Pulmonary function testing is a great way to understand the patient’s restrictive or obstructive defects. And chances are…you have probably taken care of the patient in the medical surgical unit or upon a readmission.

Spirograms are a great way to visually see the patient’s progression of their disease or improvement. In some cases, the PFT’s also confirm what we already know when we took care of the patient that got Q4H nebulizers during a recent hospital admission…they can show little to no improvement!

Does it have the same adrenaline rush as the ICU or ER? Most definitely not, but it’s a great way to get to know your pulmonologist, since it will be him or her that is interpreting the study. Also, there is a likelihood that he sees the same patients in the ICU. After submitting a PFT report, the therapist can read the interpretation and compare with the study.

New graduates should consider at least doing a rotation into the PFT lab. This is usually not an issue, especially if you’re trying to expand your skill set in the department.

If you’re seeking credentialing for the PFT designation, getting hands on experience first is the best way. Reading a study manual before getting on the job training decreases the chances of passing the exam. The ATS PFT manual is a great resource. It can be purchased in a PDF format via an educational expense by the department.

PFT labs in metropolitan areas will probably see more higher acuity patients than compared to small hospitals, such as cystic fibrosis or cancer.