Sometimes, our childhood experiences take up residence in our memories and influence our choice of career when we grow up. That’s how it was for Logan Roberts, a Registered Respiratory Therapist at Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital.  

When Logan was a child, he battled severe asthma and recurrent pneumonia, which frequently landed him in the hospital. He later had a collapsed lung as an adult. And while Logan originally attended Liberty University to earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing, he switched mid-way, becoming a Respiratory Therapist so he could treat the same conditions he knew so well. 

From Newborns to Adults 

Now at Cleveland Clinic since July of 2023, Logan treats patients from newborns through age 18 – but that’s not all. “The way our program works in the Children’s Hospital is that if you’re seen as a child, they like to stay with you through adulthood. I had a patient very recently who is in in his 30s now and had been seen when he was a baby.” 

Logan spends his shifts working in three Intensive Care Units (neonatal ICU, pediatric ICU, and cardiovascular pediatric ICU), a stepdown unit, and even regular observation units. His duties include anything that deals with the lungs or respiratory system, including administering breathing treatments, using ventilators, running blood samples, helping in emergency situations, assisting with births, and more. 

Counting on His Fellow Caregivers 

Logan receives plenty of teamwork and support from his fellow caregivers. “They’re phenomenal,” he said. “I feel really blessed to be able to work with them. I just always love how available we are to help each other and how we don’t really have to say anything.” 

He also credits his manager Kathy for helping him pass his boards and obtain his registration. “I’ve never been a good test taker,” Logan says. “Over the span of a year, she sat down with me and helped critique and change certain study habits I had. She also gave me several books and guides and had me download a lot of practice tests. Let me tell you, she has the patience of a saint.” 

The Best Place to Be in an Emergency 

While Logan has helped endless patients improve their breathing difficulties with his treatments, he had his own medical scare at work. “I was feeling fine when I arrived in the morning, but about two hours later, I started feeling really dizzy and began getting the shakes.” As the day went on and he continued to feel worse, he considered leaving early when his co-worker convinced him to go to the Emergency Room. “They ended up finding a very rare infection in my blood, which led to an infection in my lungs and quickly sent me into septic shock, causing my organs to begin shutting down,” Logan says. “Once I got admitted, I told my doctor that I didn’t even realize I was that sick. She emphasized just how life-threatening my situation was.” 

Though faced with a terrifying health crisis, Logan couldn’t have found himself in better hands than with the qualified caregivers at Cleveland Clinic. “Being on the other side is really a very humbling experience. I now know what it feels like to be scared and not know what’s going on.” 

Doing What He Loves 

Healthy and happy to be back at work, Logan enjoys treating his pediatric patients. “I like how full of life they are and how they see the world. Everything is new and exciting to them. We get to do a lot of fun activities and play with the kids, especially when they’ve been cooped up in their room for a while,” Logan says. 

One now-famous six-year-old patient in their care, John-Henry, discovered he’d soon be getting a heart transplant and couldn’t wait to share the news. “He went on a little parade and told all of us, ‘I’m getting a new heart!’ It was really exciting and fun to see,” Logan says. 

So Many Reasons to Join 

Patient relationships are just part of what Logan appreciates about working for Cleveland Clinic. “There are a lot of benefits to working at Cleveland Clinic. I can’t say enough kind things about my coworkers. I have a set schedule in my weekend flex position – it allows me to free up my week to do activities with my friends. And working here allows me to experience once-in-a-lifetime scenarios, cases and situations other hospitals don’t get to experience.”