Recovering from a serious injury or illness can feel overwhelming, especially when someone struggles to breathe. At Madonna, our respiratory care staff are there every step of the way, ensuring patients can safely take their next breath and the next step in their recovery journey.
Chris Cyza, LRCP, has been a respiratory therapist for 15 years–11 of them at Madonna.
“It’s one of the premiere rehabilitation facilities in the nation to work for, and we get to do amazing things with our patients,” Cyza said. “It’s not just in and out of the room all day long. We get to spend time with them and really develop relationships to get them onto the next phase of their life.”
Cyza says he became a respiratory therapist almost by happenstance. His late wife’s father had been a respiratory therapist early in his career, and when Cyza faced a crossroads in his life, a conversation with him inspired Cyza to pursue the profession.
“Respiratory therapy is a field that not a lot of people know about, but when you talk to people, many people have been touched by healthcare in general–specifically nurses and respiratory therapists,” Cyza said. “Usually, they know someone who was in the hospital, severely ill, and maybe required mechanical ventilation.”
For Cyza, each shift brings both a steady workflow and new challenges to solve.
“Every time you enter these doors at the start of the day, you never know who you’re going to get to meet and help,” Cyza said. “There are always areas where your help is needed. Even though they’re 12-hour shifts, they go by quickly.”
Cyza’s advice to anyone interested in pursuing a career in respiratory therapy is to shadow an RT and do as much hands-on learning as possible. Also, keep compassion at the heart of your care.
“You need to have empathy for the people that you take care of day in and day out,” Cyza said. “Since I’ve been in the field, I always think, at the end of my shift, I get to go home and our patients are here, sometimes for weeks and sometimes months. It’s easy to put yourself in their shoes if you really think about it.”
For more information on Madonna’s CARF-accredited respiratory and pulmonary program, click here.