Jones Regional Medical Center

Respiratory Care

Jones Regional Medical Center's respiratory care department provides services relating to breathing difficulties and lung illnesses. The seven respiratory therapists at Jones Regional serve both inpatient and outpatient needs. A respiratory therapist is on site at the hospital at all times. All respiratory therapists at Jones Regional are:

• Registered and licensed by the state of Iowa
• CPR certified
• Advanced Cardiac Life Support certified

Respiratory therapists help with many illnesses and emergencies, including:

• Asthma
• Emphysema
• Cystic fibrosis
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Heart attacks
• Strokes
• Trauma

If you're at Jones Regional as an emergency department patient, inpatient, or outpatient, you may have a respiratory therapist help you if you have any breathing concerns. Doctors may refer patients to a respiratory therapist for several reasons. At Jones Regional, our respiratory care department provides the following services:

• Complete pulmonary function testing (PFT), a test to help diagnose respiratory problems such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This service can include, if ordered by your physician, the use of methacholine, a special drug sometimes used with PFTs.
• Overnight oximetry screening, a test to show the amount of oxygen in your blood while you sleep that helps determine the need for sleep apnea testing.
• Help with improving capacity in your airway or lungs
• Care for a tracheostomy (an opening through the neck into the windpipe through which a breathing tube may be inserted)
• Oxygen therapy for those that need more oxygen
• Medication delivery using nebulizers and inhalers
• BiPAP, a piece of equipment that helps patients get more air into their lungs
• Oximetry, a measurement that monitors the amount of oxygen in your blood
• Chest physical therapy (CPT), which helps mobilize and remove secretions in the lungs
• Arterial blood gas tests (blood tests for oxygen, carbon dioxide, and pH levels)
• Referrals to help quit smoking

If you have questions about the services at Jones Regional's respiratory care department, please call 319-462-6135 ext. 6355.