As a registered respiratory therapist (RRT), I have been a front-line health care professional for 2 decades. Being a respiratory therapist can be challenging and stressful, nonetheless the ups and downs and everything in between has offered me the opportunity to thrive in a demanding work environment, while valuing respect, integrity, and commitment to excellence. With patient centered care being at the forefront, my professional values align with those of my employer. Compassionate and curious, I value teamwork and accountability (London Health Sciences Center, n.d.).
Early on in my career, I was lucky enough to have a mentor (Figure 1) who had a profound impact on my professional growth as a respiratory therapist. Delores led by example. An empathetic individual, she was the very embodiment of a strong work ethic. Emulating her in action and in beliefs had a big impact on the development of my professional identity (Cruess et al., 2015). Her mentorship and leadership afforded me the opportunity to forge a strong professional identity through self-reflection and experiences that reflected sound ethics and best practices of the Respiratory Therapy profession.
Figure 1. Myself (right) with Delores (left). Circa 2005
Everyday for 20 plus years, I have had the privilege of working amongst a varied group of talented and dedicated healthcare professionals and support staff. The experiences I have lived and the interactions I have had within this interdisciplinary group has influenced and changed me and like myself, my professional identity has also changed over time (Ibarra, 1999). Over time, I found my voice, and shifted gears towards an informal leadership role. On a more intimate level, the group of respiratory therapists I belong to in which we share ”language, norms, responsibilities, boundaries, values and aspirations” (Clark, 2018) has enable me to forge connections with those who like myself, share in their commitment to the RT profession and to the standards and purposes of the profession. These connections are invaluable. While adhering to the principles outlined by the Code of Ethical and Professional Conduct for Respiratory Therapists, I strive to provide safe and competent care (Canadian Society of Respiratory Therapists, n.d.). To maintain a strong professional identity, I also leverage my competencies by promoting knowledge, accountability, and life-long learning. I treat every patient I care for with dignity and respect, and will protect a patient’s confidentiality. Additionally, I am bound by the legal framework that defines professional practice for respiratory therapists in the province of Ontario defined by its focus on consent as well as privacy and confidentiality (College of Respiratory Therapy of Ontario, n.d.).
Upon further reflection and audit of my social media activities, I found myself to be a private person online. In the interest of professional engagement, as well as my return to formal education as a graduate student, I would be remiss not to take advantage of the opportunity to experience increased interconnectedness through social media. As a professional, I must adhere to best practice guidelines while engaging in online networking that are in keeping with my professional identity. As a health care leader, I aspire to actively build relationships and connections with others. I wish to continue to lead by example, with compassion, accountability, and teamwork. In an ever-changing health care system, I will continue to reflect on my own professional growth and my professional identity, embrace life-long learning and will endeavor to lead with competencies as the respiratory therapy profession evolves.
References
Canadian Society of Respiratory Therapists. (n.d.). Code of Ethical and Professional Conduct for Respiratory Therapists. https://www.csrt.com/wp-content/uploads/Code-of-Ethics.pdf
Clark, K. (2018). Interprofessional Education: Making Our Way Out of the Silos. Respiratory Care 63(5), 637-639. https://doi.org/10.4187/respcare.06234
College of Respiratory Therapists of Ontario. (n.d). Standards of Practice. https://www.crto.on.ca/
Cruess, R. L., Cruess, S. R., Boudreau, J. D., Snell, L., & Steinert, Y. (2015). A schematic representation of the professional identity formation and socialization of medical students and residents: a guide for medical educators. Academic Medicine : Journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges, 90(6), 718–725. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0000000000000700
Ibarra, H. (1999). Provisional Selves: Experimenting with Image and Identity in Professional Adaptation. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(4), 764–791. https://doi.org/10.2307/2667055
London Health Sciences Center. (n.d.). Our Mission, Vision and Value. https://www.lhsc.on.ca/about-lhsc/our-vision-mission-and-values
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