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An Interview with Dr. Douglas Gardenhire

Tell me about your book and how you approach the topic of clinical pharmacology?

Raus Respiratory Care Pharmacology was first written by Dr. Joseph L. Rau. Prior to his retirement as Chair of the Department of Cardiopulmonary Care Sciences he asked if I would be interested in taking over authorship. I quickly turned him down, explaining to him that I did not have the time that was justified to take over a textbook. However, he did not take "no" for an answer and employed a recruitment team at the publisher to talk me into the idea. They said they would give me more time, so with Dr. Rau asking a second time, I thought it would be an opportunity to put my stamp on a text that would pull from my teaching philosophy and background. Plus, it allowed me to honor Dr. Rau for his years of mentoring and friendship, and I was able to name the book for him and his service to respiratory care.

One of the biggest changes I employed in the book was the development of an instructor resource guide. Teaching pharmacology can be a daunting task. Many instructors have commented that they need guidance. I asked a fellow colleague, Professor Chip Zimmerman, to help in developing the instructor guide. It began with all of the comments I used to teach the course at Georgia State. We included a syllabus, objectives, class activities, and a test bank.

The text itself was written to provide students with different reading levels the ability to read and grasp tough concepts with ease. In doing so, I have included many new features to draw the student to important information in the literature and to point out the practically for a practicing respiratory therapist.

The 7th edition was a great success, and with the launch of the new 8th edition, I have built on providing more practical knowledge that can be learned by the student and used by the practicing respiratory therapist. In the 8th edition, we added expanded features for the instructor and created a student site with an audio glossary and digital drug cards. The current edition is available in full electronic application on all devices.

What do you see as the biggest issue in teaching pharmacology to RTs?

The vast number of agents in pulmonary medicine continues to grow. The ability of the student and practicing therapist to keep up to date on medication can be over whelming.

Why did you feel that a specific book for respiratory therapist on the topic of pharmacology was needed?

This text has been a staple in respiratory education for many years. Today, the vast number of medications being produced for inhalation is at an all-time high. The inhalation route is so easy and painless that the lungs are an ideal site for drug administration. Plus, with COPD and asthma admissions and diagnoses continuing to grow, the respiratory therapist needs to be up-to-date on the latest medication available.

Will this book be a good reference for other health professions students?

This text is the most up-to-date textbook on the market involving medications used to treat the lungs. It is an excellent reference for any professional interested in respiratory medications. All chapters are reference-based on the latest literature. Plus, the growing area of sleep medicine in respiratory therapy has allowed me to add a chapter on Sleep and Sleep Pharmacology written by my colleague Dr. Michael Decker.

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