#IamMGH – Meet Roger Correia

#IamMGH tells the stories of our people. In celebration of Respiratory Therapy Week (October 25 to 31), meet Roger Correia, clinical resource leader for respiratory care and resuscitation at Michael Garron Hospital (MGH).

“I've been a respiratory therapist (RT) since 2012. I’ve always wanted to go into healthcare and, in particular, a profession where I could be involved in the frontline provision of patient care. I found that respiratory therapists have the opportunity to interact with a wide range of patients, from newborns, infants and children to adults and the elderly, across a variety of settings. They also work with many different health professionals, such as physicians, nurses, physiotherapists and others. So the variety and diversity — the fact that there’s something new to tackle every single day — is what originally drew me to the discipline.

In 2015, I began working in a combination of frontline registered respiratory therapist (RRT) and clinical education leadership roles. When my current position came up at MGH, it seemed like a great fit. Day to day, I provide leadership and accountability while helping to inform our respiratory therapists’ practice in terms of how respiratory care is delivered across the entire organization. Respiratory therapists play a pivotal role in airway management and supporting the cardio-respiratory status of patients in areas such as the Emergency Department (ED), Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Special Care Nursery (SCN), Prolonged-Ventilation Weaning Centre (PWC) and Complex Continuing Care (CCC). My role is to ensure our team is utilizing the most up-to date, evidence-informed practices.

During the pandemic, respiratory therapists have been on the frontlines in the most high-risk aerosol-generating medical procedures. Our RT team at MGH has really risen to the occasion — it’s been so rewarding to see a group of professionals that I admire and respect come together to take on an unprecedented challenge.

We have completely evolved our practice to protect our own staff and patients, and to ensure we’re providing patient-centred, evidence-based care in all areas. Our respiratory therapists have been advocates for their patients, themselves and their colleagues throughout the pandemic while offering peer-to-peer support to one another to keep team morale high. Considering how high-performing the RT group has always been, it’s been amazing to see them rise to an even higher level.”