our role is within the health-care team and how the decisions we make as RTs can dramatically improve the status of a patient," Cabung- cal says. "There's no such thing as a typi- cal day. Depending on where we are as- signed, we could be running to a Code Blue, supporting care in a unit of intubated and ventilated patients, or attending a high-risk birth." RTs participate in regular training and education to keep up to date on the latest clinical practices and to maintain the life- saving skills they use to support patients of every age and condition, from the smallest babies in neonatal intensive care to chil- dren with asthma, older adults with chronic respiratory diseases, and everything in be- tween. RESPIRATORY THERAPISTS INTEGRAL TO HEALTH TEAMS It starts with a breath S UPPLIED PHOTO Members of the Shared Health Child Transport Team prepare to depart for a call. CONTINUED ON PAGE 5 Scan Me! From the first light of day through the darkness of night, teams of dedicated, compassionate and highly-skilled health-care teams are there for Manitobans. Across every community and in every health-care setting, the efforts of Manitoba's allied health professionals are making a difference in the lives of patients, residents, clients, and their co-workers. On behalf of a grateful province and all health service delivery organizations, we thank you. Interested in a career in caring? Learn more about allied health opportunities available across Manitoba at sharedhealthmb.ca/careers Allied Health Professionals Essential to Recovery Essential to Care Apply Today

• Cover