High Altitude Rescue RT

Location: Nepal - Pheriche (along the trekking route to Everest Base Camp)

Timeframe: 4 month commitment on the ground + preparation work.

Early March - Early June 2014

The situation:

Every year during peak trekking season, there are on average 8 cases of high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) helicoptered out to the CIWEC Clinic. CPAP therapy has been proven effective in cases of HAPE.(Clin J Sport Med. 2009 Jan;19(1):72-3. doi: 10.1097/JSM.0b013e3181915cce.) The efficacy of this, is yet to be studied in further detail. This is an opportunity for RTs to stand in the knowledge gap by taking donated home CPAP units to the Khumbu region where there are many young relatively fit healthy patients fall ill to HAPE.

Qualifications:

- RT registered with a regulatory/advocating body in good standing

- Open mind to thrive in different cultures and interest for creative education and rapport building with locals

- Demonstrated initiative and belief in the RTWB mission

- physical fitness: proven to handle well at altitude

Compensation:

- Opportunity to develop a new program saving

Opportunity

- Network with leading healthcare professions in Nepal

- Build the international respiratory therapy profile

- Experience healthcare in a challenging environment

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Full description

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Program Highlights

- be an integral part in implementing CPAP therapy for high altitude pulmonary edema

- experience with launching healthcare initiatives in the developing world

- exchanging knowledge/ideas with local healthcare professionals

Program Structure

This is a full-time volunteer opportunity for a minimum of 3 months in Nepal. (Some preparatory work and fundraising will need to be done before the time of travel.) Participants will work with local and foreign healthcare professionals at the host facility. Participants function as a RT consultants with an emphasis on building sustained healthcare capacity by empowering local healthcare professionals. Empowerment of local peoples is a pillar in sustained capacity building. As such RTWB emphasizes rapport building with local professionals. RTs will work primarily in a rural seasonal health clinic in the mountain region in Nepal.

The goal of this program in the next season is 2 fold

1. Establish working relations with local healthcare providers

2. Reduce the need for high risk high altitude helicopter rescues by treating acute HAPE with CPAP in the 2014 trekking season.

RTs have a great reputation in Nepal. This was formed by RTs who have gone in the past and built rapport from the ground up. Participants are expected to maintain that same high quality of education and genuine care for improved healthcare capacity through empowerment of local providers.

Needless to say, this program is very volunteer driven. As such, the participant's experience will very much be a product of what they put in.

Participant Expectations

- provide a commitment of 3-4 months full time on the ground

- at this point, participants still need to fundraise travel expenses on their own

- develop a rough protocol for usage of CPAP in HAPE cases

- proposal of project to clinic medical directors

- recruit home CPAP units and interfaces for donation.

- educate locals through creative and relevant teaching sessions

- uphold the goals of the proposed project upholding RTWB values (ie. integrity and innovation)

- maintain a professional work ethic (e.g. punctual, proper attire, positive attitude)

- work an open mind and flexibility within the constraints of the environment

- exercise innovation in addressing life/medical issues that arise

- ask for help as required (e.g. utilize country representative as required)

- have fun!

- upon return, we ask for a short summary of your experiences. However, we would like to encourage you to share your experiences to inspire other RTs to consider how they can be giving back.

Country Representative Expectations

- support participants remotely in trip preparation, while on the ground and on re-entry (via email, skype, mobile)

- ask for help as required (e.g. RTWB advisors)

Application Process

1. Complete online internship application

2. Email your cover letter and curriculum vitae to the country representative (eric@rtwb.ca)

*You will be contacted within 14days of your email.

Project Status

Green light pending, but prep work must start now.

Nepal Project publications

A Passageto Nepal- Volunteering with Respiratory Therapists Without Borders

Michener Magazine. Winter 2013.