Robert Kacmarek

On April 1, 2021, Robert “Bob” Kacmareck passed away due to an illness. Out of respect for the family, the original post was taken down and the AARC and MSRC held off making an official announcement at the family's request until this week. Bob was a humble giant who advocated for the profession and was world-renowned for his teaching. Words cannot express the loss that this profession will feel with his passing. We have attached the Obituary. There will be a live streaming service next Saturday. Please keep the family of Bob Kacmarek and the MGH Family in your thought and prayers. Thank you!
https://www.legacy.com/obituari…/…/robert-kacmarek-obituary…

MSRC mourns a loss of a fellow RT

It is heartbreaking to inform you that Craig Smallwood died suddenly at home in the very early morning hours of today. The cause of his death is unknown at this time; he had been in good health through yesterday.

Dr. Craig Smallwood started his career at Boston Children’s Hospital as a respiratory therapist (2007-2010), where he soon won the admiration and respect of all of his peers and clinicians throughout the intensive care units. Over the years his interests continued to evolve and he earned a bachelors degree in cardiopulmonary science with a concentration in respiratory therapy in 2007, followed by his PhD in bioengineering in 2018, both degrees awarded at Northeastern University.

Since 2010 Dr. Smallwood has held the position of Respiratory Research Associate in the Division of Critical Care Medicine, Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine and, since 2019, Assistant Professor of Anesthesia, Harvard Medical School. Craig’s academic work was nationally recognized for his expertise in the optimal utilization of existing healthcare data and the development of bedside decision support tools.

Craig was 36 years old, and leaves behind his beloved wife Erica, and their two children, 5 year old Sadie and 18 month old Max.

This tragic news comes at the most difficult time each of us has ever experienced. Yet, the memory of Craig’s extraordinary talent, and his ever-present smile and optimism, reminds us that our greatest strength during this very difficult time is that we have each other as colleagues and that together we will work our way back to better times.

Written by Lauren Perlman

Expedited License Process

On March 30, 2020 Governor Baker signed the "Maximizing Available Health Care Providers Order" which requires an expedited process for healthcare providers to get a license. This order includes respiratory therapists and would allow for any respiratory therapist who has a license in any other state to get a license here in Massachusetts for the duration of the state of emergency. A member of the MSRC spoke with the licensure department to ask if they have any update to this order as we are in a critical need of additional RTs in the state. Due to the limited staffing in the department due to the crisis, information provided was limited as they continue to sort through the requirements of the order and the required processes.

At this time there is no application in place for this expedited process. The licensure staff advised that this is being worked on as it also affects more than just the RT licenses. They are expecting to have a solution in place within days, not weeks. They have asked that we try and limit the calls/emails to the office as they are being required to limit the amount of staff in the office, responses are very delayed. The MSRC through the contact us page will gather questions and send them in batches to the licensure office.

Please be safe.

Jason Moury, MPH, RRT

Massachusetts Society for Respiratory Care - Public Statement - Multiple Patients per Single Ventilator

Whitman, MA/March 26, 2020/ With the current pandemic on-going, there is a shortage of mechanical ventilators required for patient with severe symptoms of COVID-19. As hospitals struggle with this, many are turning to the web to see if using a single mechanical ventilator for multiple patients can be done. 

The AARC (American Association of Respiratory Care) along with other professional medical organizations from across the U.S. this week released a consensus statement addressing the question of placing multiple patients on one ventilator which“...advise(s) clinicians that sharing mechanical ventilators should not be attempted because it cannot be done safely with current equipment.” 

https://www.aarc.org/joint-statement-guidance-document-on-multiple-patients-per-ventilator/ 

The Massachusetts Society of Respiratory Care (MSRC) is in full agreement with this consensus statement and discourages this practice to be used in Massachusetts hospitals. 

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to the MSRC. 

Contact information: 

Keith Hirst, MS RRT 
Massachusetts Society for Respiratory Care 
207-233-9858 (cell) 

About the MSRC 

Established in 1978, the Massachusetts Society for Respiratory Care (MSRC) is a charter organization of the American Association for Respiratory Care. 

The MSRC is a non-profit corporation that was formed in 1978. The corporation is organized to sponsor and encourage, on a regional and statewide basis, educational programs for those persons interested in the field of respiratory care: to advance the science, technology, ethics and art of respiratory care through state, interstate and intrastate institutes, meetings, lectures, newsletters and other materials; and to facilitate cooperation between respiratory care personnel and the medical profession, hospitals, government agencies, service companies, industry and other agencies or organizations interested in respiratory care or pulmonary medicine. 

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