On her career journey to becoming Manager, Respiratory Therapy for Intensive Care and Resuscitation in the Cleveland Clinic Anesthesiology Institute, Lindsey Kreisher, MHA, RRT-ACCS went from not knowing what a respiratory therapist did, to finding her passion. And for that, she credits her mother.
“I wanted to do something in healthcare,” Lindsey says. “My mom was a teacher at the local community college, and she recommended that I shadow different positions, such as physical therapy, radiology, and respiratory therapy.” Once she did, Lindsey came to truly appreciate the role of a respiratory therapist. “I saw that respiratory therapy is involved with everything in a patient’s care,” Lindsey says. “I found that to be very challenging.”
Exceptional teamwork, locally and nationally
Cleveland Clinic respiratory therapists work as part of a multidisciplinary team, alongside physicians and nurses, physical therapists, nurse practitioners, and others. “We’re able to give our opinions and suggestions to improve the quality of patient care,” Lindsey says. “And the doctors really rely on us for our specialty and our expertise.”
Lindsey credits the teamwork environment as a major plus and a huge asset to the respiratory therapists. “The ability to work on a big team and lean on each other means a lot,” she says. “You don’t get that everywhere you go, and we’re lucky to have that here at Cleveland Clinic.”
That spirit of teamwork spreads beyond the borders of Northeast Ohio, as well, “We have regular meetings with respiratory therapists from Cleveland Clinic’s Florida hospitals,” Lindsey says. “It’s a really good opportunity, because you can learn something from everyone.”
And during the pandemic, Lindsey’s team was able to share equipment and advice across the enterprise. “Being at main campus, we are the hub for equipment,” Lindsey says. “It’s all a part of the Cleveland Clinic culture. There’s always going to be somebody there to help you.”
Steady through the storm
Lindsey praises her team for continuing to provide a high level of care for their patients during the worst of the pandemic. “We were at the forefront,” she says. “I think our ability to weather that storm and work together is a huge accomplishment. We were able to come out on the other side and start working on new projects. It speaks volumes for the people on our team and for Cleveland Clinic.” The team’s work during the pandemic also provided an education of the important role that respiratory therapy plays in caring for patients, Lindsey adds.
Opportunities and options
For Lindsey, one of the main advantages of working at Cleveland Clinic has been the opportunity to steadily advance in her career. At Cleveland Clinic, she has moved from clinical specialist, to lead therapist, to supervisor, to manager. In fact, she moved back to the Cleveland area to pursue opportunities in leadership at Cleveland Clinic.
“The biggest thing that I enjoy about respiratory therapy is the option to do other things,” she says. “I’m also grateful for the opportunity to meet different kinds of people, whether it’s patients or caregivers, since I’ve been here. They have helped me become a better person, just by being able to meet and learn from them.”
Lindsey’s advice for anyone who is looking to get into respiratory therapy as a career? “Go on a shadow visit,” she says. “That will give you a very good insight about whether this field is for you. And once you get your foot in the door, you’ll have a lot more options.”
