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Johns Hopkins Respiratory Care Services

Inspiring: Care. Teamwork. Discovery

The Johns Hopkins Hospital Adult Respiratory Care Department treats patients in diverse areas across the adult inpatient side of the hospital. Most of our resources are deployed to the hospital’s seven adult intensive care units, where our respiratory care practitioners (RCPs) are integral members of the critical care team. Our adult RCPs also respond to emergency response calls across the hospital and the charge RCP tends to all traumas and critical patients in the emergency room.

The Respiratory Care Department Consists of:

  • Cardiac Care Unit – 12 beds
  • Cardiovascular Surgical Unit – 18 beds
  • Medical ICU – 24 beds
  • Neuro Critical Care Unit – 24 beds
  • Surgical ICU – 15 beds
  • Weinberg Surgical ICU – 20 beds
  • Oncology ICU – 16 beds
  • Adult Emergency Department – 60 beds, 4 trauma rooms
  • Multiple intermediate care units and general floors

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Adult Respiratory Services at The Johns Hopkins Hospital

The Johns Hopkins Hospital Adult Respiratory Care Department provides cutting edge clinical care to a wide variety of critically ill patients. Here are some of the highlights of the therapies we deliver:
  • Ventilator management
    • Including utilization of an ARDS protocol
    • Advanced vent modes (APRV, ASV, NAVA)
    • Diverse fleet of ventilators
  • Inhaled Nitric Oxide Administration
  • Airway Clearance Therapies (utilizing an Airway Clearance Protocol)
  • Airway Management
  • Non-Invasive Ventilation
  • Oxygen Therapy
  • Emergency Response Teams
  • Emergency Department Care
    • Level I Trauma Center
  • Post-Surgical Ventilator Weaning and Care
    • Including heart and lung transplants
  • Indirect Calorimetry
  • Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO)
  • ICU Mobilization
  • Multidisciplinary approach to tracheostomy management and speaking valves
  • The department also engages in diverse education pathways.
    • Clinical rotations for local and international respiratory therapy schools.
    • Annual respiratory education for nursing and physicians.
    • Departmental continuing education lectures.

ECMO

A unique part of the respiratory care department at The Johns Hopkins Hospital is the adult extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) specialist team. The team is composed of ECMO specialists who are also active adult respiratory therapists (RTs) at The Johns Hopkins Hospital.

These select RTs went through our extensive training and competencies program to become certified adult ECMO specialists. They work closely with perfusionists, medical and cardiac doctors, critical care nurses, and physical and occupational therapists to provide a multidisciplinary approach to ECMO care.

ecmo machine on a helipad

ECMO

We use ECMO to treat a wide variety of disease processes including respiratory failure, cardiogenic shock, and as a bridge to transplant or a destination device such as a VAD. Combining innovative techniques and our patient-centered care model has propelled us to become an ELSO registered center, recognized as being on the path to excellence.

Since its inception in 2021, the Johns Hopkins Hospital's adult ECMO specialist program has provided 24/7 care for over 57 complex adult ECMO patients and counting.

ECMO machine on helipad

Additional Information