Posted In Awards and Recognition on April 03, 2024
We continue our TidalHealth series “Grow With Us” with this April Q/A with Lauren Gladwell, Manager of Respiratory Therapy (RT) at TidalHealth Peninsula Regional. Lauren is seated on the bed surrounded by her fellow RT team members.
I grew up in Newark, MD and graduated from Snow Hill High School in 1999. Today I live in Salisbury with my husband and two daughters, ages 12 and 13.
Growing up my father was a volunteer firefighter. I always wanted to do something with the fire department but knew that firefighting was not for me. When a local EMT class was offered, I signed up. I then volunteered until 2004 when I graduated college. I also worked for a commercial ambulance company and 911 ambulance company part-time through college. My time as an EMT helped me to learn and know that the medical field was the right direction for me.
I was a junior in the Respiratory Therapy program at Salisbury University (SU) and met a senior who worked at the hospital in the Pulmonary Function Test (PFT) Lab but would soon be graduating and seeking a job elsewhere. I was introduced to the then Director of the RT department at a conference and asked if he would replace the student with another when it was time. He agreed and in May of 2003 I started in the PFT Lab performing pulmonary function tests.
Have you worked exclusively at TidalHealth?
Yes! In June of 2004 I transitioned from a student in the PFT Lab to a full-time Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) in the Respiratory Department.
Yes, I was always fascinated with medicine and healthcare. I just didn’t know what my path would be.
For a while I even thought about becoming a paramedic, however, I didn’t think I would want to do that for the rest of my career. Nursing seemed like the next logical thing! As a senior in high school, I applied to Salisbury University and declared my major as nursing.
By my sophomore year, though, I was having doubts. I was in the computer lab at the college looking on the website for a possible alternative when I discovered the Respiratory Therapy Program. Dr. Bob Joyner (that’s right, our very own Dr. Joyner of the Richard A. Henson Research Institute) was the head of the program at the time and set up a time for me to come visit and discuss what an RT does. We met and I knew that was the career for me!
I loved how specialized the field of respiratory therapy was and that it applied to all ages! You can go from treating an adult to treating a neonate in the same shift.
I started on night shift. but quickly worked to orient to all areas that RTs can practice. Once I completed my neonatal orientation, I became a charge therapist, first on nights then on the day side.
In my 15th year I applied for a senior therapist position and began to work as a supervisor. In May of 2023 I began my role as manager.
I have also obtained the Neonatal Pediatric Specialty (NPS) and the Adult Critical Care Specialty (ACCS) credentials for Respiratory Therapy. I used the certification assistance program here at TidalHealth to obtain those credentials! All these experiences have helped me build confidence in what I do.
We work in the ED, ICU, PCU, L&D, SCN and Med-Surg areas. In Code Blue and Rapid Responses, we are often looked upon to determine the best course of action for airway management whether it be to intubate or initiate CPAP/BIPAP and to determine the appropriate initial settings for ventilation via a ventilator or CPAP/BIPAP. These are just a few examples of what we get to do!
My favorite population is neonates! It does not matter whether a full-term newborn or a preemie. I do not wish for any parent to have a newborn that requires assistance at birth or later in their stay, but if that happens, I want to ensure the baby gets the best care whether it's something as simple as oxygen therapy or more invasive like intubation and mechanical ventilation.
In the Fall of 2022, I started taking classes at Wilmington University. My master’s will be in Management with a Healthcare Administration concentration. It is completely online which works great for having a career and family. I will be finished in December of this year.
Yes, I am!
This is a wonderful benefit that is offered to our team members. It has made a huge impact on how much I would have had to pay out of pocket for school. It also allowed me to speed up the timeline of completing the degree as I did not have to pay as much as I originally thought I would.
Always look at your patient, as simple and as obvious as that seems, but you cannot treat the patient off of numbers alone. Lab work may not always give the full picture, which is why it is important to look at, listen to and assess your patient.
My advice is to go with your gut feeling. If something feels off, it is worth investigating. Always advocate for your patient!
The last thing I would advise is it is never too late to change paths or go back to school. I used to say, “I will NEVER go back to school.” Oops. Never say never! I started my master’s degree 18 years after graduating college at the age of 41, while working full-time and having a family. This was before I applied for the manager’s position. My hope was that someday it would come in handy to help me gain a new position.
This December I will finish my master’s degree. In May of this year, it will be one year since I assumed the role of Manager for the Respiratory Department. I look forward to leading the department and continuing to grow in my role.