Join us in European Respiratory Care A team of multi-disciplin professionals assisting physicians in providing quality respiratory care to patients Respiratory care in Spain On February 22 and 23, 2005, the first Respiratory Care training course for Critical Care Patients occured, at the Hospital La Paz, in Madrid, Spain. Directed by the Dr. Antonio Esquinas MD (2004 International AARC Fellow)* and Gustavo Olguín PT, CRT (1997 AARC int. Fellow)**. The central idea was to initiate education, increase respiratory therapy as a specialty, using the AARC model, and to be able to define the importance and role of the Respiratory Therapist inside the ICUs. Professors Antonio Rios, Gustavo Olguin, Daniel Lopez PT, Jordi Vilaro PT and Antonio Esquinas (snowing) The Faculty consisted of a multidisciplinary team, formed by pulmonologist, intensivists, anesthetists, physical therapists, and physicians specialized in respiratory rehabilitation. Included in the faculty was: Jordi Vilaro PT, from Barcelona, Spain, Antonio Ríos PT, of Lyons, France, Daniel Lopez PT, from Palmas de Majorca, and Carmen Labarta MD, from the Unit of Paraplegic of Toledo, Spain, and many other professionals. This event has a very important potential impact for Spain, because it is the first time that a respiratory care training is realized here, using the AARC model, and support from the American Association of Respiratory Care (AARC) and the International Council of Respiratory Care (ICRC). This course also received approval from the European Respiratory Care Association (ERCA), Iberian American Foundation of Noninvasive Mechanical ventilation (IAFNM), Critical Care Section. Spanish Society of Anesthesiology and Resuscitation, Spanish Federation against Cystic Fibrosis, Maimonides University of Argentina, Autonomous University of Madrid, Society Anesthesiology's Center, The Resuscitation Pediatric Section of the SEDAR, and the Laín Entralgo Agency for the Education, Investigation and Studies Sanitary. There was over 70 in attendance, for the most part medical doctors with specialties in intensive care, anesthesiology, emergency medicine, pulmonary rehab; nurses and physiotherapists. In the mornings, lectures were presented in several different topic areas: including Respiratory Therapist's role in the ICU, manual and instrumental clearance of airway, mechanical ventilation, non invasive mechanical ventilation, respiratory care in traumatic patient, post surgical patient and lung transplant. In the evenings workshops were presented in noninvasive mechanical ventilation, Intrapulmonary Percussion Ventilation, assisted cough, clearance of airway secretions, and humidification. This is the first attempt to grow the respiratory therapist specialty practice in Spain. Our aim is the creation of a formal education in Respiratory Therapy in Spain. In the middle of this year, we will announce the second course for this specialty. It will be held in March, 2006, again in Spain. We are proud to be able to have had the support of both the AARC and ICRC; being especially grateful to AARC Executive Director, Sam Giordano, and to Jerome Sullivan President of ICRC for the given support. This first program in Respiratory Care presented in Spain, has opened an important and exciting way into this country, and also in Europe. It was important to initiate this introduction of respiratory care education with the support of prestigious international organizations who are so respected in the world; the AARC, IRC and the ERCA. We believe this is the first step in getting recognition for respiratory care in Spain, and perhaps Europe. Dr Esquinas said, "I do not want to stop writing these brief notes, without being able to express once again the opportunity to have been selected as the first Interantional Fellow from Spain, to have met so many people, like: J Stoller, Lucy Kester, Doug Orens Lowell Fiet, Gene Andrews, Greg Nichols, Russ Crooks, Deb Harchick, Jim Farol, everybody from Ohio; and from Massachusetts, Jackie Long-Goding, Joe Curro, Richard Battles, Christopher Rowse, Andrew DesRosiers, Joe Curro, Dean Hess. Robert Kacmareck, Michael Jackson and so many others. Finally I want to be grateful to the president of ICRC Jerome Sullivam and Executive Committee of the AARC, Sam Giordano, to my friend Jim Maguire always giving me his help, and to be infinitely grateful for the collaboration and the permanent support of my great friend, Gustavo Olguin, with whom I worked together with, to achieve the globalization of the respiratory care around the world, his collaboration introduced me to the AARC, and we have shared time at the last AARC convention in New Orleans. Now we have initiated a fruitful association, which has begun with this course and we are looking for an exciting future. I wanted to make the AARC membership aware of this momentous event in Spain. We want to make this small beginning into an annual event that the AARC and IRC will be proud of. Gustavo Olguin said, "This first educational activity was a very positive experience, not only for Spain, but also for me, I believe that a new stage begins in respiratory care in this beautiful country, and feel proud to be a part of this process. It is an enormous pleasure to form this team with Dr Esquinas, whom I am most grateful for this great opportunity. On the other hand, with this activity that we have introduce into Spain, I feel proud to belong to the AARC, and to the ICRC, trying to expand respiratory cares around world." *Esquinas Antonio MD. FCCP. Intensivist. AARC International Fellow Governor of International Council of Respiratory Care Governor of European Association for Respiratory Care Address: Intensive Care Unit Hospital Morales Meseguer Avenida Marques de Los Velez s/n Murcia.30.008. Spain esquinas@ono.com **Gustavo Olguin PT, RTC, MBA Health Care AARC International Fellow Governor of International Council of Respiratory Care Member of Board Director of Latin American Council for Professional Certification in Respiratory Care Address Fernan Felix de Amador 1841 1º 4º 1636 - Olivos Buenos Aires Argentina gusolguin@fibertel.com.ar