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Karen LaRoché
RRT-ACCS
With more than 30 years of adult critical care and trauma experience, Karen LaRoche has learned that critical thinking and evidence-based processes are at the root of not only patient safety and patient progress, but also staff satisfaction. She now works to share her experiences with others through professional education and lecturing opportunities, with the goal of helping others enhance their critical bedside assessment to improve upon evidence-based practices for both current and future RT professionals. In her spare time, Karen enjoys spending time with family and friends as well as enjoying outdoor activities in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.
Courses with Karen LaRoché
Browse Course CatalogMechanical Ventilation Management
Presented by Karen LaRoché, RRT-ACCS
Mechanical Ventilation Management
This course will cover the proper procedure as well as patient education, documentation guidelines, and care considerations for general management of mechanical ventilation in the home with a focus on palliative goals of care.
Management of Home Ventilators—Humidity Administration and Manual Ventilation With a Handheld Resuscitator
Presented by Karen LaRoché, RRT-ACCS and Clinical Procedure Manual Review Board
Management of Home Ventilators—Humidity Administration and Manual Ventilation With a Handheld Resuscitator
This course will cover the proper home ventilator management procedures as well as patient education, documentation guidelines, and care considerations for humidity administration and manual ventilation with a handheld resuscitator.
Mechanical Ventilation—Terminal Weaning
Presented by Karen LaRoché, RRT-ACCS
Mechanical Ventilation—Terminal Weaning
This course will cover the proper procedure as well as patient education, documentation guidelines, and care considerations for the process of terminal weaning from invasive mechanical ventilation.
Tracheostomy—Humidity Administration, Speaking Valve Placement and Removal, and Unplanned Tube Decannulation
Presented by Karen LaRoché, RRT-ACCS and Clinical Procedure Manual Review Board
Tracheostomy—Humidity Administration, Speaking Valve Placement and Removal, and Unplanned Tube Decannulation
This course will cover the proper procedures as well as patient education, documentation guidelines, and care considerations for these essential areas of tracheostomy care: humidity administration, speaking valve placement and removal, and response to unplanned tube decannulation.
Assessing Extubation Readiness
Presented by Karen LaRoché, RRT-ACCS
Assessing Extubation Readiness
While extubating a patient is a common procedure for the bedside respiratory therapist (RT), it has the potential to be a high-risk event for patients who may have upper airway issues, such as swelling. The intent of this skills video is to demonstrate the cuff leak procedure, which can aid in the assessment of a patient's upper airway patency prior to the extubation process. This procedure should be performed by a healthcare provider trained in the process of patient extubation, such as an RT or anesthesia provider. It is best performed shortly before the removal of the endotracheal tube. It is not recommended as a daily practice outside of the extubation process.
In this training, we'll review the equipment and procedures for assessing extubation readiness. This course includes
- Video demonstrations of procedures
- Downloadable procedure guide PDFs
- Tips and best practices for performing these procedures in the home
Ventilator Liberation: Navigating Spontaneous Breathing Trials
Presented by Karen LaRoché, RRT-ACCS
Ventilator Liberation: Navigating Spontaneous Breathing Trials
Ventilator liberation through spontaneous breathing trials is an evidence-based practice that is adopted by many institutions. However, the successful utilization of this standard is variable based on the understanding of how to apply the process and the clinical assessments by bedside staff. This course is intended to improve clinical decision-making regarding how to use patient assessment to navigate the spontaneous breathing trial process, identify clinical barriers to spontaneous breathing trial success, and strategize how to remove those barriers, including the implementation of effective and efficient team communication. Through interactive case studies and coverage of evidence-based guidelines, respiratory therapists working across acute and post-acute settings will be equipped with strategies to effectively navigate spontaneous breathing trials to support patients with ventilator liberation.
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