COPD Assessment and Management Course

Student Comments

Sarah Peterson, Licensed PT

Duke Center for Living

Durham, NC

2005 Graduate

"The COPD course has given me more insight about the impact of COPD on the lives of patients and their families.  It has taught me the importance of establishing an individualized approach to the care of each patient and continually evaluating his/her response to different therapies.  Although I do not prescribe medications, I will have greater awareness of how the medications are used and side effects to be aware of.  This course has also given me more resources for expanding my knowledge and ways to search for answers to help our clients."

Thetra Williams, BS, CRT

Asthma/COPD Counselor

Health & Disease Management

Blue Choice Health Plan

Columbia, SC

2005 Graduate

"I understand through this course the importance of patient education.  We should use every opportunity to educate COPD patients about their disease.  Armed with more information, I will be able to advise doctors about more specific treatment and care for a patient suffering with COPD.  I am also able to counsel patients more specifically according to their stage in the disease process.  I have noticed in the health care industry we are so focused on the acute care of patients, but in the case of COPD and other chronic disease, we should always consider long-term care of these patients and what we can do to ease their suffering."

Rita Heath, RRT-NPS, RPFT, AE-C, ACLS, PALS

Carolina’s Medical Center

Charlotte, NC

2005 Graduate

"The NRTC COPD Course has truly enhanced my clinical practice with COPD patients.  Probably the greatest benefit has been the ability to look at the whole disease or patient and be able to develop a comprehensive medical management plan that is based on quality proven guidelines.  I now feel better knowing where to start and how to take in all the pieces of the COPD puzzle and clearly organize them.  The physicians I work along with also benefit and have come to rely on me as an allied healthcare professional that offers great understanding and expertise to their COPD patients."

Casey S. Jones, RN, MSN, ANP-C AE-C

Texas Pulmonary & Critical Care Consultants

Bedford, TX

2002 Graduate and NRTC Trainer

"Nurse practitioners treat patients with asthma and COPD daily.  Caring for these patients requires current, evidence-based knowledge which I obtained from my course work with the NRTC.  These courses improved my clinical competence and gave me that extra credibility that patients and other professionals notice.  My NRTC diplomas hang proudly in our examination rooms, and patients remark upon them on a daily basis."