The NBRC and CHEST Work Together to Define Excellence in Respiratory Care
The NBRC has a longstanding relationship with the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST). CHEST is a professional network that has more than 22,000 pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine professionals who are interested in clinical education and connection to the global chest medicine community. They are one of our sponsor organizations who share the same goal of protecting and enhancing patient lives through excellence in respiratory care.
As a sponsor, CHEST nominates three members of the NBRC’s Board of Trustees, the governing body which serves as the content experts behind the national credentialing examinations and establishes policies by which the organization operates. This provides physicians with the opportunity to help shape the development of qualified respiratory therapists and pulmonary function technologists.
By serving on the examination committees of the NBRC, physicians have direct input of the content for respiratory care credentialing programs (CRT, RRT, etc.), which are recognized as the standards for licensure in all states that currently regulate the practice of respiratory care. CHEST physicians also provide content expertise in the development of the NBRC’s five other examination programs, for specialists in neonatal/pediatric respiratory care, pulmonary function technology, sleep disorders testing and therapeutic intervention, adult critical care, and asthma education.
The physician/respiratory therapist relationship is vital; credentialed respiratory therapists serve as an extension of physicians. They are the “eyes and ears” for physicians and are the individuals who routinely assist the physician in managing the significant interface between technology and physiology required in the treatment of complex cardiopulmonary disease.
We are proud of our ongoing collaboration with CHEST. Every year, we attend the CHEST annual meeting to gain new insights, network with content experts, and enhance and build valuable relationships with our physician colleagues. We also annually support CHEST and their philanthropic efforts toward better lung health and connecting patients, their caregivers and healthcare professionals through research and education.