Message from the President

Dear Colleagues-

I am excited to start my first term as president of the NBRC. I have worked as a respiratory therapist for 30 years and served on the NBRC Board of Trustees for approximately ten years. I could not be more proud of the work the NBRC staff, board members, and consultants do to promote excellence in the field of respiratory care through credentialing examinations and philanthropy. The NBRC staff and volunteers work tirelessly to ensure the highest quality examinations are developed for respiratory therapists. NBRC staff strives to provide the highest level of customer service. Examples of this commitment to customer service include adding a live chat feature that started this month, and now all credentialing examinations are available on-line through remote proctoring. We hope these additional services will provide greater access for respiratory therapists to earn other credentials. We have also extended the NBRC credential expiration through March 31, 2021, if your credential expiration occurs between March 31, 2020, and February 28, 2021. You will also be able to earn any needed continuing education credits required to renew your credentials. We hope that these policy changes alleviate some of your stress while you continue to provide care for patients with COVID-19.

As a respiratory therapist, I am proud of our profession’s response during this pandemic. You are true heroes for placing the welfare of others before your own and carrying the additional burden of potentially spreading the virus to your family members. Society is indebted to you for the service you have provided. I have been pleased with the national recognition respiratory therapists have received in the media. The NBRC began recognizing therapists with advanced credentials through videos in social media before the pandemic and created the More RTs campaign last April to increase awareness of the difference respiratory therapists are making in the fight against COVID-19. Our national organizations have agreed that more needs to be done. I am pleased to announce the NBRC, AARC, and CoARC will be engaging in a collaborative effort along with a professional health marketing firm to promote the respiratory care profession. Keep up the hard work, stay safe, and we will share more information regarding this public awareness campaign soon.

With gratitude,

David Vines, PhD, RRT, FAARC, FCCP
NBRC President