About the Author: Laura Castricone, CRT

Laura Castricone, CRT


LinkedIn Profile My name is Laura Castricone and I am a Certified Respiratory Therapist. I have been practicing in the state of Connecticut since 1992. I have worked in several aspects of respiratory care including sleep medicine, critical care, rehab, and home care. I earned my respiratory certification at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT. Prior to becoming an RT, I attended the University of Connecticut pursuing a degree in English but left Uconn in my junior year to work with my father in the restaurant business. I stayed with him for over a dozen years. An education, by the way, that can never be bought! Once I married and had children, the restaurant business no longer fit my lifestyle. When my children were one and two years old, I decided to go back to school and that is where my career in respiratory care began. This career has been very rewarding and I have been blessed to meet some extraordinary people along the way. I grew up in Waterbury, CT, and now live in Litchfield County, CT with my husband and our crazy Jack Russell terrier, Hendrix. My hobbies include antiquing, gardening, writing plays, and painting miniature paintings.

 

Laura Castricone, CRT's Articles

What Is The Difference Between Cpap, Auto Cpap And Bipap?

Posted on Feb 09, 2021 by Laura Castricone, CRT

CPAP and BiPAP therapy are non-invasive treatments with proven success for the treatment of sleep disordered breathing. Use of a PAP device can help give you more years on your life as well as enhance the quality of those years.

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Posted in CPAP/BIPAP

INTERFACES: PAP MASKS AND MASK CHOICES

Posted on Feb 18, 2021 by Laura Castricone, CRT

In the world of PAP therapy, there is one word that is used as universal terminology for the apparatus that is put against the face to employ a CPAP or a BiLevel device

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Posted in CPAP Masks

EXPECTATIONS OF PAP THERAPY

Posted on Feb 18, 2021 by Laura Castricone, CRT

We are all guilty of this...expecting more than we actually get. But is this true when it comes to PAP therapy?

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Posted in CPAP/BIPAP

Nebulizer Treatments - Breathing Treatment Tips

Posted on Jul 27, 2021 by Laura Castricone, CRT

Breathing treatments help you treat wheezing, shortness of breath, and other respiratory problems. It involves inhaling medications in a mist form. Learn More.

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Posted in Nebulizer System

Diseases and Symptoms that Require Using A Nebulizer

Posted on Jul 27, 2021 by Laura Castricone, CRT

The diseases described above all cause narrowing of the airway and copious amounts of secretions

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Posted in Nebulizer System

What is a Nebulizer Treatment?

Posted on Jul 27, 2021 by Laura Castricone, CRT

A nebulizer treatment, also known as a “breathing treatment” is a medical treatment using liquid medication and turning it into an aerosol so it can be breathed in by a patient. The most common liquid medications used are in a class called bronchodilators.

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Posted in Nebulizer System

Nebulizer V.S. Inhaler

Posted on Jul 27, 2021 by Laura Castricone, CRT

The inhaler is help for when you take medicine. it is an easy way to take a medicine

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Posted in Nebulizer System

How to Properly Administer a Nebulizer Treatment?

Posted on Jul 27, 2021 by Laura Castricone, CRT

If your healthcare provider orders nebulizer treatments, there is a proper way to administer the medication. Your nebulizer set up will consist of several parts. Let’s review them:

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Posted in Nebulizer System

CPAP/BIPAP Cleaning and Maintenance

Posted on Feb 21, 2022 by Laura Castricone, CRT

Cleaning is and has always been very important whether or not we are in a health crisis. I have been a respiratory therapist for 30 years and it has always amazed me how careless many clients are about keeping their CPAP or BiPAP machine and supplies hygiene. After all, this is something worn nightly, that you're breathing into, possibly coughing, drooling, or sneezing into.

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Posted in CPAP Cleaning & Comfort

How to Use an Incentive Spirometer?

Posted on Jun 13, 2022 by Laura Castricone, CRT

Incentive spirometry, sometimes referred to as “IST,” is a very simple exercise that helps to expand and contract the lung tissue. There is a breathing machine, called an incentive spirometer, at each bedside for surgical patients.

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Posted in Peak Flow Meters