AARC Election 2025 — Caitlin Coppock

AARC Activities:

• Board of Directors, Director-at-large, 2024-current, 2021-2023.
• Advocacy & Government Affairs Committee 2023-current
• Educational Journey & Role Advancement Task Force, 2023-current
• AARC Elections Committee Member, 2022
• AARC Industry Member Specialty Section Taskforce Chair, 2024
• AARC BOD ARCF Achievement Award Selection Committee, 2024

Affiliate Activities:

• Delegate, Oklahoma Society for Respiratory Care, 2018
• President, Oklahoma Society for Respiratory Care, 2018-2019; Delegate (substitute), Oklahoma Society for Respiratory Care, 2018; Past President, Oklahoma Society for Respiratory Care, 2020; President-Elect, Oklahoma Society for Respiratory Care, 2017; Secretary, Oklahoma Society for Respiratory Care, 2015-2016.
• Board of Directors and tenure in office, Oklahoma Society for Respiratory Care, 2015-2020.
• PACT, Oklahoma Society for Respiratory Care, 2019-2020, 2022-2024

Related Organizations:

• Volunteer Coordinator for Annual Gala, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation: Sooner Chapter, 2022-2023
• Volunteer, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation: Sooner Chapter, 2017-2024
• Advisory Committee Member, Francis Tuttle Technology Center, 2021-2024
• Advisory Committee Member, Rose State College, 2021-2023

Education:

• RRT-ACCS, Oklahoma City Community College/Francis Tuttle Technology Center, Oklahoma City, OK, 2014
• Bachelors in Sports Management, Minor in Leadership Studies, Southwestern College, Winfield, KS, 2010

Elections Committee Questions:

What do you see as the biggest challenge facing the AARC, and what do you recommend to address it?

With workforces changing and evolving, the biggest challenge facing the AARC is engaging with our future generations of healthcare professionals and promoting respiratory therapy as the premier choice for a career in healthcare. The respiratory workforce deficit must be addressed and overcome in the next few years to be able to meet the demands of our ever-aging population and cardiopulmonary healthcare needs across the United States and beyond.

This will require AARC to work in collaboration with our professional partners (NBRC and CoARC) on the growth and recruitment for respiratory programs, bring awareness to our elected officials about our expertise and how respiratory therapists are the experts in cardiopulmonary care so services can be reimbursed, and continue to work to promote evidence-based care for patients.

In addition, AARC must help push the boundaries of where RTs are working. Individuals are looking for other career opportunities outside of bedside.

Healthcare is changing more rapidly than ever. What ideas do you have to help today’s respiratory therapist meet these changes?

One way respiratory therapists can meet these challenges is by establishing themselves as a voice in areas the profession may not have traditionally been exposed to or permitted to be involved with. The opportunities of where we can contribute are endless and we cannot be our biggest barrier to career advancement; when qualified individuals who are as passionate, adaptable, and are as resilient as respiratory therapists, anything is possible.

Also, as industry continues to advance technology and evidence-based care, respiratory therapists are leading the evolution in critical care by advancement in mechanical ventilation, patient safety and remote monitoring capabilities, and improving quality metrics and outcomes. Partnerships across sectors (industry, acute hospital, rehab, homecare, leadership, etc) will only help serve our patients in more ways.

Share your thoughts about how you can encourage the AARC Committees, Specialty Sections, and Special Representatives to contribute to the strategic plan for the AARC. How do you see your role in this process?

Fostering relationships with the committees, representatives, and specialty sections to lend support, answer questions related to the strategic plan, and continue to improve communication across the organization will in turn support the overall productivity of the organization. This is one of the most important responsibilities of the Vice President role and feel confident in the steps we have taken in recent years as a Board of Directors to set our organization on a new path. I would be honored to serve in this capacity.

In addition to this, I would work to bring awareness of our profession by continuing to engage with those unversed in our skills, knowledge, and passion and recruit those interested in healthcare careers to consider respiratory therapy. Partnering public awareness, evidence to support our value, and the passion of our profession will continue to meet the lofty but attainable goals of the AARC strategic plan.