NBRC President Joyce Baker Looks Back on 2025
As I close out this first year as NBRC President, I find myself reflecting on 2025. Back in January of 2025, I promised to support the mission and vision of the NBRC, uphold its established goals and remain steadfast in our pursuit of maintaining and advancing the standards of respiratory care excellence. The NBRC staff, Board of Trustees, and Consultants have all worked together to ensure that nothing has fallen to the wayside, maintaining the momentum established by my predecessors.
Our goal, as always, is to uphold excellence in respiratory care. Through numerous studies conducted to keep our exams current and the development of the Advanced Practice Respiratory Therapist (APRT) outcome assessment, we have worked diligently to advance the standard for excellent respiratory care and make every breath count. In 2026, we will continue making strides in the elevation and promotion of the profession as we prepare to implement the long-awaited single Respiratory Therapy Examination in January of 2027.
The NBRC remains loyal to our commitment to those who provide life-sustaining care every day. From the wooded landscape of New England to the arid deserts of Arizona, the NBRC staff visited almost 30 state society meetings and national conferences, collaborating and listening to therapists, educators, students and others dedicated to saving lives and improving health outcomes for those living with cardiopulmonary disease. These conversations remain vital to shaping our strategic priorities, and in 2026, we intend to expand our on-the-ground presence.
The MoreRTs collaborative campaign had an incredible year, all thanks to those who shared their inspiring stories. A special thank you to everyone who visited our MoreRTs booth at this year’s AARC Congress in Phoenix. Because of you, we collected dozens of new stories and personal testimonies from practitioners, educators and students. But our mission is not over yet. The world still needs more RTs, and we need more stories from you to sustain the call for more respiratory care professionals in the workforce. If you want to learn more or even share a story of your own, please visit MoreRTs.com.
As we enter 2026, let’s carry the momentum forward. Together, we can continue to strengthen respiratory care and ensure that individuals living with cardiopulmonary disease receive competent and compassionate care. Happy New Year to all, and may excellence always define you.
Joyce A. Baker, MBA, RRT, RRT-NPS, AE-C, FAARC
NBRC President
